of, no money, no power. She's just a momentary entertainment. Now she's gone, probably run away with Tyr, and you should let her go. Please, for the love of the Gods, marry Ariana; she has everything that your Changeling lacked, plus she is an excellent example of how Fae women should behave, unlike that child you brought before us who talked back to her queens."
"She is not a child, that I can guarantee,” I said coldly, lifting my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. “And while she may not be the typical Fae noble, to us she's better, she's honest, and not trying to use us for her own gain. She's stronger and more special than you think, and that's exactly why we are going to get her back. Ariana has no place in the Court of Crimson. As of this day, she has been exiled. She will remain here in the Court of Frost and if you refuse to house her, you may cast her out, but she will never be welcome in my Court again.”
Sparks lit the ends of my mother’s hair as she scowled at me. "You are a fool,” she snapped. “You would leave The Court of Crimson open to a human attack if you leave to follow that girl.”
“That is no longer any of your concern,” I said, shouldering past her as I made my way to my brothers. “We can handle our Court ourselves.”
I didn’t look back as I left the room, feeling Orion and Sorrell following as we made our way to the stables. As Orion disappeared to find stable hands to assist in readying our mounts, I sucked in a lungful of icy air and pushed it out in a rush. Seconds later, I felt the niggling of eyes on me. Turning slightly, I caught a glimpse of the very bitch I’d exiled.
“What do you want?” I asked, calling Ariana from her hiding place.
After a moment, she gave up pretending and slowly slid around the corner, her eyes turned towards the ground.
“Spit it out,” Sorrell snapped, just as through with her as I was. “We don’t have all day.”
“Is it really true?” she asked. “That I won’t be allowed back into the Court of Crimson?”
“You put my betrothed at risk, you attempted to kill her, and only by her mercy are you even alive,” I growled. “Yes, it is true. If ever you show your face in our Court again, I will have you shackled in silver and then burned at the stake.”
Her head jerked up and she took a step forward, her hand reaching out blindly. “Roan—”
Without stopping to think, I took the few steps to reach her, raised my palm, and backhanded her across the face. Ariana fell to the ground, her hand coming up to cover her face as tears tracked down her cheeks. A hollowness filled me. Something twisted and dark. Cress would have been so angry had she seen my actions, and yet, I didn’t care.
“Do not speak to me so disrespectfully, peasant,” I snapped. “I am a Royal and you are nothing. I am a future King of the Crimson Court and you will address me as such. If I ever see your face again, I can promise you nothing but pain and misery. Your home is now the Court of Frost. You are not welcome anywhere else.”
I turned my back on her and walked over to my horse as Orion and two stable hands came around the opposite corner, each with a mount in hand. There wasn’t a single feeling of remorse, I noted, as her quiet sobs followed me. Sorrell didn’t say a word as we each took our steeds and headed out. A sick sinister feeling coated my every movement and I blinked, turning my nose down and sniffing at myself. But no, I had to be imagining it. Every ounce of hatred I had for Ariana, every modicum of disgust, had finally seeped out of me. It was only my anger that had caused my actions.
Still, my eyes slid towards Orion as he mounted his horse and took the reins. Regardless of my behavior, we had more important things to attend to. Our focus needed to be on getting back to the Court of Crimson and then to the human realm. Cress was waiting.
Chapter Three
Sorrell
The Court of Crimson appeared over the hill and, as if the others felt the same renewed sense of urgency at the sight of it, our pace