Crown of Moonlight (Court of Midnight and Deception #2) - K.M. Shea Page 0,115

between horror and…hope.

“We work together,” I repeated.

“Under your leadership?” Rime asked.

“Yes.”

Quiet enfolded the meeting room, and I held my breath.

This was the defining moment.

It was here that I found out if I alone was strong enough, and if they believed in me.

Solis stood. “The Day Court nominates Queen Leila of the Night Court as the fae representative for the Regional Committee of Magic.”

Verdant shot to her feet. “The Spring Court seconds this nomination.”

The quiet shifted into a stifling silence that threatened to choke me.

“The Winter Court approves of this nomination,” Queen Rime finally said.

I mashed my lips together, and almost sighed with relief.

Three Courts. I can be made representative with that. It’ll be a start.

“Do you promise?” Birch asked.

I blinked, unwilling to willy nilly offer a promise—that was a dangerous thing to dole out to the fae, who took their promises seriously. “Promise what?”

“That you’ll work to protect Flora?”

For a moment, my heart melted for Birch.

Even though he was a jerk, and I’d let him fly out of the back end of my truck a dozen times without feeling bad, he loved his wife—I could only imagine how terrified he was for her to ask me that in public.

“I swear I’ll do everything in my power to protect our Courts—including Consort Flora,” I said.

Birch spoke almost before I finished saying Flora’s name. “The Summer Court approves the nomination.”

I smiled.

“I won’t.” Fell pointed to me, an ugly look of hatred flickering across his face. “I see the truth, unlike the lot of you. She just wants power!”

“Actually, I would most love to be left alone in my big mansion with my handsome—and charming, smart, and witty—husband,” I said, adding a few descriptions when Rigel glanced in my direction.

Fell shook his head. “I don’t believe it!”

Don’t, or can’t?

I briefly closed my eyes and wondered if I should end it here, or keep trying to reach him.

Something in my gut said I almost had him, if I pushed just a little more.

Rigel shifted his chair closer to mine. “Yes,” he said.

I gaped at him. “How do you even know what I’m thinking?” I whispered. “Is that another one of your natural magics?”

“No. I just know you. Keep pushing,” he advised.

I squared my shoulders and glanced back at Skye and Indigo, standing together. They nodded encouragingly.

“Fell, if I can have a moment with you?” I beckoned for him to join me in a corner of the room.

He sauntered over to me, his chin held high—though he did step aside for Rigel when Rigel stood up.

“I will reaffirm the information Leila has presented on the unknown organization,” Rigel said. I didn’t think he was planning on saying anything important—knowing him he was just covering up my conversation with Fell in hopes that the Autumn King would be upfront for the first time in his annoying life.

I rested my hands on my hips and waited for Fell to reach me before I asked him. “Fell, why did you bring the monster to the Night Realm?”

“Because I don’t care what happens to your Court,” he said.

Wow. This guy has zero charisma to go with his punchable face. He’s lucky he didn’t go to public school in the human world.

“That wasn’t the only reason,” I said.

“Because it occurred to me it might successfully kill you,” he added.

No wonder he’s still single.

“And?” I asked.

“There is no other—” He was cut off, unable to utter the lie.

I wriggled my fingers at him. “Let me have it, Fell. Why did you choose the Night Court?”

Judging by the way he was pursing his lips, he was going to simply not answer my question and duck his inability to lie.

That was fine. I still had a few tricks I could use.

“If you don’t tell me I’m going to assume it’s because you’re secretly madly in love with me and it was all a ploy to get my attention.”

Fell growled. “You infuriating woman! Fine! It was because I knew out of all the Courts you were the only one who would have acted.”

Whoa. That is not what I was expecting—I thought he was going to say he did it because he figured Rigel could kill it. But this is shocking.

I could tell Fell was already regretting the outburst. He scowled at me and looked ready to march off in his anger.

“Fell,” I said.

“What?”

I stretched my arm out, and in a half playful/half serious move, I lightly punched him in the chest, resting my fist over his heart. “I want that position, because I don’t