and Dad stiffened.
“Where is Safiya now?” Dad asked softly, but his eyes were on fire.
I swallowed. “She’s in a safe house in the Summer Court, guarded by the Summer knights. The Fae treat her well there, as Baron ordered. But Rydstrom wouldn’t allow her to enter his Night realm with the others, for fear Brigantia would track the rest of us and know the exact location of his Night City. Rydstrom found Brigantia’s magical mark on Safiya. She’d been talking to the usurper queen and struck a deal with Brigantia as her informant. Rydstrom interrogated Safiya and got her confession.” At my parents’ look, I added hurriedly, “No, the Night King didn’t torture Safiya. No matter what, she’s still my sister.”
I couldn’t bear to tell my parents that Safiya had targeted me. I hadn’t believed that my sister would go so far as to harm one of us because she couldn’t get over her jealousy. My teenage sister also naively believed that if Brigantia took me away, her life would be fabulous, and she would land one of my beautiful, formidable kings.
“She didn’t behave like a sister,” Dad said, his nostrils flaring as he turned to Mom. “I don’t get that child. She was always jealous of Evie even when she was little. She had to have everything Evie had. I thought when she grew up, she’d finally get over it. I’m disappointed that my own daughter is a danger to my other children, especially to my eldest daughter.”
Dad had never been blind.
“She’ll eventually move on,” I said, sucking in a breath, grateful that Dad was full of understanding. I laid a hand on his arm. “We won’t give up on her. And she won’t see me often from now on, so that might help. Some time apart from us will do her good.”
“I know Safiya deserves punishment.” Mom rubbed her temples. “She’s always been difficult, but she’s still my daughter.”
“Safiya isn’t exactly being punished,” I said. “I’ve checked on her frequently. She isn’t lacking anything in the Summer Court, except that she isn’t free to roam the realm. She also has a tutor.”
“Commander is too good to the traitor,” Asuka shouted angrily. “Safiya should rot in Hell!”
“Asuka, do not curse your sister!” Mom ordered, and she wasn’t backing down.
“Hey,” I said, cupping the twin’s chin before he had another outburst. “Nox is coming home. One more day, and I’ll go to the Wild Hunt. When I do, the evil queen will return Nox. That’s the deal.”
“We’re still working on an angle to cancel the summons of the Wild Hunt,” said Dad.
No angle could get me out of the Wild Hunt, but I didn’t want to shatter my parents’ hope, and I didn’t want to talk about the hunt again during our precious family reunion.
“Are you going to stay here with them, Dad? Mom?” I asked. “Last I heard, Pestilence had spread to southern California. I’m afraid it’ll reach the rest of the world soon if we don’t find a cure fast enough.” I gestured at my siblings. “This is the safest place for them, and the Night knights will give their lives to protect our family. If there’s one place where Brigantia can’t reach them, it’s here.”
“I agree,” Dad said. “But we have work to do in the Silver Circle. We’ll fight this war with you. Your siblings can stay under your mate’s care.”
I blinked. This was the first time that Dad had accepted Rydstrom into the family.
Mom nodded, smiling at me. “We’ve been rude to the Night King. We weren’t prepared. Yesterday, you were still our little girl, and now you’re grown up, ready to take on the world. And you’ve found your mates.”
“Rydstrom is very rich, Mom. You should not be rude to him, or you’ll ruin it for us,” Cassidy complained. “Commander hit the jackpot, and we all need to roll with it.” Then a funny, worried expression screwed up his face. “Where’s Baron? Is he out of the picture? He has a lot of gold, too. Commander, you should have let them compete more. Baron has a castle near the beach. It’d be a shame if you let him go too soon.” He rubbed his thumb over his small chin, a calculating light glinting in his hazel eyes. “And I don’t want you to burn that bridge. When I grow up, I can work for either one of them if the pay is right.”
Emmett frowned at him. “Stop trying to pimp out our sister. Make