Blue Flames

Chapter 69

I asked my father and Arthur to unchain the fae and set him free. They removed the silver chains, but they wouldn't let him go until the information he gave us proved true.

We left Irene, Charles and Marianno behind. Arthur wanted someone from our side with the man until we returned from hunting down sir Nicholas Doyle.

My father, Arthur and I took a car. I was glad I didn't have to ride a horse in my current condition. I wasn't back to one hundred percent. The bubbling frustration and thirst lurked in the back of my mind, the beast of insanity rearing its ugly head.

My father drove the SUV like he was on a mission. Noah sat next to him.

"Who is this Nicholas Doyle?" I asked my father.

"He's one of the nobles in my brother's pockets."

"What does that mean?"

It was Arthur who replied. "For any fae laws to pass, they must be presented in the House of Nobility where a vote must take place. If the king wants to pass a certain law, he must guarantee the votes of the majority.

"When Orion was king, his mere power enforced his rule. The nobles didn't dare play games with the laws and did their duty. But when Rion rose to the throne, things changed. His power was great, but it wasn't enough to keep the nobles in check. Especially since many thought him too weak to hold the throne. He pacified them by giving them more power over the ruling of Ireland through the House of Nobility. They voted for the laws he wanted implemented, in exchange for perks only the king can grant."

My father shot Arthur a glance in the rearview mirror. "You're rather well versed in our politics."

Arthur's response was a smile.

My father sighed, turning down the dirt road to a paved one. The wheels rolled smoothly. "You make it seem as if the nobles were saints before I abdicated the throne. They weren't. They always tried to play political games and bend the laws to their favors, but I kept it to a bearable minimum. My brother..." he shook his head. "My brother needed to establish his rule quickly and efficiently, it was my fault for abdicating so abruptly. He did the best he could, but the nobles still found ways to hold power over him using the votes."

"How did you keep the nobles in line?" I asked my father.

He shrugged. "I made a lesson out of the first few who tried to manipulate me when I first rose to power, and the rest fell in line."

Right. And here I was expecting he had used some sort of savvy political subterfuge. I shook my head, looking out the window at the passing trees. Immortals respected strength above all else.

"I'm surprised you came yourself, Father," I said. "Don't you have lackeys who'll obey your royal orders."

He chuckled. "You sound so much like your mother right now."

My chest warmed at the words.

"It's been a while since I had gotten my hands dirty," he continued, unaware of the impact of his words. "Nothing had made me want to. Until now."

A small smile tipped my lips. Now I had two blood thirsty, overprotective men in my life. The thought should have annoyed me. It didn't. At least, not entirely, since I knew that I could hold my own against the two of them to keep them from getting carried away.

"So, you have me wrapped around your little finger."

Arthur's low murmur made me look at him. I bit back a smile and showed him his ring on my finger. "Don't I?"

Mirth warmed his eyes, giving the bond a short reprieve from the darkness. "You do."

Then I noticed my nails.