The Siege of Shadows: The Veil of Danu Book one

Whispers of Chaos (37)

Steam rose from the bath, the floral oils Kael had added filling the room with a faint, calming scent. I sighed as the heat wrapped around me, soothing the aches in my body. The clawfoot tub was oversized, designed for fae much larger than me, but it made for a luxurious soak. Kael had even set a folded towel for my head and carefully placed a small jar of the healing crème within reach, his thoughtfulness a quiet constant over the last few days.

I let myself relax, closing my eyes, letting my fingers trace lazy patterns on the surface of the water. For a moment, it felt as though the world outside these walls didn't exist.

Voices broke the silence, loud and sharp, echoing through the chambers beyond the bathroom door. Kael's low rumble was unmistakable, but the second voice was unfamiliar—frantic and angry.

My heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, I reached for the towel hanging nearby, wrapping it tightly around me. The chill of the air hit my damp skin as I stepped out of the bath, water dripping onto the marble floor. I cracked open the door just enough to see Kael standing near the window, his arms crossed as he faced the source of the yelling.

Ahren.

His pale hair caught the light streaming in from the window, but there was nothing soft about him now. His face was flushed with fury, and his golden eyes were blazing.

"What the hell have you done?" Ahren spat, gesturing toward me before I could fully step into view. His gaze locked on the faint golden collar still around my neck, and disgust twisted his features. "This is why you brought her here? To turn her into this?" He snarled

"You can't even deny it." His voice trembled with anger as he turned back to Kael. "Was this your plan all along? Take her from her world, humiliate her like this?"

Kael, seated near the window, looked up slowly. He didn't flinch under Ahren's rage, but the tension in his shoulders was unmistakable. "She was brought here for her own safety," Kael said, his voice low and steady. "I made a mistake."

Ahren scoffed, shaking his head. "A mistake? You've stripped her of dignity, collared her like some pet. Does that sound like safety to you?"

I stepped forward, my voice shaking but firm. "Why was I brought here, then?"

Ahren's anger faltered at the question. His gaze shifted to me, and for a moment, there was something softer in his eyes—regret, perhaps. He hesitated, then sighed.

"It wasn't for this," he said quietly. "It was because of the flute."

"The flute?" My confusion deepened.

"The one you played in the human world," Ahren said. "It belonged to Puck, a powerful Pooka. It has the ability to influence animals—control them, even. We thought it might be... connected to the curse on Kael's mother."

My chest tightened as I processed his words. "You thought I could help free her?"

Ahren's expression hardened as he turned back to Kael. "That's what should've mattered. Not this farce you've turned her into."

Kael exhaled slowly, his hands tightening into fists. "Do you think I don't know that?" His voice was quiet, but the weight of it filled the room. "Do you think I don't lie awake every night, wondering if I've already failed her?"

"Because you're too much of a coward to even try," Ahren snapped.

Kael's jaw tightened, and for a long moment, neither of them spoke.

"I don't know what I'd do if I broke the curse," Kael admitted finally, his voice heavy. "Where would I take her where the king wouldn't find her? Where could I hide Rowan to keep her safe?"