The Goblin's Crown

Chapter Forty One: Assassin

The Seelie prince could clearly sense our surprise. "My parents told us what you said at the Solstice," Lysander explained. "And you were right. Every word you spoke was the truth."

"Your father won't like it," I muttered. "What will happen to his precious alliance?"

"My father is an idiot. He agreed to this arranged marriage in a vain attempt to end the wars for good. It is bound to backfire and if we allow the wedding to happen, then Aurora will be the first to pay for his mistake."

Knut's eyes narrowed to slits. "So chivalrous you are, running to the defense of your bastard sister's virtue, but where was your concern for these girls? What of their suffering?" Knut looked around at the women hanging from The Hollow's branches as if it were the first time he was noticing them. "There are so many of them and most are wearing Seelie garb." His gaze fell back to him, the look cold and penetrating. "They're slaves. Your slaves."

Lysander shifted his weight ever so slightly. Knut's questioning was making him nervous. He looked over his shoulder, towards the tent. Faintly, we could hear men laughing from within. "We needed something to give him a reason to trust us. So we brought gifts as a sign of our good will."

"You did this." I hissed, placing the point of my knife beneath his jaw. He did not flinch at its touch, but his jaw clenched tellingly.

"It is...unfortunate, but I had no choice. I feel for them. I do, but I would let your entire race be slaughtered to save my sister."

I pressed harder. His eyes widened at the unfamiliar feeling of pain as the point broke the skin and silver blood trickled down his throat. "You faeries are all the same. You think your power makes your life worth more than everyone else's, like a bunch of inbred human nobles. I thought I'd escaped that shit when I came to the Underground, but it seems the hierarchy of power exists here too and for all my gold and titles, I'm still down in the dirt among the rabble." Behind me, Knut chuckled to himself.

"This has nothing to do with power, Goblin Queen." He said, meeting my hateful glare. "It's about family. We may have different mothers, but Aurora is still a part of my family. She is dear to me." His hand wrapped around mine. He didn't try to move the knife away. He held it there. "I know that what I've done is horrific, but if someone were to threaten the ones you care about, would you not burn the world to ensure their safety?"

"She's not really the best person to ask that. Her brother's currently in our dungeon." Knut commented.

The faerie and I stared at one another. Raw magic boiled in his gaze. His dusky skin had given way beneath my knife. His hand clasped mine, hot against my blood stained fingers. We could kill one another so easily, he with a thought and I with but a flinch, and we both knew it. We dared each other silently.

I gave him my answer. I withdrew my knife.

His hand released mine and touched his bleeding wound. He gawked at the silver blood that dripped from his fingertips. By his reaction, I don't think he'd ever shed a drop of blood before. "You really stabbed me."

"She does that to everyone." Knut snickered at me.

Despite all my anger, a smile threatened to appear. "Just stay out of my way." I huffed. "I will kill him. There's no need for princes to get their hands dirty."

I went straight back to freeing the girls. I unlocked the first and opened the door wide. The women moved to the back of the cage, cowering from my outstretched hand. "It's okay. We're not going to hurt you. I'm here to rescue you. You're free." I said, smiling friendlily. The women pressed themselves tighter against the bars at the back of the cage.