Daisy Blooms - Azriel

Chapter 3

Beron studied his son with a scrutiny that made some small part of me wonder if Eris might have grown to be a good male if he'd had a different father. If one still lurked there, beneath centuries of poison.

"No, you will not. Though I'm sure your brothers will be sorry to hear it. Are you so easily swayed to trust these people and winged brutes?"

"I may have wings and a little bit of a brute, but you'll find that us winged brutes could turn you into pulp pretty quickly. As you already had an example of." I say.

Rhys said simply, "Then don't take it. I will. My entire court will, as will my armies." He gave a thankful nod to Nuan. Thesan did the same--in thanks and dismissal-and the master tinkerer bowed once more and left.

"At least you have armies to give it to," Tamlin said mildly, breaking his roiling silence. "Though perhaps that was part of the plan. Disable my force while your own swept in. Or was it just to see my people suffer?" Seriously again Tamlin. I thought we got over this.

"Surely you knew that when you turned my forces on me, it would leave my people defenseless against Hybern."

"You primed my court to fall," Tamlin said with venomous quiet.

"And it did. Those villages you wanted so badly to help rebuild? They're nothing more than cinders now."

"And while you've been making antidotes and casting yourselves as saviors, I've been piecing together my forces, regaining their trust, their numbers. Trying to gather my people in the East-where Hybern has not yet marched."

Nesta said drily, "So you won't be taking the antidote, then."

Tamlin ignored her, even as his claws sank into the arm of his chair.

"You said you had two suggestions based on information you analyzed." Thesan says to Helion.

"Indeed, though it seems Tamlin is already ahead of me. The Spring Court must be evacuated."

"Surely your northern neighbors will welcome them."

Berans lip curled "We do not have the resources for such a thing."

"Right, because everyone's too busy polishing every jewel in that trove of yours." Viviane says.

Beron threw her a glare that had Kallias tensing. "Wives were invited as a courtesy, not as consutants."

Viviane's sapphire eyes flared as if struck by lightning. "If this war goes poorly, we'll be bleeding out right alongside you, so I think we damn well get a say in things."

"Hybern will do far worse things than kill you," Beron counted coolly. "A young, pretty thing like you especially." Kallias's snarl rippled the water in the reflection pool, echoed by Mor's own growl.

Beron smiled a bit. "Only three of us were present for the last war." A nod to Rhys and Helion, whose face darkened. "One does not easily forget what Hyhern and the Loyalists did to captured females in their war camps. What they reserved for High Fae females who either fought for the humans or had families who did." He put a heavy hand on his wife's too thin arm. "Her two sisters bought her time to run when Hybern's forces ambushed their lands. The two ladies did not walk out of that war-camp again."

Helion was watching Beron closely, his stare simmering with reproach.

The Lady of the Autumn Court kept her focus on the reflection pool. Any trace of color drained from her face.

"We will take your people," Tarquin cut in quietly to Tamlin. "Regardless of your involvement with Hybern ... your people are innocent. There is plenty of room in my territory. We will take all of them, if need be."