I gripped Ryder’s hand in warning and together we left our sickly daughter in the hands of the Demon. I gave a meaningful look at Zahruk and Sevrin who nodded their understanding and reluctantly followed us from the room. When we were safely out of earshot, Ryder spun around and glared at me.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“I’m fixing the Demon, because we have to fix him before we can have Ristan back! He’d never hurt that baby; he adores her. You know that! You can’t see past the anger right now, and neither can he. He’s blinded by pain, and yes, he’s a little broken but, Ryder, so was I at one time. He will get past this, and if our daughter can help him, then so be it. He’s not going to ask to date her; he’s holding her because she’s his anchor. She’s his happy right now, and I won’t take that away and neither will you.” I gave another glare to Zahruk for good measure and warning.
“I should have spanked you harder,” Ryder growled.
“Wow, can I watch?” Aodhan said as he rounded the corner and interrupted our fight.
“No!” we both shouted as one.
“Damn, but I like bitches who like to be spanked. If you hit that sweet spot…they melt.”
I turned and glared at him.
Ryder growled, which was ten times scarier than my glare.
Aodhan put his hands up in mock surrender. “Man, hands are up, I surrender?”
“Ristan is awake, and moving,” Ryder declared.
“That’s good news,” he said.
“He’s in full Demon form,” Ryder said.
“Shit, that’s…not good,” Aodhan whispered as if Ristan would overhear him and kick his ass. Zahruk grimly nodded in agreement. “Guess it’s not a good time to tell you we finally heard back from the Light King.”
“And?” I asked.
“He said this is not his fight, but that you should know he’s allowed the Mages safe passage through his lands,” he stated.
“I guess it’s time to make Danu choose another Light Heir, because they are about to lose a King and a Queen,” Ryder growled, and looked at me.
“Agreed,” I exhaled. “I’m tired of their games, and helping the Mages goes beyond stupid. If they openly want us to know they have allowed the Mages to use their lands, and have been granted safe passage, it’s their own fault. They’re challenging us, wanting to see our next move. I say we end the game and get the Light Fae a steward until we can find the missing Heir.”
“Let’s go,” Ryder held out his hand and waited.
“Just walk right in and kill them?” I asked pointedly.
“How else would we do it?”
“Publicly,” I said. “Aodhan, go to the Dark Court and tell Kier, his wife and Heir to come immediately. After you’ve done that, tell my father to bring his wife and Liam here,” I said as I turned to Ryder. “We can’t just go kill them. It’s what they expect you to do. It’s what your father would have done. We have to be smarter, and we have to be careful right now. The other Courts will see what we do, and they will know they were deposed, and that a judgment had been decided on by the three Courts—together. We will show them a united front and a group decision, which is something your father never did.”