“I see, and why should we believe you? Considering we have already had one imposter trying to pass herself off as my wife’s child, I’m hesitant to buy another so easily,” Dresden said with his own lips lifting into a sardonic smile.
“Because we have a seer among us, and he has seen the union of the Light Heir, and the Dark Heir, my son. They are to have a child that heals Faery of the toxins induced by the Mages. Ristan, would you care to explain what you have seen to them?” Kier asked, tilting his dark head toward the Demon who stood and nodded his agreement.
“Your majesty, I can see the past, and the future. Sight is granted to me by Danu herself, and she has shown me that this girl is the Heir, and she has shown me her part in fixing our world,” Ristan said, bowing his head to the Light King.
“You seem rather full of yourself. Are you sure you want to continue?” Dresden taunted silkily.
“We think you knew that Arianna was one of the Mages puppets,” Ristan said, smiling coldly and losing all pretense of friendliness.
“Obviously you’re mistaken on interpreting what you see, Demon,” the King said snidely.
“I didn’t interpret much of this particular vision. It showed me that you willingly sent Arianna to the Dark Fae with emissaries that could lie, because you knew she wasn’t your wife’s child. The vision showed me that Arianna was sent by someone to do harm to the Dark Fae, so you thought that you would let it play out. Two birds with one stone and all that. But then we knew you were up to something. We had heard enough rumors over the years about you searching for her—not to bring her back to her mother, no—you wanted to find her to kill her. Why, after all these years of searching, would you suddenly offer her to us instead of keeping her with her family for a while, or killing her immediately? We decided to watch and wait. Even the botched attempts from the assassins seemed to show they were pulling back and waiting for something. We figured out what that something was when it was discovered that Arianna was just a meat puppet. So, if you want to get into breaking protocol, by all means, let’s take this to the Fae council.”
No comment this time from the Light King, only a slight narrowing of his baby-blue and lapis eyes.
“This is outrageous,” the Light Queen interrupted quickly, with a sheltered look in her eyes. “We are not held to the humans’ laws. My husband was within his right to dispose of the child from a union that was not his. I am responsible for this, and, as the mother, I can seek to have the child disposed of.”
The Light King glared openly at Ristan, whose eyes had begun to swirl in his telling of the story. “You are making some very serious charges. Make your point. I’m low on patience, Demon.”
“I just did. Kier will take it from here,” Ristan said.
“This is why you called me here? For this? I am within my rights to kill any illegitimate heir my wife sired from another, if that were the case. I am shocked at these allegations you are making, you filthy Demon! There was more than enough evidence to support that Arianna was my wife’s missing daughter when we signed the contract for her to wed the Dark Prince. We were tricked as you were, Kier.”
“You may not have said she was the Heir—I think Arianna started that nonsense. However, you knew that she was not the missing Light Princess when you offered her to us. You thought she would take us out, giving you full rein on both worlds, because you assholes have been trying to find a way back to the most power since Anise lost the relics,” Ryder growled, finally coming into the fray.
“I signed a binding contract with you. You also turned out to be not as you appeared. Seems we were both wrong, Kier, so it stands to reason that the contract is no longer binding. Now, let me see this child you claim to be my wife’s daughter. I’d see the new imposter with my own eyes.”
“She’s under my protection. I suggest you call off the assassins, and remove all thoughts of killing her from your agenda, Dresden. For if one hair is harmed on her pretty little head, I know who to kill,” Ryder growled as he let his power push through the room, raw and electrical.
“You have a lot of power for someone without a crown. The last time I felt anything close to that much power running through a Fae’s veins, I was standing next to Alazander, the Horde King.” Dresden said, eyeing Ryder cautiously.
“As you can see, I am not Alazander. I’m also not the Dark Heir, so I’m a free agent who can kill anyone who challenges me, or tries to hurt anyone I’m protecting,” Ryder growled with his lips twisting in the corners. Dresden let out a whoop of laughter that he directed at Ryder.
“No one would every mistake you for the Horde King! Alazander definitely knows how to keep his people in line and respectful!” The Light King chuckled darkly and shot the Dark King a pitying look.