“I stand by your mother,” he finally stammered to Deandra.
“She’s the fool, and you’re a coward,” Deandra hissed, and Carrick felt a flush of pride go through him. Her gaze moved back to her mother, and she narrowed her eyes. “Or maybe it’s the other way around. You’re the coward, and Father is the fool.”
Her words were too provoking and an enraged Nimeyah picked up her staff and leveled it at her daughter. Carrick didn’t know exactly what her intent was, but he wouldn’t put it past Nimeyah to kill her own offspring because of a slight to her ego.
There wasn’t any waiting to find out. Carrick deftly stepped in front of Deandra, prepared to take whatever magic came out of the stone, but the minute he did so, Nimeyah lifted the staff.
She wasn’t a fool. She couldn’t destroy Carrick, and her attempt to do so would bring swift retribution from the demi-god.
Instead, she lasered her eyes on Deandra, who moved slightly to the side so she could see past Carrick’s wide shoulders. “You are banned from Faere, Deandra. Leave at once and don’t return.”
“Gladly,” Deandra snapped as she pivoted sharply on her foot to leave the solarium.
Carrick only took a moment more before following the princess. “You’re making a mistake, Nimeyah. You’ve spent eons in safety, and it’s made you soft. Your ego has grown, but your wisdom has not. I hope you think on this some and come to your senses.”
“You’re no longer welcome here either,” she snarled at Carrick, although there was no keeping the demi-god out if he wanted in.
Issuing a curt nod, Carrick turned and followed in Deandra’s wake. Rebsha bowed, backed away a few paces, and turned to follow Carrick.
Outside the solarium, Deandra was pacing with her hands clenched in fury. When she spotted Carrick, she pointed a shaky finger past him to where her mother was probably reclining back on her chaise and reading her book.
“She’s an idiot,” Deandra stammered, her words broken by her rage.
“Yes, she is,” Carrick agreed as he moved toward her. He put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. Immediately, Deandra should have felt a calming sensation, her pulse starting to slow minutely. “You did all you could, and I’m proud of you for standing up to her.”
Deandra shook her head. “We really need the Light Fae to join us. We need their power against whatever is going to come pouring out of the Underworld.”
“You have me,” Carrick heard a familiar baritone voice behind him. He turned to see Rebsha approaching. When he stopped, he affirmed, “I’ll join the fight, and I know others that will.”
Deandra stared in shock at her mother’s longtime advisor, whose loyalty had seemed absolute. But whereas Nimeyah didn’t seem to mature over their history, Rebsha had, and in his wisdom, he knew what the right play was.
“Thank you,” Deandra said, her voice breathless with astonishment.
“I’ll also get others to join,” he murmured, glancing over his shoulder toward the solarium. “But it will have to be done very carefully.”
Carrick reached his hand out to Rebsha. “We’re honored to have you with us.”
They clasped at the forearm, and the Light Fae replied, “I’ll keep you updated.”
After they drew apart, Rebsha gave a bow to Deandra, to which she responded with a grateful smile, and then he disappeared down the hallway.
When he was out of sight, Deandra let out a low growl, indicating she was still irked at her mother. “I still can’t believe she just dismissed the threat of Kymaris coming to Faere. I mean, I totally get her not wanting to help humans and the Earth realm, but she’s feeding our race to the wolves. How can she not get that our stand has to be made next week at the ritual and we have to defeat Kymaris there?”
“Your mother is self-centered,” Carrick noted as he and Deandra started moving through the castle. They had no destination in mind, but Deandra was bristling with anger and seemed to need to walk it off.
“Don’t I know it,” she muttered.
Carrick almost laughed, because it wasn’t all that long ago that he would have said the same thing about Deandra. But she had changed much over this last month now that she’d moved out from under her mother’s influence.
“It pleases me that you’ve taken this threat so seriously,” Carrick commented. “A bit surprising, actually.”
Deandra snorted, casting him a side glance. “I’ve got layers, Carrick.”
“Indeed you do.” He chuckled. “Finley tells me the same thing all the time.”
Abruptly stopping in the middle of the hallway, Deandra whirled on him. “And do you know, as much as I’m pissed at my parents right now, I’m a million times more furious with Pyke. I can’t believe he’d threaten the sanctity of Faere for Kymaris. He’s a complete traitor to our family and our entire race.”