ENVY TOOK A perverse bit of pleasure at seeing the shock flicker over Camilla’s features. She hadn’t heard his approach, hadn’t expected him to be standing there.
She certainly hadn’t expected to see his wings.
Truth be told, he hadn’t expected to be there either. And he likely wouldn’t have been if Alexei hadn’t taunted him.
A wild, snarling, territorial beast had risen inside him. He’d almost leashed the monster inside; then his spies brought news of an assassination attempt, sealing Camilla’s fate.
He knew right then it was time to challenge the Fae.
Seeing the Wild Court as it had been after Lennox had opened the portal…
Envy would not leave her to the plotting of her wretched siblings.
If he had to throw her over his shoulder and magic her to his court, so be it. He didn’t know the first thing about being a hero, but he excelled at being the villain.
Now that they were alone together, Envy looked Camilla over and swallowed thickly. His gaze snagged on the necklace she’d made of his ring, then hardened. If her cursed siblings had gotten to her first, they would have ripped it from her throat.
Camilla must have mistaken who had angered him.
“I’m sorry,” she said, reaching up to undo the necklace. “I wanted to give this back to you…” She dropped her hands, looked at them. “I wanted to tell you the truth. I should have.”
But he’d given her every reason not to.
When he’d told her how much he hated Unseelie royalty, she’d flinched.
Thinking back on that conversation now, when Envy had admitted what had happened to make him despise the king so much, he saw her reactions in a new light.
She’d paled when he told her the role her father had played. A tear had slipped down the curve of her cheek. She’d also apologized.
Envy thought it was that foolish mortal reaction of accepting blame for others’ actions.
Now he knew. Camilla had been apologizing on behalf of her family.
Apologizing was no small thing for a Fae. It was something they rarely did.
And she’d just done so again.
Fresh anger iced the chamber.
“Do you know whose blood that is?” Envy pointed to the floor.
She swallowed hard, the column of her throat moving with the action.
“Some is Onyx’s,” Envy said. “The rest is from his guards.”
Her gaze sharpened on him. “My brother?”
“Yes.”
“You killed him? Are you mad?” she hissed. She looked around, as if searching for any spies. “You probably just started a war.”
He gave her an amused look that seemed to rankle her more.
“Whose side will you choose, pet?”
She glared at him, notching her chin up.
Envy wasn’t sure how he’d ever mistaken her for anything but royal.
“My own.”
Devil, grant me sin. That tone, that haughty, defiant look.
He was inconveniently aroused.
“Your brother isn’t dead. He’s… caged.”
Envy’s smile was all teeth as he thought of Onyx. He’d thrown the scheming Unseelie Prince into the birdcage Lennox had crafted to torture Camilla. A clever ward would keep him from hearing or speaking to anyone outside his cage. There would be no plotting or escape.
Onyx would have a good long while to reflect on his sins.
“I spelled the bars, trapping him for eternity. Unless of course your other brother decides to grant him a pardon. Though I wouldn’t count on that. Ayden will make a fine king. He seemed to have everything under control. Your doing, I imagine.”
“I helped, yes.” A tiny crease formed between her brows. “Why did you strike at Onyx?”
Without thinking, he reached over to smooth the crease away.
She flinched, and he dropped his hand.
“He plotted to kill you. My spies reported back.”
If she was surprised by this revelation, she didn’t appear so. If anything, she seemed to exhale relief. She’d known it was only a matter of time before her older brother or sister made a move.
“My mother will hear of this and fight—”
“Your mother hasn’t been seen at court since she left you.” Envy hesitated. “My spies have been looking for her for years. No one knows where she went.”
Several emotions flickered across Camilla’s face before she schooled her features into forced indifference. He understood how complicated their relationship must be. Understood that it wasn’t easy to walk away from the ones who’d hurt us the most.
“She’s been traveling. But she will eventually hear of this and return. This court means everything to her.”
Envy wouldn’t mind if the queen burned in the deepest, hottest pit of sorrow he could find, but he hated the worry in Camilla’s voice.
“Don’t,” he warned quietly. “Don’t romanticize her. For all we know, she is playing another game and couldn’t be bothered.”
He glanced around the suite. He could feel more and more of his court being restored and needed to get back.
“Do you want to take anything from here?”
“What?”
He knew she’d heard him. He also knew she was trying to figure out his plan.
Envy kept his smile to himself, walking around the room. He fingered some of the clothing. It was pretty. His tailors were better.
“If there’s anything of sentimental value, grab it now.”
If he listened quietly, he was almost certain he could hear her heart pounding.
He pivoted and stood before her, holding out his hand. She looked at it like it was a snake ready to strike.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Grabbing what has sentimental value to me.”
He took her hand, braided their fingers together.
She didn’t remove it.
“We’re leaving. Unless you wish to stay here.”
Her thumb stroked his, hesitating.
His heart raced.
A small eternity passed.
“Your rule…”
“Fuck the rules,” he growled. “You’re mine.”
Her excitement hit him a second before her desire did.
Thank fuck. In all the stories, the damsel didn’t get aroused by the villain threatening to steal her away.
But this was their twisted fairy tale.
“You can come back, of course, as you need,” he said more softly.
Camilla gave a small nod. “This has never been my true home anyway. But wait—I can’t leave without Kitty and Bunny.”
A few moments later, after being ushered back in, Kitty promised to travel to House Envy on her own. She had family in the Wild Court she hadn’t seen in years. Wolf gave Envy a hard look but hugged Camilla close. Promising he’d also visit soon.
Bunny gave Envy a long, lingering look of her own, then sauntered over. The unusually colored little lioness hopped into Camilla’s arms, nestling in.
Envy dragged Camilla and her lion closer, wrapped his other arm around her waist, then magicked them all to his House of Sin.
