Page 103 of The Crimson Throne
“Do it before he wakes,” Moyra orders. “He’ll be harder to kill after.”
I know. Because his bright green eyes will blink up at me, all soft and caring. Samson wouldn’t struggle, not against me. He trusts me. It will make it so much harder, like slaughtering a lamb.
“Red Caps are bloodthirsty, murderous vermin,” Moyra spits.
My gaze focuses on her.
Oh.
She meant that it would be harder to kill Samson when he awakes because he’d be stronger; he’d fight back and kill me.
“He wouldn’t do that,” I say aloud.
“Wouldn’t do what?” Moyra shakes her head. “Lass, he’s waking soon. Kill him before he kills you.”
“He wouldn’t. He would never hurt me.” I don’t know where such certainty comes from.
But I cannot deny it.
“Alyth, it’s in his blood! The High Blade is coming—”
“And the High Blade would not have used Samson if they did not want me to know they were coming,” I say, my voice stronger. And what did Beira say? An unlikely pair. She knew what he was.
And she didn’t demand I kill him.
“Then he’s just a tool they see no more use for, but if you don’t kill him now, the High Blade will use him again,” Moyra counters. “You let this man get close to you, lass, but even if he doesn’t know, the other Red Caps do. All they have to do is kill you, and all that magic you ensure powers the barrier will disappear.”
She’s right. At my death, guardianship would pass to the next highest-born Leth, but that transfer of power is an unpreventable vulnerability of the magic, especially with the Red Caps waiting to exploit a chink in the armor that protects the realms. Besides, the next Leth in power is a Highland boy younger than me, removed from the fae by three generations. My father bred me for power. A tool he’s used to both realms’ benefit.
“If you fall, the wall falls,” Moyra says, her eyes beseeching me to agree. “You can’t let a Red Cap be beside you, not when you’re gambling with everyone’s lives.”
And…shite. She’s right. Lady Lennox’s threats, Darnley’s smug attitude. Now that they know they can get Red Cap blood across the border, they’ll do it with other Red Caps. Full-blooded ones, like Cecil.
Like the High Blade.
Samson was just the first. An unwitting test subject.
But still a Red Cap. And if they can control him enough to makehim kill me, they won’t even need amulets to get them across the border.
I should kill him. I should cut off his head and throw it into the Seelie Court and warn them that the Red Caps know how to breach the wall.
I should kill him.
Ishould.
“Alyth?” Samson croaks.
Moyra and I both spin around, look up at him. He’s still pinned against the wall.
“Alyth, what’s going on?”
I touch my face. It’s wet with tears.
Samson watches me with those bright green eyes peeking out from between his messy locks.
If he fought me, I would fight back.
I would win.
