Page 115 of Beauty

All for a war that might take my wife’s life.

“Your Highness? You seem sad.” Rachel Harper places a handon my arm.

“I’m frightened.” I probably shouldn’t admit it, but it’strue.

She sighs. “So am I. We all are but we’re more afraid ofliving like this than we are of dying.”

My eyes threaten to water again. Damn it. It’s always there,that fine edge of grief at my brother’s passing. I keep expecting to look downand see Duffy at my side, making a wisecrack and hauling his axe with him.

I wasn’t able to leave the axe behind. Perhaps I shouldhave, but something deep inside didn’t let me, as though I have to keep a pieceof my brother with me.

I kind of wish I had something of Lach’s now. And Bron’s.

“I was so sorry to hear of your brother’s passing.” Rachellooks up with kind eyes.

She’s going to fight. She will fight and her older childrenwill, too. Her husbands will fight. She’s probably terrified, but she’ll do itbecause it’s the right thing. Rachel understands what Bron knows, what I’m onlystarting to discover. “He would have been honored to fight at your side.”

A ghost of a smile curves up her lips. “I thought thiswasn’t your fight, Your Highness.”

“It’s everyone’s fight. That’s why they call it the goodfight, isn’t it?”

She curtseys, the first formal gesture I’ve seen from anyoneon the plane. “You will do your kingdom proud, Your Highness.”

I stand in the middle of the square and breathe in as Bronbrushes against me with her mind.

Come for me. My time is now.

She’s so serene, so perfectly powerful. She’s ready.

And Lach isn’t here.

“Mrs. Harper, thank you, but I need to find Harry.” Roanwent with Lach.

Dellacourt is suddenly at my side. “What’s wrong?”

“Bron’s ready. We have to go.” I take a long breath. She’sready and I’m miles and miles away.

“Uhm, we’re two days march from the palace. She better stayready for a while.” Dellacourt glances around. “Or we can hope Roan brings backan army of bikes. Do you understand how much easier warfare is on my plane? Weall sit in our rooms and fire at each other remotely. Seriously, I have snacksand drinks during wars. I always get my face fucked up on Faery planes. It’sbarbaric.”

The vampire talks really fast when he’s getting emotional.It annoyed me greatly at first until I realized that for all Dellacourt’scomplaints, he walked away from his whole world.

Dante Dellacourt fights the good fight.

“I shall try to preserve your beauty,” I reply.

Dellacourt flushes a bit. “Sorry. It’s just I’ve beenwaiting for this fight for what seems like most of my life and now that it’shere, I worry about the cost. I won’t back down, you understand. I will pay it,but I worry.”

He looks back at his wife. Kaja won’t stand in thebackground. She won’t allow herself to be locked away. She will fight besideher husband because that’s what husbands and wives do.

But I need to consider other things now. I have a war tostage and the most important piece is in place. “How do we get everyone to thepalace and quickly?”

“We ride the winds.” Beckett Finn strides up the road, hisvoice ringing out.

I sigh because I can feel my brother again. Lach walksslightly behind the kings of the Seelie Fae.

Beckett and Cian Finn stride into the square with their wifebetween them. Not a one wears a crown on their head, but everyone in thevillage drops to one knee.

I’m happy to see the kings, but happier to see my brother. Irush to Lach. “Did you hear her?”