None of the fae returned his salutation.

“How dare you bring one of them here,” snarled Leif, edging forward.

Marai’s hand went to her hilt in warning. She didn’t want to hurt him, but she’d incapacitate Leif if he attacked Ruenen. “I trust this human,” she said, meeting all of their eyes one by one. “Above all others.”

Still, no one moved.

“I’m Ruenen, Prince of Nevandia. Please, I truly mean you no harm. I come with the utmost respect.” He had not yet straightened from his bow, neck recklessly naked and ready to be chopped. He lifted his head to meet their concerned gaze. “Marai is my dearest friend, and I’m honored to meet her family.”

Marai tried not to show any emotion on her face at that remark, but the words coiled themselves around her heart and tightened.

Aresti, however, didn’t find Ruenen’s statement sweet. She bared her teeth, and pointed one of her swords at Ruenen. “How can we trust that he won’t bring his people into our lands and hunt us?”

Ruenen stood up fully, placing a hand to his heart. “You have my word, not as the Prince of Nevandia, but as Marai’s friend. I would never dream of hurting you.”

Leif scoffed. “Friend? You keep repeating this word like it’s supposed to mean something to us. Your kind are not friends to us. Your grandfather slaughtered our people. You don’t get to come onto our lands and pretend otherwise.” His lips curled back into a vicious sneer as he stepped forward, drawing out his blade.

Thora covered her mouth with her hand and emitted a small gasp. Kadiatu latched onto Thora’s arm.

Marai crossed in front of Ruenen. “We didn’t come here to fight. We came to talk.”

“You’re an embarrassment, Marai,” Leif shot back, not lowering his sword. “You align yourself with human scum!”

Lightning sparked at Marai’s fingertips. Flames flickered in Leif’s palm.

“That’s enough,” came Keshel’s authoritative voice. He hadn’t moved from his defensive pose, and kept his eyes focused on Ruenen.

Leif growled, but extinguished the flames and lowered his sword.

“I don’t believe Marai and the human prince mean to harm us,” said Keshel to him, then turned his solemn gave to hers. “However, I have to wonder why you thought to break our trust by bringing a human here, Marai. He could run off and tell others where we are.”

Marai stared down Keshel. She knew that he was thinking of the vision he’d seen; of Ruen being their Ruin.

“Should we all sit?” asked Thora in the high-pitched voice she used when she was nervous. She gestured jerkily to the stumps and logs around the fire, and sat down first.

Keshel, Raife and Kadiatu followed her cautiously. Marai nodded to Ruenen, who took a seat on a log next to Marai, on the opposite side of the fire. Leif and Aresti remained standing, hovering over the others.

“I’m sorry to surprise you all in this way,” Marai said, earning another scoff from Leif. “I would’ve come on my own, but we unfortunately don’t have the luxury of time.”

“Why? What’s going on?” asked Thora, instantly worried.

Marai was relieved to see that she, at least, was trying, but noted how Raife inched closer to Thora. A small part of her was grateful to Raife for protecting Thora in such a way. Yet, Marai never thought he’d have to shield Thora from her.

Marai opened her mouth to speak, but Ruenen cut her off. “What are your names? I think it would make for poor conversation if I don’t know whom I’m addressing.”

Marai scowled. Let me do the talking, indeed.

No one volunteered, so Marai quickly went down the line, pointing as she went. Ruenen nodded with each name and repeated them under his breath. None of the fae took their eyes from him the entire time.

“Excellent, thank you,” Ruenen said with a smile. “It truly is an honor to meet you all. I’d lie and say Marai told me all about you, but you know she’s not particularly garrulous.”

His light chuckle and slight jab at Marai had Raife and Thora relaxing on their log. Marai pursed her lips to stop from retorting.

“You’re really a prince?” came the small voice of Kadiatu. Her eyes were as wide as a spooked deer in the woods.

Ruenen smiled his true dimpled grin at Kadiatu and nodded. “I am.”

Kadiatu melted a little. Few people were immune to that expression. Marai had pretended for weeks that her heart didn’t stutter whenever Ruenen smiled. Kadiatu blushed and flashed him back a small, shy smile.

Keshel remained rigid on his stump. Apparently, Ruenen’s dimples didn’t work on everyone. “What does the Prince of Nevandia want with us?”

“Besides execution,” sneered Leif.

Marai clenched her jaw. When she was younger, she would’ve leapt out of her seat and pummeled his face to a bruised and bloody pulp, but Marai wasn’t that wild child anymore. She was trying to do this right. For Ruenen. She needed to behave like a true courtier. All of their lives hovered in the balance.

“I’m sorry,” Ruenen said solemnly to Leif, “for what my people have done to yours. For what my ancestors did. My own grandfather.”

But it wasn’t Ruenen’s grandfather who had led the charge. He wasn’t related to the departed King Talen. Yet Ruenen was willing to shoulder their ire, to apologize for something his family may not have taken part in. He was constantly surprising Marai with his goodness.

“I cannot change their actions,” Ruenen continued, “but I’m hoping to make amends. I want to extend my sympathies, and also my friendship to you all.”

The fae bristled, but once again, Marai felt the need to clasp Ruenen’s hand. She knew he meant every word he spoke. The others didn’t know him; they didn’t know he was sincere.

“We don’t want your friendship,” Aresti said. “Leave us in peace. That’s the best way to show your sincerity.”

“I’ve actually come to ask for your help,” said Ruenen, “and provide mine in exchange.”

The room quieted. Eyes blinked. Breaths held. Bodies tensed.

“The end of Nevandia is imminent,” Marai stated. “King Rayghast is determined to destroy the kingdom and annex it as part of Tacorn.”

“What does that have to do with us?” asked Aresti. Her dark brown eyes blazed with fire. She had always run hot, where her cousin Keshel simmered with ice.

Marai knew there was one way to truly sway the fae. “Rayghast can use magic. He has fae blood.”

Kadiatu gasped. The only sign Keshel gave that he was shocked by the revelation was the slight paling of his skin.

“That can’t be true,” Thora whispered, exchanging looks with Raife.

“There was no mistaking the magic I felt when I met him in the dungeon,” Marai said. “It wasn’t elemental. It was different. Darker, sinister. I think Rayghast tried to use it on me, but my own magic canceled it out somehow.”

“How? How is that possible?” asked Raife, fists tightening on his lap. “He participated in the extermination of magical folk. He’s the one who destroyed the fae camps. Why would he hunt us if he’s one of us?”

“He’s kept this hidden his entire life because he knows it would be his downfall,” said Marai. “His people would never accept him as king if they knew.”

“He resents his faerie blood,” said Raife. “Sometimes people look in the mirror and hate who they see staring back.” His eyes darted to Marai, as if he knew how many times she avoided her own reflection.

“I must ask again, why does this matter to us?” asked Keshel.