That, unfortunately, wasn’t an option, so she did as the named heir to the two courts should do: she turned to her betrothed and her brother and said, “We should figure out the next step.” Rhys frowned. “Tonight changes nothing.” “You have a son, one Mother has been willing to sacrifice, one she has kept hidden from you,” Eilidh said as they entered the Hidden Lands. “Yes.” Rhys slid his longsword free. The sibilant sound of fae-wrought steel against the scabbard was something that always felt like home to Eilidh. For as long as she could recall, there had been guards who stood at the ready when she was at any official functions. Both Rhys and Torquil had been among them. The elegant sound of drawing weapons was a sound that had always meant “safe” to her. Maybe it would be different if she’d ever been attacked, but up until now, weapons were drawn to practice or to guard her. “Is that necessary?” Torquil asked. Rhys glanced his way for a fraction of an instant, but said nothing.
