Breena was waiting for Kiran in the hall, trying to peer around him into his room. Her eyes were wide, glamoured to look violet in color. The effect was quite stunning on her. "You didn't kill her, did you?" she hissed excitedly, as if she hoped he had.

"Of course not," he scowled. "Though I would tell Tatiana that if we could lie. I'm going to teach that Gaelish a lesson for continually messing with my human."

She laughed. "We all play with each other's humans. It's called sharing, brother."

"She's off limits. I bargained with her for her child. Until she pays my debt, no one else is to bother her."

Breena gave him a weird look as they arrived back in the antechamber. "Be careful, brother, or someone will mistake your selfishness as concern for the girl," she warned before disappearing into the crowd.

His eyes scanned the room, finding Gaelish a little too easily. His obnoxious cat ears gave him away, sticking up above everyone else's head.

Gaelish smiled wickedly as Kiran approached. "Ah, Kiran. Taught that human a lesson–?"

Kiran's fist collided with his face before he could finish his idiotic question. "It would be in your best interest, Gaelish, if you left my human alone from now on," he warned quietly.

A merry laugh sounded behind Kiran, followed by slow clapping. Pivoting slightly, he noticed Tatiana standing among them in a blindingly golden gown. Her smile was ghoulish, twisting her face unnaturally. "My, oh my. What is the problem, boys?"

Gaelish collected himself first, bowing reverently. "Kiran came up and punched me, Your Grace."

"Yes, I saw that." Tatiana flicked her yellow lizard eyes to the Fae mentioned. "But why?"

"Cara struck a bargain with me, Your Majesty," he explained. "To protect that bargain, I believe I should be the only one to associate with her."

Tatiana threw her head back and laughed, the sound echoing around the now quiet antechamber. "If a human walks in here of her own volition, you expect no one to speak with her simply because you got to her first? When did that rule get written?"

The Fae closest to them joined in on her laughter.

"Your Majesty, forgive me." He bowed to hide his sneer of anger. "You said you were interested in the developments."

"Yes, I am. But I never stated she is to remain yours alone. We share our toys here, Kiran. That includes your delectable human as well."

His vision turned red and he didn't dare straighten. He clenched his jaw to keep his glamour from slipping. If she knew she had struck a cord, then he would become her toy. "And if someone should convince her to kill herself? What then?"

"That's the beauty of humans. There are always more. If your human dies, then you find another to fill her place. And you obviously take your part of the bargain, as she can't fulfill it when she's dead. Another will make the same deal eventually. They are weak and stupid creatures, which is why they are so much fun." She paused briefly. "Why are you so interested in this human anyway? You've never cared for them before."

"She's different," Kiran spat venomously to keep from telling her the truth.

Tatiana snickered, the sound pure mockery. "They are all the vermin of the earth. I tolerated your liberating those children, but this one is a fully grown woman. She will not get any special treatment."

He stood, his fists clenched, barely registering her skirts shimmering as she turned away. He took one step after her before Breena suddenly appeared in front of him, clasping their hands between them. Her expression was equal parts sad and bewildered.

"What has gotten into you, brother?" she whispered. "You are not acting like yourself lately."

"One day, someone is going to kill her. And when that day comes, I'll be the one who makes her breathe her last breath."

"There's the spirit!" Breena encouraged, tugging him back down the hall to his room. "Humans are expendable. It's one of their best qualities."

His head whipped around to look at her face in such a motion so rapid it caused his neck to crack in three places. "I wasn't talking about Cara. Quite a few of us are unhappy with Tatiana's reign. Either she'll be challenged or assassinated. I guarantee Mab is running out of patience with her. If I continue to stay here–if Cara continues to come here–I won't be able to control myself next time."

She stopped, blinking slowly. "What are you saying, Kiran?"

He studied his baby sister, whom he had left Mab for, trying to etch everything about her into his memory. Her violet eyes would be the hardest but they suited her appearance well enough. It wouldn't be too difficult. "Earlier, you said you would help me. I need your help now."

"You're going to run away with a human on the final night of the full moon?" she hissed. "Have you lost your mind?"

"Are you going to help me or not?"

"Where will you go? The Seelie Court won't accept you, and Mab will most likely demand a trial to bring you back into her graces, if she even finds you worthy." Her eyes widened. "You can't live in the human world. You'd never fit in, and it'll slowly kill you."

"Did I say I was living with humans?" he snapped, yanking on the root that revealed his bedroom. "Right now, my only plan is to get Cara out of here before anything else goes awry. Where I go after is still undecided. Are you going to help with this, or not?"

His door swung open. Breena peered around Kiran. She blinked, gazing at her brother in confusion. "Well, where is she?"

***Kiran's always had a soft spot for humans. But is that makes him so protective of Cara, or is there something more?***