"You are so certain," he said with a small smile. "Hearts can change, and hers is already split in two. How do you know she will choose you?"
I raised my hands and let them fall to my sides. He just couldn't help himself. What I had done with Tomas was none of their damned business. I refused to lower myself and defend something that should not need defending. Yes, it was weird and strange, but I was getting sick and tired of being discussed and talked about as if I wasn't even there.
I glared daggers at him.
"I belong to her," Breandan said simply.
"And she you?"
"Now you all listen to me." I took in a breath and set my feet apart. "I won't lie, I do care for Tomas deeply. I don't know why or how such a thing is possible and I do not know how long it will last." I walked up to Breandan and pressed my fingers to his face. "I can't promise I'll love you forever, because I honestly don't know how I feel. You need to give me time. I don't know what will happen next, but I'll never betray you. If you trust me, I'll trust you. Deal?"
His fingers curled around mine and held them to him. Pulling me closer, he wrapped his arms around me and crushed me to him.
"Do it," he fired above my head.
"Breandan, I release you from you oath."
There was a crack and Breandan staggered. I held onto him, and fell with him as his knees gave out. Limbs tangled we hit the floor hard. Air became a physical thing and wrapped around my throat. It settled then faded. Breandan trembled in my arms, head burrowed into my shoulder.
"Everybody get out," I said. The fairies had not moved they were still, shocked.
"Lochlann," Conall said quietly. "Please."
The fairy-lord scowled at my brother then turned on his heel and left. "Devlin, I wish to speak to you about the human."
Laying my head down I didn't see them all leave, but heard and felt it when we were finally alone.
"You didn't have to do that," I said.
"He was wrong."
We were quiet for a long time, and I thought hard on the reality of what was going to happen next. Breandan was in a precarious position. He had broken away from his brother and the Tribe, making him an outcast fairy. I had denied both Lochlann and Devlin that made me an outcast too. Devlin knew I had the amulets of power and wisdom, but Breandan and Lochlann had no idea.
Gods, it was complicated.
There was something worrying me. The other guardian must have been Conall, he had the amulet of protection, but that was not the one Devlin had. Had the Tribe really managed to steal it? Or did Breandan jump to conclusions again as it seemed he was prone to do.
"Breandan, the amulet of protection, when did it go missing?"
He snorted. "For all that has just happened, that is your main concern?"
"Can't you just answer the question?"
He sighed, rubbed his head against my arm. "This morning. When I knew you needed me, I hid it so I wouldn't risk losing it. It was a place I'd hidden my secret things since childhood."
"How would a tribal fairy have found it then?"
He shrugged. "Maybe they cast a spell or followed me."
It didn't add up. I spoke my next words carefully, mindful of his pride that could swell into something nasty. "Don't you think that's not enough to base your whole theory on?"
Breandan shifted to look into my face. His eyes were sparkly and his cheeks had regained some colour. "You know something," he said. I nodded, and pulled the two amulet pieces out from under my tee shirt. Breandan stared at them. "I should probably be surprised, but I think the impossible will be possible with you around. His forehead furrowed. "Wisdom and power." He touched the last empty place in the centre of the amulet. "But where is the amulet of protection you took from Devlin?"
"I took the amulet of power from Devlin." I shuddered at the memory of the power boiling my blood, and stroking a darkness lurking beneath the core of who I was.
"Then where is the amulet of protection?"
"That's why I think you were too hasty to blame the Tribe. I don't think Devlin has it."
"Perhaps you are right, though I can think of no one else who would have the inclination to take it. Its power can only work for one fairy."
