Page 13 of Avalon Tower
“His parents were warned. We can’t take everyone,” Viviane shot back. In the setting sun, her diamond earrings glitter. “We vet everyone who comes, and we have finite resources. Do you know what will happen if word gets out that we’re taking care of every demi-Fey who straggles up to the docks? I’ll tell you what’ll happen. We’ll lose the war.”
And here I thought the war was over.
Aleina still strokes the little boy’s head. “His parents were two of the people killed on the way here. Their names are on the list. We can’t leave him. They’ll arrest him. Or…”
Or kill him.
“So, stay and look after him,” Raphael says quietly. “Your choice. There are thousands of demi-Fey and human fugitives. We cannot take everyone.”
The little boy’s face crumples, and he turns to Aleina, crying into her thigh. “I’m sorry, Malo,” she says. Her voice cracks.
I feel a twist in my chest as Aleina climbs the gangplank to the deck. I reach out for Malo’s little hand. Now that he’s with a stranger, he’s trying to stifle the sound of his crying. He must be terrified.
I understand they can’t take everyone, but a little boy who just watched his parents die? Clearly, Raphael is as much of a prick as always.
Raphael catches my eye and runs a hand through his hair. “Look, we have limited funding and space. Every person on our list was handpicked by the resistance. If we start making exceptions because of sentiment, anarchy will drag us into ruin. We have no room for stragglers, no provisions to help them. We are fighting for our lives.”
“So is this little boy,” I say.
“We don’t have time to argue with you,” adds Viviane. “We leave these three behind.”
The demi-Fey will be slaughtered in the streets. Just like Vena, they’ll bleed to death on the cobbles. Would they spare a little boy? I doubt it.
Then again, I’m not sure Viviane really cares.
“I’m not leaving without my daughters.” At least the redheaded woman is seeing sense here. She folds her arms, glaring up at the ship.
With the five of us on the old dock, Raphael nods at Viviane. “Fine. We need to go.”
“You’ve got to take them, please. Please.” Desperation rings in my voice. Malo is clinging to my hand.
Raphael shakes his head. “The resistance is doing its best to help the fugitives, but we have to prioritize. We stick to our plans. These people on our list need to be extracted before anyone else. And with respect, you have no idea what the fuck you’re talking about.”
“I understand you’re abandoning a child who just watched his parents die,” I snap.
Raphael grits his teeth. “Not that I need to explain myself to a tiny American pixie princess on a fun holiday jaunt—”
“Did you just say pixie princess?”
“—but these are the people who can help us fight Auberon. They have information and knowledge we need to win. And that is why we are taking them. We’re an army, not a charity. Now, why don’t you go back to drinking champagne on the beach and chasing after rich men?”
My cheeks flush. Oh, wonderful. Apparently, he remembers my mother. Chasing after rich men is her favorite hobby and the entire reason we had those summers at the château.
Behind me, the two young women are sniffling. At least they have their mom, unlike Malo. Now, he only has me.
I squeeze his tiny hand. He’s crying against my leg now, too.
I’m desperate. I need some kind of leverage to stop the ship from setting sail. Unfortunately, confrontation is not one of my skills. I’m generally a people pleaser.
And yet, Raphael really brings out the fire in me.
One of the crew is already starting to release dock lines. Panic tightens my chest.
I clear my throat and venture, “Well, I do hope the French police over there don’t find out about this. They tend to cooperate with the Fey army to preserve peace. What will they do if someone alerts them?”
“Stop!” Raphael holds up a hand, stopping the crew from untethering the ship. His body tightens with anger. I can almost feel the cold fury rippling off him. “Is that a threat?”
Of course, I would never risk these people’s lives by calling the authorities. But at least I got his attention.