Keenan continued to glare at Sionnach, holding the other faery’s eyes for a heartbeat or two, and then returned his attention to Rika. “We can talk out the details. Things are different now. You’d be an extension of my court. It’s not a difficult task, and you could enlist whatever”—he gestured vaguely at Sionnach—“faeries you wanted as staff.”

“Did you miss the part where I said no when you were here before?” Resolutely, Rika walked past Keenan and came to gently sit down on the bed beside Sionnach, putting herself between them. Her hand brushed his cheek gently, a gesture that looked like affection but Sionnach knew to be a subtle way of checking his fever.

As she withdrew her hand, Sionnach realized that he was barely resisting touching her. He’d let Keenan think that she was his. She wasn’t. He’d known that for decades. They were friends. He’d all but shoved Jayce into her arms. Still . . . he could rationalize it away right now as simply encouraging the image he had set before the Summer King. He ran his fingertips over Rika’s upper arm, enjoying touching her as he so rarely could. She didn’t pull away.

“I’m not interested in what you are offering,” Rika told Keenan, her voice soft but firm. Her body was motionless, but Sionnach felt the tension in her muscles. He didn’t know if it was her anger or his touch that made her so stiff. Just in case his touch was making her unhappy, Sionnach stilled his hand.

“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say,” Rika said.

Keenan raked his hand through his hair. “Be reasonable, Rika. You can’t think that having this many uncontrolled faeries without leadership is wise. The Summer Court can establish order here. If you help—”

“No.” She glanced over her shoulder at Sionnach then and added, “I have all the help I need.”

Sionnach reclined, letting himself relax farther into the pillows now that she was there. The pain from hiding his injury and moving as if he were unharmed had made him feel sick. A wise Alpha didn’t show such things—especially to court faeries who were determined to take over where they weren’t wanted. Moreover, an Alpha didn’t show weakness to the one who’d hurt the faery he most wanted to shelter. Sionnach wrapped an arm around Rika’s waist and closed his eyes as if he were bored. “Wake me when he’s gone.”

“He’s leaving now.” Rika wrapped her hand around Sionnach’s where it rested on her, keeping him held tightly to her, letting him know that his embrace was wanted. This, at least, was familiar territory with them. He had embraced her a few times over the decades when she was upset—usually because of the Summer King’s unwanted visits.