“Yes, yes, you came with many people. Some of them more important to you than others, but you will ask about every one of them. That is the weakness of the Cŵn Annwn, the fault of a life spent in service to others. You might play the rebel biker, but you are as bound by your sense of honor as your Huntsmen.”

“I want—”

“You want many things, Arawn. But you don’t get them, do you? Or if you do, it’s only temporary. Gwynn has always been just that little bit better. In the beginning, he was the kind one, the thoughtful one. Uncommonly considerate for a fae prince. But you drove that out of him. Taught him a lesson. And what happens? He comes back now, having fully assimilated your lesson, a true king of the Fae, more manipulative and headstrong and selfish than you ever were. And somehow, despite all that, he still wins. He’s still better.”

“Yep, I lose. So where—”

“You say that so cavalierly. But you don’t feel it cavalierly, do you?” She waved her hand and a mirror appeared on the wall. “Look at yourself. A perfect specimen of young human manhood. Beautiful face and physique, with the brains to match. Add in charm and wit and compassion, and you should be the unbeatable suitor. So how does she choose…”

Another wave and the mirror turned into a window. On the other side, Gabriel sat on the floor, knees drawn up, head against the wall, eyes shut.

Asleep? Really? He was fucking asleep at a time—

Ricky squelched the indignation. If Gabriel appeared to be napping, he was unconscious. Or deep in thought.

“Or actually asleep,” the sluagh said. “Resting confident in the knowledge that Matilda will choose as Matilda always chooses.”

“Choose?” He turned to the sluagh.

“Shocked? Perhaps that’s why she picked him. You aren’t quite as quick on the uptake.”

“No, maybe I just thought you wouldn’t beat that dead horse again. So you’re making Liv choose between us.”

“Yes. Gabriel already knows. And as you can see, he’s terribly concerned.”

That jolt of indignation again. Damn it, yes, he wasn’t quite as cavalier about this as he should be. As he wanted to be.

She’s playing you.

He knew that, and yet as he watched Gabriel, he kept bristling, kept thinking…