“The letter that arrived earlier,” she says slowly. “What did it say? I sensed your emotions as you read it, and I know the news wasn’t good. Did something happen?”
I press a kiss to her forehead, then meet her eyes. “It was from King Theron. He wanted to know whether I’d found you yet, as his mate is eager for an update, and then he informed me about the Winter Court army’s most recent battle, as well as some troubling events that followed.” I draw in a deep breath as I recall the most shocking news from the letter.
“Tell me about the battle… and the troubling events that followed,” Gwen says softly. She places a hand on my chest, and I sense her compassion through the bond. She might still view my people as the enemy, yet she is saddened to learn that innocents may have died, faefolk with very little magic.
But before I can reveal the full contents of the letter, I must tell her about the dark scene I came upon recently, one that still haunts me. As I pause for a moment to gather my thoughts, I feel her giving me space—the same kind of space she sometimes needs for herself. My affection for her deepens.
“About a week ago, as I was searching for you,” I begin, “I came across a tragic scene not far from the border of the fading Winter Court. Thirty-two adult faefolk and six children, all dead, all shot with arrows… arrows that I confirmed were the type used by human soldiers from a nearby town called Hollins. I recognized some of the faefolk among the dead and realized they belonged to Frostfall, a dying province under my friend Commander Ashvale’s rule.”
“Oh, how shocking,” Gwen says, briefly running her hand over my chest, a comforting touch. “And how terribly sad. I am so sorry. I-I don’t like that your people are conquering mine, but I also don’t like to hear about my people killing innocent faefolk, especially children.” Her voice cracks as she mentions the children, and her eyes fill with tears. She blinks them back, then swallows hard.
I remain quiet as the images of that day flash in my mind, though I try to keep them hidden from Gwen. I don’t want to expose her to that sort of darkness.
And I suddenly realize I don’t want to bring her back to the Winter Court army at all. Not even for a day. In the war camp, she would witness things that would break her heart, possibly even her spirit. She is too gentle of a soul to endure such a life. Even temporarily.
I hold back a growl and resolve that I will consider the question of where we will live and how King Theron will react to my abrupt resignation later.
“So, the letter told you about the Winter Court army’s attack on Hollins?” she says. “Even if Hollins is a large city with asizable army of their own, I imagine your people still won.” Her brows crease, and I sense she’s trying to uncover what part of the letter upset me, the reason for my waves of anger and worry.
I meet Gwen’s eyes. “Yes, the Winter Court did indeed prevail over Hollins. But in the aftermath of the battle, Commander Ashvale’s brother kidnapped the human female he was sent to track down.”
“The young woman named Isabel?”
“Yes, that’s the one. Apparently, Commander Ashvale and Isabel are mates.”
She emits a faint gasp. “If your friend and Isabel are mates, why would his brother kidnap her?” She goes very still as she awaits my response, and I sense her growing worry. She’s not just worried about Isabel’s fate, but also about what her own life will be like once we reach the Winter Court’s war camp.
“Because his brother’s mate was one of the faefolk from Frostfall who was killed in the forest near Hollins. Commander Ashvale’s brother blamed him for it, blamed him for not being there to prevent such an attack, so he sought revenge.”
Gwen draws in a sharp breath. “Did the commander’s brother kill Isabel? Or… has the commander been killed?”
“No, Commander Ashvale’s brother didn’t kill Isabel, and the commander himself is faring well too. They survived, though my comrade had no choice but to kill his own brother. When I read the news, I felt rage that Commander Ashvale’s brother could do such a thing, but I also felt guilt that I didn’t know his brother’s mate was one of the bodies I discovered on the forest floor. I only turned a few of them over briefly to glimpse their faces. I wish I had been more thorough. I wish I could’ve told Commander Ashvale that his sister-in-law had been killed. While I don’t know my comrade’s brother, so I cannot claim to know his character, perhaps if my comrade had known the full truth, his mate wouldn’t have fallen into danger.”
Gods. I could not fathom losing Gwen.
Learning what almost happened to Commander Ashvale’s mate, also a human female, is deeply concerning. It leaves a cold knot in my gut. Until I met Gwen, I never had anything to lose. Just my own life. But the prospect of dying in battle never truly frightened me.
To the best of my knowledge, I don’t have any adversaries.
Unless…no.
I push all thoughts of the black frost and the shadow figure from my mind, though I promise myself that I will eventually tell Gwen what happened on the day I was born. She is my mate, and it wouldn’t be right to continue keeping secrets from her.
Gwen gives me a solemn look. “Well, I am glad that Isabel and Commander Ashvale survived the ordeal. But you shouldn’t blame yourself for what happened. The commander’s brother made a choice no one could’ve probably ever predicted, a dark one, and he paid for it with his life. None of it is your fault, though I suppose it’s only natural that you would feel anger and worry on behalf of your friend.”
To my shock, a wave of warmth reaches me through the bond—comfort she sends directly from her heart to mine. I briefly rest my forehead against hers as I consider her words. She has made a good point, because in the end, not even Commander Ashvale guessed what his brother would do.
“The war will be over soon,” I eventually say, straightening to stare down at her. “A year at most. There aren’t many human and orc villages and cities left to conquer.” I tell her this because I want her to realize the fighting won’t continue forever. She has a gentle heart, and I know the bloodshed bothers her.
She tenses. “Must your people conquer every human and orc community?”
“It is not that we first set out to conquer the entire realm,” I say, “but rather we set out to protect our people,the regular faefolk who are leaving the four fae courts as they follow the spread of ussha. Whenever soldiers from a human or orc settlement attack my people, we have little choice but to conquer them. Blood for blood. It is our way. And now that our priestesses are becoming more insistent about the new age that is upon us—an age of total fae rule—I suspect no corner of the realm will remain unconquered by my people, whether by the Winter, Autumn, Spring, or Summer court armies.”
She falls silent, and I sense she’s absorbing all I’ve just revealed. I also sense that though she doesn’t like it, she understands that the regular faefolk possess little magic and struggle to protect themselves. She understands that is why the four fae armies are on the march, constantly patrolling and attacking any human or orc communities that prove a threat to the faefolk.
“An age of total fae rule,” she says slowly. “Do you think the realm will ever know peace? I mean… after all the human and orc settlements are conquered by your people, will you leave us alone? Or will you continue to torment us, demand tributes, take slaves, and…”
“I do not know,” I admit. My jaw tightens slightly. “Many fae soldiers, particularly the highborn ones, will continue to enforce control even after the last formal battle has been fought. And of course, the human and orc communities will continue to live under the rule of a fae warden. Some wardens are more merciful than others.”
