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The surge of shock he felt wasn’t masked quickly enough. Donia’s gaze narrowed as she realized that he had been unaware of this news until that instant.
My queen has become used to ruling without me. He gave Donia a wry smile, but neither of them commented. That’s what I get for leaving.
“I have reason to believe that Irial’s injury is a fatal one,” Donia added. “Perhaps Niall is mourning.”
“Maybe . . . Seth went straight from the fight with Bananach to Faerie. He returned here yesterday, to see me.” Aislinn tensed slightly, but did not look at Keenan as she added, “He had to leave suddenly, but he didn’t mention anything about Irial’s injury when he was here . . . or about Faerie being closed.”
“And where is Seth now?” Donia prompted. “Did he return to Faerie?”
“He didn’t say where he went, just that it was something he had to do immediately,” Aislinn told them.
Keenan did look at Aislinn as he said, “When I left him, he said he was going to see Niall.”
His queen scowled at him, but said nothing.
“And neither of you thought to tell the other one these details?” Donia asked incredulously. “What were you doing?”
“The day had just begun, and we were dancing,” Aislinn said.
“Dancing?” Donia looked at the Summer Queen with the same disdain Keenan had once seen on her face when she looked at the Summer Girls. “Of course you were. Bananach is attacking faeries, stealing from our courts. Irial is injured. Faerie is closed. Yes, dancing is precisely what will help.”
Before Keenan could speak, Aislinn said, “Your court is not ours. Snowy calm may be what you need, but summer is joyous. They require rejoicing to stay strong. Maybe you should try it.”
“Not all of us have reasons to rejoice,” Donia bit off.
Aislinn’s skin sizzled. “Then maybe you ought to find one.”
“Perhaps I should.” Donia smiled a sad smile, and then took a deep breath. “When I went to the veil to enter Faerie, it was gone. While we searched, Far Dorcha approached me.”
“I met him as well . . . after I left you.” Aislinn walked to the counter and grabbed her cell phone.
Keenan looked from one queen to the other. “You both met the head of the death-fey?”
“It had to have been there yesterday. Faerie, I mean,” Aislinn said absently as she dialed and raised the phone to her ear.
While she waited for Seth to answer, Keenan told Donia, “Seth stood beside me yesterday when Bananach attacked me.”
“After he left here.” Aislinn clutched the phone, but she spoke to them: “He came from Faerie to the loft, and then left here to . . . help Keenan.”
The question in Donia’s eyes wasn’t one Keenan was sure he should answer. He had spent decades keeping secrets from her because of the search for the missing queen.
I don’t want secrets between us anymore . . . but she is not a part of my court.
They sat silently, looking at each other while Aislinn texted Seth.
“I’ll go see if Tavish has any new information.” Aislinn glanced at the phone again, and then she looked from Keenan to Donia—and left.
Once the Summer Queen was gone, Donia stood and walked to the window. Her arms were folded tightly over her chest, and her gaze was fixedly not on him.
“Don?”
She glanced at him and then quickly looked back at the window. “Please, Keenan, not right now.”
“Can I do anything?” He didn’t move from his spot on the sofa. “Wou
ld you rather I left the room? Maybe you and Aislinn can talk and I could . . . wait somewhere?”
She turned to face him and smiled wanly. “I am worried for Niall. I am worried for all of us. I haven’t lost many of mine to Bananach, but almost a dozen of my fey are missing. I suspect they are with her . . . or dead . . . or running away.”
