Page 110 of A Kingdom of Magic and Rain

I looked down at the diamond star on my finger. I had been foolish to part with it in the past.

“The library has plenty of maps of Aubrielle,” Tom pointed out.

“Let us reconvene there,” Lady May said before she disappeared.

After Tom had followed suit, Thea clasped my elbow. “We’ll find him,” she said vehemently.

I wanted to believe her, but something held me back. For some reason, I didn’t think that finding him would be that easy. When we glimmered to the library, Lady May and Tom were already huddled by one of the tables, with a map of the kingdom rolled out before them.

“Give me your ring,” the Sorceress demanded, holding a thick black thread in one hand.

After I had slipped the band off my finger and handed it over, she strung it on the thread and held it up over the map. She chanted a spell, the drone of her voice echoing through the vast space, as I watched the ring hovering over the map with an undivided focus. We all did, holding our breath.

“Nothing is happening,” Tom muttered after a few seconds.

I shot him a look, concerned that he might break Lady May’s concentration. He was right, though; nothing was happening. I had expected the ring to pinpoint Adrian’s location on the map.

“I don’t understand. The spell is not working,” Lady May said after a moment. She caught the band with her other hand and brought it closer to her face. “When you didn’t wear your ring for a few days, it wasn’t on the vanity in your bathing chamber, was it?” she asked, inspecting the cluster of diamonds.

I swallowed. “It wasn’t. Finn had it. Do you think he tampered with it?”

“It’s possible. Bring him here,” she ordered, glancing at Tom.

He pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly displeased by the request, but complied, glimmering out of the library. My heart hammered in my chest in the silence that followed as we awaited his return.

“Do you think Adrian is all right? Wherever he is?” I asked, even though no one had the answer.

“I know one thing for certain—he’s alive,” Lady May replied. “When Oberon was killed, a disturbance shook the realm as Silberium left his body.”

A ragged exhale left me. Adrian was alive for now, but how much time did he have before the ancient magic prevailed?

“I should have siphoned Silberium from him before the banquet, but he wanted to wait. He did the same thing before the Garden Party two weeks ago. I don’t understand why he always has to push it so far, too close to the brink.”

“He wanted to have the ancient magic in his arsenal during the party and the banquet in case he needed to resort to it. I’m the one who instructed him to do that,” Lady May said.

“Why would he need to resort to it?” I scowled. Her instruction might cost him his life.

“Any time you have a high-profile event like that with so many prominent guests, it’s better to be prepared. Besides, whenever Tarn is in attendance, Adrian needs to be able to flaunt his power to keep him in his place.”

Something occurred to me then. “Where is Tarn? And Celestina? Have they been notified that Adrian is missing?”

“No. They aren’t at the castle.”

That can’t be a coincidence. A strange feeling stirred. “Do you think they might be involved in his disappearance?”

“I wouldn’t put it past them. Let’s question Finnian first, and then we will go from there.”

No sooner had she uttered the words than Tom and Finn appeared in the library. The former had a tight grip on the latter’s arm when they glimmered in. Shackles bound the lord’s hands and dried blood marred his cream tunic, but other than that, he looked unharmed. Though it was difficult to judge the severity of what he had endured since the Fae healed quickly.

Finn cast his gaze around the room, taking in his surroundings, before he grinned at me. “Emelin!”

“It’s Your Majesty to you,” Tom said through his teeth.

“You must be fun at parties,” Finn retorted before refocusing on me. “I’m glad to see you’re well!”

“Don’t lie to her.” Tom jerked his arm sharply, which made me wince. “How does it feel to see that your plan has failed?”

“For the hundredth time, it was not my plan.” Finn sighed exasperatedly. “Though I have my suspicions about whose doing it was. If you let me go, I can contact my informants to see if they have any insight that can help you solve the crime.”