Page 117 of Mage Massacres

“He would take the two of us out to go fishing, then tell us stories of past rulers being dethroned, wars waged between the kingdoms, and secret treasures he’d hoped to find. But what we took away from those conversations were ways to keep our kingdom stable in times of strife.

“There are four children of winter: Freya, Ruby, Tilly, and me. It will take all four to overthrow Alania. You can stand in for me, speak on my behalf. Tilly will be at the palace. She’s been under constant watch because of the rest of us. I don’t know if Freya will be there or in the dungeon. She was supposed to visit six weeks ago but didn’t show up. We need to bring the dragon with us.”

I gently removed his hands so I could scrub at my cheeks. “Sarge?”

“He’s Freya’s mate.”

I nodded, recalling that particular conversation clearly. “And Ruby?”

He grimaced. “Sam has been hiding her at the Academy. Nate convinced her to teach a small class on fae etiquette.”

“Of course, he did,” I responded dryly.

Vaughn snorted. “It’s not her cup of tea, but she’s been safe. That’s what matters.”

“And what about you? What will they do when they catch you?”

“The guards? Nothing.” He stared at the wall, lost in thought. “Alania, on the other hand... I can’t answer that. She’s already told the people I’m wanted for treason and that I conspired to kill her and my sisters. The ruler’s word is law, so they believe her or keep their heads down.”

I scoffed at the idea of him trying to kill his sisters.

“We need to find a way to cancel Alric’s magic. Annette said that’s why the fae think Alania is Vex.”

“Annette’s real name is Anahein. She had quite the reputation with the winters and summers. You’ll see her destruction on the outskirts of the villages.”

I messaged my temples. “This is a fucking mess.”

He pursed his lips, absently commenting, “Eventually, the romancer of such twisted tales ties their hands. It’s a tangled web of treachery and deceit, tenacious and imperceptible before mistakes are made.”

“The spider thinks itself invincible until it becomes the bird’s prey,” I responded, finishing with the end of the passage he was quoting.

“That’s the problem with all the lies and half-truths,” he confessed. “We haven’t been able to see the web because we’ve been the ones who were stuck. Now, we’re getting a bird’s-eye view.”

I wobbled my head. “I think it’s safe to say they’ll know Raguel is free and Ana-whatever is dead. I’m still going to call her Annette. It’s easier to remember. And Alania won’t know that we’ve been told she isn't Vex.”

Vaughn nodded. “We have a rough timeline too. She said she was supposed to meet Alric in Albany in thirteen days. He won’t stick to that exact plan if he knows that she’s dead, but it gives us a range to aim for.”

We both sighed heavily, dreading the coming days. But these were the last few steps.

“Palmer and I will go to the guild tomorrow. Then we can wrap this trip up.” I glanced at my bare wrist. “How does your schedule look on Wednesday?”

He scoffed at me, rolling his eyes. “My boss granted me an extended leave from work, so my schedule is clear for the foreseeable future.”

“Aren’t you a lucky fae?” I purred. “Your boss sounds like a peach.”

Vaughn grinned, leaning back as he gazed at me. His eyes were more transparent than I’d ever seen them. The frozen depths showed an avalanche of emotion.

“She’s not the tyrant I was expecting, but I’ve heard she can be rather demanding.”

24

Palmer

Monday, June 15th

Morning

Sloane and I had decided to wait until the guild was open for business before we arrived. It had taken me an hour to plead my case. After I’d argued until I was blue in the face, she’d agreed to let me do the talking and promised not to kill anyone.