Page 57 of Fae Farewells

Alania whipped her head around to face me, though I ignored her. I was getting really fucking good at that.

“How many people live in your village? And how long do you think it will take your current crops to catch up?”

“What are you doing?” she asked, rage filling her falsely sweet voice.

“Fixing a problem.”

She smiled as she fiercely whispered, “You can't fix that.”

“I can.” I pointed at my chest before turning my index finger in her direction. “And so can you. Or do you not have the power to do it?”

“Why would I fix this?” Her haughty laughter grated on my nerves. “It’s what your people from earth would call natural selection.”

I scoffed. “No, it’s not. It’s selfishness on your part. They lost their crops due to the weakened state of the winter fae. It’s a food shortage, not a party request. Aren’t you summer fae? Can’t you manipulate water?”

“Yes.” The clipped word made me wonder how far she’d fallen on the power scale.

“Help them water their crops,” I suggested. “Or send someone to do it. Dig a channel for a new water source. Send them extra food while they wait.”

“What extra food?”

“You feast every day while your people starve,” I hissed. “How about not having enough food to feed twenty delivered to your table when you’re the only one eating?”

Her mouth popped open as her ire rose, but I was so far beyond playing nice.

Nice-ish.

But I couldn't physically react yet.

Yet, I reassured myself. That would change soon.

I channeled Lilith, clicking my tongue as I shook my head in disappointment. “Ignoring your people does nothing but harm your kingdom. Not only does it make you a shitty queen, but it’s just bad for business. That’s how uprisings start, you know?”

She huffed, but was too stunned to argue. I didn’t expect her to have anything worthwhile to say, either. I’d just called her out in front of a room full of her subjects, though full was a loose term. It was enough to spread rumors.

And I didn’t give a fuck.

This bitch would rot in the bowels of an icy Hell when we were done with her.

She smiled tightly, placating as she motioned a maid toward us. “That’s all for today. We’ll try again tomorrow. I do hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

“We will.”

Because that’s what we needed: Alania too pissed at us to pay attention.

We wouldn’t get shit done if she was watching our every move, and we had too much to do to be stuck here under her thumb.

Friday, June 19th

Mid Morning

I said nothing as we followed Lashul out of the throne and back upstairs to our fancy prison.

It wasn’t without great fucking difficulty, though.

I’d been trying to be good, keep my cards close to my chest... But that entire encounter with Alania had tossed a few too many straws on my back. And I wasn’t a fucking camel. I could only hold so many before I snapped.

“There are guests waiting for you,” Lashul murmured to me as she walked away, leaving us standing at the mouth of the hall.