Page 143 of The Stolen Crown

Swordeater and Nightseer mumbled new apologies to their king and stared at the table.

Tait picked at his thumbnail. “With the history of lost ships connected to The Summons, aye, we shouldn’t have sung it.”

I gripped Tait’s fingers beneath the table. No doubt, he would shoulder the blame for the deaths of the lost crewmen. “It was me who asked to hear it.”

“Mira,” Tait warned.

“No. It’s true. I wanted to hear the lore of the crew, and come now, no one truly believed it was an actual summoning spell. It was an innocent mistake that we now know brought deadly consequences.”

The table fell into a tense silence for one heartbeat, two.

“Mira’s right,” Sander said at long last. “We’ve learned something from this, and perhaps Tavish can see if there is a strand of a spell connected to the words. He might unravel it?”

Erik considered the notion. Tavish was his uncle and a powerful spellbreaker. After a pause, the Ever King stood. “So, this Veri woman keeps these mortals alive by using fae blood. We suspect the isle you first found is connected, but we don’t know how. We believe they tracked you because of the isle, but those they slaughter must be willing to step into their presence.”

“Some of their words make more sense now,” I whispered. “They told us only the willing could see Eilifur.”

“I suspect whatever hides their isle is a ward from their sea witch,” Sander said. “It would keep them hidden from anyone who might be searching for their lost loved ones.”

The Ever King let out a curse under his breath. “They need to be wiped out, or at least their little blood drinker pet does.”

“I don’t disagree,” Sander said. “But it’s quite a feat Mira, Tait, and the men escaped. Remember what Nightseer said? Once there, they did not want to leave. To face them, we would need to be prepared for manipulations of the mind.”

“Damn the hells.” Erik cast a quick glance at Livia. “I will speak to the Lady of Witches, see if she knows of such spells. Until then, we continue warding the Ever with all we have.” Bloodsinger’s voice was dark and hard. “If these beasts must be welcomed, we slit our own throats before doing so. They will never sail these seas. They will never touch any of our folk again.”

42

The Heartwalker

It did not take long before Tavish Spellbreaker entered the palace with a dozen sea witches from the House of Mists.

Sea witches sat in council with the noble houses, routing where they were to sail to add the protective wards around the kingdom. Lady Narza took on the challenge of searching for ancient spell casts laced within the words of The Summons and wards that might keep the kingdom of Eilifur hidden from sight.

Bloodsinger demanded each edge of the Ever be guarded and even sent ships of sea witches to sail through the Chasm to ward the earth fae realms.

With the seas under watch and spells being put in place, the Ever almost felt…peaceful again.

A week after the report on the folk of Eilifur, the glamour king and queen made preparations to return to the earth fae isles. Mira’s father urged her—even me—to join them. His daughter insisted she had not truly been able to enjoy her visit to the Ever and vowed to return soon enough.

With tension fading, my vicious revel princess returned.

“Why?” I grumbled and held out my arms, currently draped in vibrant linens of all shades of rose and gold.

Mira kissed my cheek and took another satin sash and tied it around the back of one chair, inspecting her work to see if it was to her liking. “Because, Hearttalker, we ought to send Maj and Daj off with a feast and a spritely tune. We should celebrate returning in one piece. And, if you must know, Seableeder is mended and will be returning to the Royal City on the morrow. The man’s life was nearly claimed by Eilifur, and he ought to know we are glad it was not.”

This woman.

Some might see a princess who merely loved to spin and laugh mindlessly. Even I did once. Now, I saw this—her—for what she truly was, a woman who loved folk deeply enough she felt compelled to celebrate their every movement so they never doubted they mattered.

She took another sash from my arms and hurried to the other side of the table, dodging servants and a few royals who had been roped into Mira’s scheme.

Sander and Jonas argued about the height of a tapestry to be hung over the entrance to the hall. Livia spoke with Alistair about whether to use silver platters or gold and if the wine ought to be served in drinking horns to honor the glamour fae culture.

Catriona, Tavish’s mate, and their children joined him at the palace. The spellbreaker laughed at his tiny daughter when Stormbringer lifted the girl onto his shoulders so she could string a bow of knotted blooms over a windowsill.

Skadi and Celine guided Gavyn and Sewell on how to fold stacks of satin napkins.

Erik Bloodsinger was the only one bold enough to protest Mira’s revel. The Ever King sat on his throne, one leg extended, tipped back a goblet of rum, and guarded the royal seat with all his might.