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“Gabriel has been named the heir apparent in the event that my father doesn’t come back and neither do I,” Noah said.
An acidic feeling churned in my stomach. “That’s why you two have been so inseparable lately. You’ve been preparing for this.”
He nodded.
“It’s a bad idea,” I whispered. Nothing i said would change his mind, or change the law. “But I’m with you for it no matter where you go.”
As I tried to smile, Noah reddened. “Absolutely not. You’re staying here.”
“The hell I am. And when do you tell me what I can and can’t do.” I crossed my arms.
Noah’s face fell. “Cora, I’m already trying to come to terms with figuring out how I feel if my father is dead. I can’t lose you too.”
“You won’t lose me. We’ll be together and come back out alive no problem. But arguing with me isn’t going to work. I’m going,” I said.
“Of course she’s going.” I jumped at the Queen’s voice behind me. “She is your feeder, not your lover, especially in this circumstance. She has a job to do and if she doesn’t do it she’ll be banished.”
“Mother,” Noah yelled.
“I’ve warned you. I’ve told you that traditions and rules are in place for reasons. Coraline Fray has been trained as your feeder and she will accompany you and protect you.” Part of me wondered if she wanted me dead. Hoped that my life would be risked in this process. But there was a strange look she gave me.
She may hate me, but something inside of me told me she knew I’d protect Noah with my own life if it came down to it. And her demands for me to go were more so for his protection than my death.
Though getting two things knocked out at once was no doubt a bonus for her.
“We need your signature with Gabe before you depart. I’ll be in the throne room,” she said. “Hurry this along, and get prepared.”
Her dismissive nature of our serious discussion irked me, but at this point, there were much bigger things to worry about.
“I’m going to get my things,” I said, running up the castle stairs to the doors before Noah could stop me.
* * *
“I hate that I am being left behind here again. This time both of you are going.” Nicole was fuming, hissing her words through clenched teeth as we walked down toward the main staff entrance.
I had a bag of a few items, not much in case we ended up having to carry anything ourselves, but enough to hopefully last the few days this trip would be.
Days. I kept telling myself it would be days. Someone, myself, Noah, the Queen - someone would have felt if the King were dead. Aron as if he was taken unharmed, and I was going to believe that was the case until presented with evidence otherwise.
“We’ll be back before you know it,” I reassured her the best I could.
“I miss out on all the fun.” She continued pouting as we made our way across the grassy shaded spot to where we were meeting.
Normally I’d laugh, but neither of us were in the mood. As much as she was trying to play it off, I knew this was killing her. Watching us go while she had to stay behind. Watching Aron go again when something bad had already happened once.
I stopped, grabbing her arm. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m glad that the only other person I love here will be safe.”
“Don’t get mushy on me here,” Nicole said. She threw her arm around my shoulder and steered us back toward where our meeting spot was.
As we approached, Noah and Aron were with a smaller amount of warriors than I expected.
“This is the army?” I asked Noah.
“It’s a rescue mission. Our goal is to simply get home.”
He turned and approached the Queen on the far side of the stairs. This wasn’t like when the King left. It was quiet. Hidden. In an effort to keep the castle and those Unseelie that lived in and visited the castle calm, we were doing most of this in secret. In fact the lockdown was apparently to be secret until everything was complete. This was the final part.
The small amount of troops leaving, with us. Then the gates would lock and not reopen again until the fate of the King, and now Noah, was known.
