AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I couldn’t believe it. I just couldn’t. I knew the High Council would be hard to persuade, but this woman was calling us liars! She and the snooty Alpha sitting on that throne. What was the point of the High Council if they neglected anything we told them?
“Then, I believe this matter is settled,” Leonidas said.
Juniper shook her head. “Not so fast, Alpha Leonidas. You forget that there are five of us, and I don’t remember giving my opinion on the case.”
Briar nodded in agreement. “Well said, June. I, for one, believe they are speaking the truth. I don’t put it past Samara to use such an object.”
“Then, do you vote to help the humans?” Queen Amaranth asked, disgust heavy in her voice, her tone conveying a threatening message that he either agrees with her or suffers the consequences.
But he wasn’t fazed. He answered, “I do,” without so much as a blink of an eye.
Juniper raised her hand in the air, a satisfied triumph in her glare. “I do, too. Which makes Amon the tiebreaker.” A smirk curled on her lips, almost challenging the queen.
Amon watched us with an unreadable intensity. Was he for us or against us?
“Tell me,” he said. “Did you visit the Underworld?”
Queen Amaranth was quick to jump in and ask, “What business would they have with the Underworld?”
“Not that it’s any of your business,” Amon said with a sneer. “I had them run an errand for me.”
Briar chuckled from his throne. “Still can’t keep those demons in check?”
Amon rolled his eyes, facing us once more, waiting for our answer. The answer that would probably determine whether or not we had his approval.
“We tried,” I answered, my voice pleading. “But Thanat wouldn’t help us.” Amon tsked in disapproval, so I quickly added, “But we took the liberty of bringing you something else that may help you with your demons.”
Ember pulled out the bottles of potions, holding them out for Amon to see. “Sleeping potions,” she said. “And apparently extremely potent ones.” She stepped up to his throne and handed him a bottle. He held it up, inspecting the content, the glistening red liquid shimmering in the light.
With a large grin, he pocketed the bottle. “Very well. Not as good as the original errand, but it will suffice. I accept.” He turned to Queen Amaranth and Alpha Leonidas, adding, “They speak of the truth.”
But after obviously basing his decision on whether we could conjure a sleep potion for his demons, it wasn’t enough to sway the naysayers.
Queen Amaranth’s eyes narrowed as she glanced from Amon to us. “Might I point out the destruction and havoc you’ve caused in not only the fae realm but the demon realm, as well? Every realm you visit, you cause trouble. Why should we support that?”
“This isn’t about you supporting us,” Cassian asserted. “It’s about getting rid of Samara, once and for all. We’re willing to do it, but we need your help. I just don’t understand how you can’t see this for the problem it is. Everything that can happen if we don’t take care of Samara, yet you neglect it, and turn your backs, sitting on your high thrones like you’re superior, when in reality, you’re nothing more than me or my friends. At least we’re trying to help the world. You couldn’t care less about it.”
Queen Amaranth glared at Cassian; her eyes narrowed to the tiniest slits.
Juniper, not having spoken much aside from her comment earlier, decided now was the time to give her testimony. “For years, Samara has tormented my people. None of you have been affected by Samara like the witches have. Therefore, none of you have a leg to stand on.”
Alpha Leonidas cleared his throat in an obvious manner, and Juniper added, “The wolves have also been affected by the curse she gifted them long ago. My people refuse to live in fear any longer. I will do whatever is necessary to rid the world of her existence. If we don’t, you can guarantee that all of your realms will be affected in the near future.”
The entire room—or cloud, or whatever this was considered—fell silent. Not even the queen had a snarky comment for the witch. Juniper took her seat, resuming her quiet nature.
Queen Amaranth waved her hand through the air, pulling the clouds up and forming a wall that separated us from them. We looked at one another, unsure of what to expect.
After a moment, the wall receded and the fae queen spoke again. “For now, we will take care of the police investigations on the feral wolves. But that’s it. We will have a further discussion and reconvene with our decision.”
Before we could rebut, they disappeared, and we were transported back to the countryside in the field by the cave.
“Well, that went shitty,” Griffin said, shaking his head.
Fury ran through my body, coursing through my veins, throbbing with a heat that seared me from the inside. After everything we’d been through, they wouldn’t give us the time of day? Glancing around at my friends’ hopeless expressions, I balled my fists to my side.
“I can’t believe they wouldn’t even consider what we were saying. Especially that queen,” Ember spat, the word coming out with venom. Her jaw clenched tight, and she paced in circles, her arms waving through the air. “I mean, who put her in charge!”
“She isn’t,” Silas answered, his tone soothing. “They hold an equal amount of power. Regardless of the strength with which she declares her decision, it means nothing if the others disagree. Be patient. I believe they will come through for us.”
His words provided the solace we needed in that moment. A bit more relaxed, we were able to discuss our next move rationally.
“I just can’t believe we’re going to have to make this hike again. Anyone for camping out here until they make their decision?” Griffin asked, a teasing smirk on his face.
