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A pair of dark wings cut through the mists. A flash of feathers flared wide, spinning closer and closer until the bird cut to the left, and then slowly transformed into a vague shadow battling the harsh winds of that world.
“A raven,” I said. “They won’t cross the barrier, either.”
“No,” Nellie replied sadly. “Oberon scared them off. I doubt they’ll ever return.”
“Not until he’s dead.”
Her lips formed a thin line. “And that won’t happen in our lifetime.”
“Someone needs to do something,” I said boldly, feeling a little more reckless and defiant now that the strange fog in my mind had finally lifted. “He says he did all this to protect us, but he kills us if we do anything he doesn’t like. He’s not our savior, Nellie. He’s the enemy.”
Nellie wrapped her arm around my back, pulled me close, and sighed. “I wish we could fly away from here, like the ravens.”
“Maybe one day we will.”
Eleven
Kalen
Ipaced before my glittering throne, my chest so tight that I could barely breathe. Tessa was trapped in Albyria, only days from being forced to marry Oberon. A god was haunting her dreams. And there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about any of it.
“How much valerian do we have?” I palmed the hilt of the sword I wore strapped to my waist, wishing that I could just take the blade to all my enemies. “Would it be enough to consume that entire army out there?”
Our scouts had returned this morning. The numbers weren’t as bad as I’d feared. Three hundred storm fae at best, and only a handful wore a splash of color—green to signify the Kingdom of Storms—on their cloaks. We’d guessed that designated them as the elite fae in their ranks.
Druid Balfor shifted in his tattered leather boots and brushed the wayward strands of dark hair out of his eyes, revealing the row of three silver rings that decorated his right jawline. A symbol to demonstrate how many centuries he’d spent in service of the Temple.
“We have the usual stocks,” he said in a soft voice that betrayed how little he spoke. The Druids did not believe in excess chatter. They argued it led to gossip and calculating politics. They were right in that, at least. “But we do not have enough for some kind of war strategy, and even if we did, I would ask that you not use it for that, Your Grace. These are meant to be used as medicinal herbs and nothing more. To heal. Not to harm.”
“It would prevent bloodshed.” I stopped my pacing and frowned. “If the storm fae are not awake to fight, then there is no need for war.”
“Be that as it may, we don’t have enough valerian for this plot of yours to work. I’m sorry, Your Grace.”
I sighed and nodded. “Thank you for your time, Druid Balfor. You may go.”
He bowed his head and left the throne room, a cloud of spiced herbs scenting the air in his wake. I watched him go, almost envious of his simple life in his drab brown robes. The Druids did not like to involve themselves in war and politics. They lived in peace and cared for nature over material things. I would have liked a life like that. But someone had needed to step up when my mother had vanished, and that person turned out to be me. There had been no one else.
“It was a nice idea, Kal.” Toryn eased up the stairs to the dais, wincing with every step. “But I think we both know there is only one way for this to end.”
The throne’s seat was hard and cold as I settled onto it. “I hate what they did to you.”
“I don’t want you to seek vengeance against them, just on my account.”
“They almost killed you. And they took something away from you that you will likely never get back. Your storm fae powers.”
Toryn flexed his hands. “I’m fairly certain that was their intention.”
“Why aren’t you more angry?” I shoved up from the throne, too wound to sit calmly. “They came across the border and lured us into that village. It was a pointed attack. At first I thought they did it as a way to hurt me, but it’s clear there was something more behind it. Your mother did this. She wanted to make you hurt.”
“It’s the price we both knew I’d eventually pay, Kal. I left my kingdom to follow you. My mother was never going to let me go that easily. She tried to fight you for me once before, and she’s doing it again, only now she has Oberon on her side.”
“What would you have me do?”
“We can’t afford to meet the storm fae on the battlefield. They only have a few elite fae, but it’s enough to do serious damage to our forces. If they take out a quarter of our warriors, we will be left far too vulnerable if Oberon ever decides to attack, and he might very well do that if things go his way.” Toryn gave me a steadying look. “We can wait this out and let them attack our walls when they’re ready—they will never be able to take down this city that way. Or you can use your powers against them and finish this in one fell swoop.”
My hands fisted. “You know I don’t want to use my powers like that.”
“Then we wait,” he replied.
