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Niklas smirked once I released him. “Careful what you say, Queenie.”
* * *
Blood stainedthe white tips of my fingernails by the time I crawled into bed beside Ari. The slow rise and fall of his chest was both soothing and tragic. I rested my head over his heart, yawning.
“You know,” I said to the dark. “The way Niklas creates these elixirs, there is no doubt a bit of magic is involved.”
I hugged his waist, pausing long enough if Ari were awake, he would’ve had time to give one of his flowery responses.
“It’s strange, but the more I’m around Niklas and Junie and Ash, the more I recall living amongst Alver folk. Strange to think all the magicks once were together. I wonder, if nothing had ever happened to divide us, if we would’ve met.” A pain twisted in my chest. “I suppose it’s possible, but I never would’ve been able to love you.”
My fingertips brushed over the cruel scar on his chest.
“So much pain and loss has happened, but is it horrid of me to also be grateful the pain brought me to you?”
I kissed his skin and closed my eyes. Ari had lost everyone, and I wished he hadn’t. I’d lost my family, and I wished I hadn’t. But there was no denying the loss that would ruin me would be to lose him.
Sleep devoured me for several clock tolls, a first since Ari had been taken in the fae sleep. I woke to the burn of a noon sun and a shudder to the longhouse.
No. I’d mistaken the second. I was merely dizzy with sleep.
I sat up, kissed Ari’s forehead, then slid from beneath the furs over his body. A few unintelligible shouts came from outside the longhouse. Warriors training. Bjorn and other leaders of the blood fae guard were relentless in their drills.
No mistake, they’d been up sparring since dawn.
I dressed quickly, braided my hair, and secured a seax on my waist. Today Niklas had planned to gather what ingredients his mesmer required to make a cure. I bit my top teeth into my bottom lip and let out a squeak. An actual cure was within grasp for Ari, for Bo. For anyone taken by Davorin.
If we could cure them, then protect them with the elixir Niklas already made—Davorin would have nothing.
“Today is going to be a good day, Ari,” I said, glancing at him. “We’re close, and—”
The earth shuddered. I stumbled into the wall. What the hells?
More shouting rose outside. Heavy boots thumped down the corridor. Two breaths and the door crashed open.
Cuyler stepped inside the room, breathless, sweat on his brow. Two of his watchers were at his back, blades drawn.
“Queen Saga, come quickly.”
“Now what is it?” I crossed the room in two strides, heart in my throat.
Cuyler blinked. “You’re needed at the gates. The king’s folk—the earth fae—they’ve come for him.”
Chapter23
The Raven Queen
The Court of Bloodwas in chaos. Faint shudders rolled beneath the soil, pebbles bounced about, and a cluster of blood fae watchers were fighting to keep the fence posts upright. Already several had cracked.
“Why are they attacking?” My voice came sharp as broken glass by the time we stepped from Gorm’s longhouse. “Why are they here?”
Cuyler used the back of his hand to wipe sweat off his brow. His small pupils constricted even more when another shudder knocked us off balance.
“They approached before the sun rose. Our watchers caught sight of the ships. A few of their warriors announced they’d come to meet with Bracken and their ambassador. The watchers were under strict orders that no one steps inside these walls without the rune mark, not without your permission.” He drew a second blade from the strap around his shoulders. “When they argued with one of our men, well, the watcher might’ve killed one of the Northern guards.”
This couldn’t be happening. “Where is Prince Gunnar? He can explain—”
“He’s not here, Saga,” Cuyler said, voice rough. “He and the star seer went with the Alvers to the blood rose meadow.”
