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The guard just released from the front gate walks ahead, and I dart after him.
Be dignified, Nathaniel. They don’t saunter here, a small voice reminds me.Back straight, strong gait.
I try to match what my brain tells me when I finally open my mouth to speak. I don’t have his True Name, so I cannot compel him. But I am almost sure I can trick him.
“Hey,” I bark, willing every bit of harshness I can into my tone.
The guard whips around. I note the lack of an earpiece or anything to keep him from communicating with others. This might be the first time I don’t mind the Luddite culture here.
“Where are you going?” I sneer.
His mouth presses into a straight line. He doesn’t answer, and I am cheering on the inside. He won’t be expecting my next move.
“Who are you?” He snaps back.
This is it, I think. Time to use my MFA in Extreme Bullshitting. I bet that if I speak with enough authority, he will answer. There would be so many guards in this enormous place, there’s no way he would know everyone.
“Nathaniel, you son of a bitch. How dare you question me? I need your help to find someone. There is an intruder on the grounds.” The words tumble out quickly. None of them are lies; I just leave out the fact that I need to find Elva, and the intruder is me.
His eyes widen a fraction of an inch, and he glances behind me. He responds to the tone in my voice and isn’t expecting what is to come. “Sorry, sir. The princess returned this morning, meaning security has been raised all over the castle. The intruder must be a rebel.”
I nod grimly, even though my insides are exploding.
“Where is she now? I need to get to her immediately.” I cringe at my desperation, which is so clearly out of place. He doesn’t notice.
“West end of the palace. The tallest tower.”
I nod tightly. “I need one more thing from you,” I say quickly, every particle of my being hanging on to what he will say next.
“Yes, sir,” he nods once, his hands behind his back.
I grin wickedly. I truly am a bastard Summer Fae. “You will forget about this meeting forever.”
The magic tingles between us. I can hardly believe it worked.
Ah, hell, who am I kidding? I knew it would work.
Before the lucidity returns to his eyes, my glamour is stripped, and I am an osprey again, soaring above him. He shakes his head as he looks at me, but I am already racing away. The tower is in sight.
When I approach, I hover at the tallest window. I can see nothing.
I drop, which is a terrifying sensation. The following window is also empty. And the next. I am panicking. Maybe the guard didn’t know that they had relocated. And if they had, what was happening to Elva. I swooped to the last window. I can’t see inside this one.
Which probably means it is enchanted.
And they are inside.
Without thinking better of myself, I hurl my strength at the window. I brace myself for the impact, but instead of hard, icy glass, I roll into ungraceful somersaults across a thick white polar bear fur rug. I am back in my Fae form.
When I look up, I have to blink. There are two Elvas.
No, not two. One had just slightly lighter skin and harsh eyes.
It is the Queen of the Winter Court.
Chapter38
Why Did You Come Here?
