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I almost smiled. Morrin certainly didn’t mince his words.
“I’m feeling a little better.” I nodded at the sofa opposite me. “Take a seat.”
Most of my meetings were usually held in the throne room, with me sitting in my big important seat and whoever had come to speak to me having to stand. It had always made me a little uncomfortable, but I’d done it because that was just the way things were done. And then I’d started getting too used to it, the thought of which was making me even more uncomfortable. So I’d asked Morrin to meet me in a small sitting room instead.
If he found it unusual, he didn’t say it. Morrin was the type to adapt in a split second and not question why something hadn’t gone to plan, which was probably what made him a very good spy.
“How’s the forest?” I asked, knowing he’d realise what I meant.
“Unchanged.” He settled on the sofa, crossing one long leg over the other. His thin fingers drummed against his knee. “But there has been chatter. One of my spies overheard an unseelie visiting the market. Apparently they have a new monarch.”
I nodded. “I know.”
Morrin watched me in silence for a moment before continuing. “All the unseelie guards have been called back.”
“I know.”
Another pause, before Morrin’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly. “Have you summoned me to tell me that my services are no longer needed, Luad?”
For the first time in days, I laughed. “No. Sorry. I just got a letter from Lonan. He said he was calling them all back.”
“Ah.”
“So…” I shifted uncomfortably. “The forest hasn’t gotten better? Not even a little bit?”
“Not that we have noticed yet, Luad. But if your brother’s assumptions are correct yet again, it will begin to right itself now that the unseelie have a new monarch.”
“Okay.” I exhaled. “That’s good.”
“In terms of other updates for you, neither Prince Bres nor Prince Cethlen have been seen in the forest. Prince Balor has been spotted a few times.”
I sat up straight. “Do you know what he’s doing?”
“We haven’t seen him do much except lurk near seelie, but I strongly suggest summoning your snakes, Luad. They can get much closer than we can without detection. They are far more likely to go unnoticed and witness things we can’t.”
I almost groaned. Not the snakes again. Although, he was right. They might have seen some things the other spies hadn’t. I had to try.
“Morrin…” I hesitated. I’d been too proud to ask for help before. Too scared that it would make me seem incompetent, unfit to be king. But fuck it. “How exactly do I summon the snakes?”
He went still. His head cocked, and after a few seconds, he said, “I… don’t know, Luad.”
I stared at him in disbelief. “Seriously?”
“It is something the monarch does. I assume the knowledge of how is usually passed down from monarch to heir. It’s not something I’ve ever witnessed.”
Jesus Christ. So this was like everyone telling me to “shed my mortal skin” but not having a fucking clue how I was supposed to do it.
I sighed and scrubbed a hand over my face. “Alright. I guess I’ll have to figure it out.”
“Apologies, Luad.” He paused. “Perhaps just… call to them?”
I snorted. “Yeah. I’ll try it.”
“Snakes.” I felt like a complete idiot as I stood alone at the edge of seelie. It was twilight, the sky a deepening purple and the forest already dark within. “Come to me.”
Nothing happened. I glanced around self-consciously, glad no one was witnessing this.
How the fuck did one summon snakes? From an entire forest? I didn’t even know how many snakes were out there, let alone which ones ‘worked’ for me.
