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“G...gi...” I choked. Oh god, what had I been thinking? I was going to die here in front of Roisin, all because she waited too damn long.
Grab the tablecloth,Badb commanded.
Pull it,Macha agreed.
I reached out, around Roisin, took the tablecloth in my fist. My fingers were going numb. My arms fell. Roisin shifted.
The sound of my lunch clattered to the floor right before I lost consciousness.
Chapter 27
Badb awoke with Palon leaning over her, the bottle of Tolerin in his hand. A sputtering came from her, and he helped her lean to the side as she vomited onto the stone floor.
“That bitch.” Her voice rasped with pain, but she didn’t care. “That bitch. I’ll rip her throat out. I’ll—”
“Roisin was taken to the dungeons. There she will remain until her fate is decided,” Palon said.
Badb snarled at him. She didn’t care. She’d hunt down that two-timing little whore and shred her.
Palon didn’t flinch. He lifted her into his arms and settled her on the bed. Brave, considering he must know it was Badb in control and not Morrigan. If only she had the use of her muscles.
Sister, Macha called to her.
Badb focused her thoughts inward. Something was off with Morrigan. She was pulling away, further than Badb had ever felt.
She couldn’t let this go to waste.
See what you do to them, Badb thought.Your parents, your friends, those who trust you. Poor faerie queen. Never able to truly live up to anyone’s expectations. Always turning them against you. And who can blame them? Who could ever love you?
Morrigan spiraled downward until, when Badb reached for her, she felt nothing.
Her breath caught.Macha, is she there?
She is there,Macha responded. She is so far gone… it is like she has shut everything out.
For years Badb had been trapped, kept in the blackness, with Morrigan never being aware. It appeared as if Morrigan was resigning herself to that prison. Which meant Badb was free to act without the faerie queen knowing of her movements.
It was torture, waiting for the healers to do their work—eventually they declared her well other than needing basic rest. Her muscle strength returned. She stated she wished to be alone and sent everyone, including the hovering Palon from the room.
When they were gone, Badb stumbled to her feet. Her knees nearly gave, but she caught the bedpost. She staggered over to the cabinet and drew out Morrigan’s stationary and moved to the table, setting it down swiftly to catch her weight. Gasping for breath, she collapsed into the chair.
She needed to move now, while Morrigan was closed off. She needed an ally in the castle, so that when she returned after Samhain, she could put her plans in motion. Ink dripped into the bottle as she lifted the quill.
Through the information Dagda had given Morrigan, Badb had learned a lot in the past few weeks about the court. In her mind, she had settled on those that might back her. Who had shown a desire to make the faerie court stronger.
To the Respectable House of The Honored Ones,
Weakness has become a plague amongst our faerie court. When Morrigan abandoned this world, the king’s neglect caused that frailty to spread, allowing our enemies to march right into our lands. Not once, but twice. And still the king leaves those traitors and deceivers on the court. While the queen is so young and naïve that she follows his lead.
It is time we remade a strong court. One that will not bend to outside forces. One that can stand against our enemies both from within and without. I shall craft that court. I shall make the faerie lands stronger than any other territory and shall even bring the High Nine to their knees before us.
And with your support, I guarantee the noble House of Honor a place of notoriety in my new court.
Answer with swiftness whether I can count on you backing my bid for power.
-Badb
The parchment whispered as she rolled it, tied it off with a piece of twine, and then stumbled over to the window. She threw the shutters open and let out a low whistle. If she wasn’t mistaken, the faeries were still using those metal stymphalian birds to convey their messages.
