AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How is it,” she paused, sucking in a breath through her teeth, “That I did not know there areso manydamned ways for humans to sneak into my kingdom?”
The anger seething in those words, burning in her eyes, in the quivering muscles of her shoulders and arms, sent a spear of pride through me. There she was—the queen Annwyn needed. The one I wanted standing at my side.
Parys steadily met her gaze, no humor or artifice in his eyes. My estimation of the male nudged upward—begrudgingly.
I spoke for the first time, stepping forward. “We know there is one in the mountains. We must have been close when we stumbled across the human.”
“That’s how the Shadows are smuggling humans into Baylaur. They know about the mountain rift.” She threw up a hand in frustration. “Assuming there are not multiple. Ancestors, how has this been kept a secret for so long?”
“It’s probably not,” Parys said grimly. “If the Shadows know about them, so do members of this court. Members of your Royal Council, surely. Nothing is a secret here for long, if one has the will and skill to find it.”
I realized then why he was such a powerful ally. His magic—wind, I thought—was not the reason. It was his head for intrigue.
My cunning, beautiful Queen.
I traced the bob of Veyka’s throat with my eyes.
“Someone on my royal council used the rift in the mountains to smuggle in the humans. The ones who murdered Arthur.” Her voice was trembling.
I didn’t reach for her. Instead, I drew the axe at my waist. “Tell me who to kill.”
Veyka tiled her head in my direction, vague amusement in her eyes. “So bloodthirsty, Brutal Prince. We don’t know who the traitor is.”
“So we cut down them all. It would be an acceptable loss.”
“You hate political dinners that much, do you?”
“Yes.”
“Me too.” That wicked smile flashed over her face, and my cock hardened instantly. Veyka’s eyes flicked downward. Oh, sly Queen. She knew exactly what she was doing.
“I hate to interrupt,” Parys said, voice half-strangled. “But there is more.”
Veyka blinked. I watched her attempt to leash her lust. My beast growled in appreciation at the heavy-lidded eyes, the scent of her.
“Of course there is,” she said heavily.
“You’ve heard of the Void Prophecy.”
My head snapped to the side, eyes pinning Parys. Veyka rolled her eyes. “I don’t believe in prophecies.”
“I’m not talking about prophecies made by power-grabbing priestesses in the throne room. The Void Prophecy is much older.”
“Yes, yes, we’ve all heard it.” Veyka crossed her legs, smoothing her skirts. She did not think this information of any importance. “Voids of darkness, faerie queens, blah blah blah.”
For once, Parys’ eyes did not sparkle with mirth.“Then comes a queen, in the age of uncertainty, when shadows cast doubt upon the realm. Born under a double moon and marked by a radiant star, a faerie queen shall rise to command the depths of the voids of darkness.”
Veyka uncrossed her legs. “It doesn’t say anything about rifts.”
“What do you think a void of darkness is?” Parys challenged.
He thought this was something, I realized. He thought it was important, even as his queen was ready to dismiss it, her eyes already flitting to the bedroom doors over his shoulder. For once, I was inclined to agree with him.
“You think it is a reference to the rifts,” I said, ignoring Veyka’s bristling.
“Maybe,” Parys said judiciously. “But that is only the first part of the prophecy:Twice blessed, the realm of shift and mist, when comes the awaited queen who shall possess ethereal might. With a touch, she will feel the heartbeat of her subjects, and she will unlock the secrets they guard within.”
“That is the Ethereal Prophecy, not the Void.” Veyka pushed herself off the settee, clearly impatient now for the conversation to be done.
