AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Anyway,” Finn began again, “I started digging—trying to help the palace guard find her,” he rubbed at the back of his neck, averting his gaze, “But—but then I learned something. There have been Fae fourteen reported missing from the Night Court over the last few months.”
My brows furrowed, “That many?” We had known a few were missing, but had chalked it up to simple explanations like elopement or other less nefarious causes.
He nodded, “I’m afraid so. And they all have two things in common.”
“This is the fucked up part,” Tiernan said.
Finn swallowed, “They were all Graced nobles. And they were all last seen within an hour’s ride from the border of the Wastes.”
“The Wastes?”
“If the Mad King lives, he wouldn’t be able to hide for long within the borders of your court. It’s the only place he’d be able to live, unchecked, and without worry of discovery. And it was where that other Draconian was headed—the one who tried to—”
The one who tried to take me.
I knitted the pieces together in my mind, not liking what the finished product would become, even as I saw it all coming together, “So, you’re saying the Mad King is taking Fae nobles frommycourt. And he’s killing them?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, but yes, that is exactly what I’m saying.”
“How will we find him? Wemuststop him.”
Tiernan covered my trembling hand with his, “Alaric has already sent two scout parties. They left this morning at first light. If he’s over there—we’ll find him.”
Finn covered my other hand, the both of them lending me their strength. Offering me a silent promise. “And once we know where he is. We’ll destroy him. And this time he won’t be coming back.”
But every moment we wasted. Every moment the Mad King went unfound was a moment hegained.A moment for him to take another life. To steal a Grace. To grow stronger than he was before.
If Finn was right—and he almost always was—we’d have to tell Silas he’d never see his sister again. I’d have to break the same news to thirteen other families. I wouldn’t accept adding even one more name to that list.
And so long as he was growing stronger—so must I. Because I was the only one who could defeat him. I understood then. Why Morgana blessed me with all her Graces—with the Graces bestowed on our family line for generations, all the way back to the gods’ first Gracing. I understood why it had to be me. Because it was time for King Ricon to die.
Chapter Nineteen
It was time to go. The memorial awaited.
My males had convinced me, just for tonight, to set my worries aside. There was nothing we could do to speed up the scout teams’ search. It would be days, or perhaps even weeks before they returned with any news. That was disappointing enough. What was more disappointing was I still had yet to see Aisling. She hadn’t come by, and when Finn and I had gone looking for her that afternoon, Loris said to send her straight to the infirmary if we found her.
She had likely gone to visit family is what Loris said. She did that often, leaving on a whim, saying something about missing her younger brother who had still not completed the change.
I didn’t even know she had a brother.
I hoped she would return by the time we got back from the memorial. If she didn’t, I was prepared to ride to her family home and retrieve her myself. At least to see that she was alright.
My males offered me assurances and words of comfort, but I couldn’t help feeling as though something terrible had happened to her. She wouldn’t just skip out on a planned meeting with her queen—with her friend. At least, not without sending word. Would she?
So, naturally, I was quick to accuse Valin of having done something to her. But Kade had seen Valin just the previous night, alone, and the great war hero had told him he hadn’t seen Aisling since that morning when she left his chambers.
And I was supposed to believe that. Not only that he had nothing to do with Aisling’s sudden departure from the palace, but she’d alsolainwith the brute. I shook my head at the thought, furiously scrubbing my hair over the edge of the sink.No, she wouldn’t have done that.He wasold,and not even remotely attractive.
Not to mention an utter ass.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Relax. Aisling is fine.
Everything would be fine.
Blackened water swirled down the drain as I finished rinsing the oily elixir out. Finn got it from a trader in the village of Elmvale. It would change the color of my hair, but only for a few days. The mixture was clear, but on contact with my hair turned it instantly black as the darkest sky—with a hint of blue when I beheld it in the lamplight.
I had toyed with the idea of cutting it as well but decided against it. The change of hair color and clothing as well as the lack of finery or any coal liner or stain on my lips was enough to hide my true identity.
