Page 74 of King of Storms and Feathers

“Of our loyalties.” Ari tucked a metallic wave of hair behind her pointed ear. “He’s giving us a chance to prove we can be trusted.”

“But can we?” I asked with a grin.

“Of course. Our most important task is to earn the king’s trust back. The very last thing you should do today is ride away on that horse.”

“I wouldn’t get very far on her, anyway. She prioritizes flatulence over moving fast.”

Smiling, she raised an eyebrow and steered her fawn-colored horse away from mine. “The king proves he is no fool by giving us the laziest mounts in his stables. But we will get you home one day, Leaf. Do not doubt it.”

My heart slammed into my ribs, and I bounced clumsily in the saddle, out of sync with my horse’s trotting motion. “We?” I asked, bracing myself for crushing disappointment.

“Yes, we. You have allies in this court. The time to utilize them draws near.”

“Allies?” Shock prickled the tiny hairs on my forearms. “Who? The Storm Court fae don’t care about me. They hate humans.”

“There are very good reasons for some of them to want to assist you. When you are safer, I shall explain in more detail.”

“More detail, Ari? So far, you’ve given me none.”

She laughed and nudged her horse a little faster up a sand dune. Mine slowed to a walk and begrudgingly followed.

“Just be grateful these allies exist and learn to behave yourself around Arrowyn. I know it isn’t in your nature to be compliant, but for all our sakes, please, Leaf, at least try.”

“I will try. I am trying.”

“Befriend the king, if you can. Out of all the Light Realm fae, it is he who despises humans the most because of what the gold chasers did to his family. Make yourself indispensable. That is all that matters for now.”

“How was Esen punished?” I asked. “Did she at least lose her position as Arrow’s personal guard?”

“No, but she’s lucky to be alive.”

That meant all Arrow likely did was threaten Esen, which didn’t make it any safer for me to spend time alone with the blue-haired fae.

“What are we supposed to be doing today?” I asked, brushing a green-tailed insect off my nose and raising my brows at the Sayeeda’s bulging saddlebags.

“Delivering spices and kanara feathers to a small village that functions as a leisure town for reaver elves who are between shifts at Auryinnia.”

I wiped sweat from my brow. “You once said reavers eat the kanara feathers?”

“That is true. They enable our blood to absorb nutrients from other food. We couldn’t survive without them.”

That was… interesting information. “So, are auron kanaras kept in reaver cities?” I asked.

“No, the birds need to eat lightning, which only the Storm fae can wield. Because of this, thousands of years ago, it was easy for Arrowyn’s ancestors to take control of them and make it an offense punishable by death to keep them outside of Coridon. We can’t even trade in their feathers without special licenses. We reavers must live in accord with the Light Realm fae because without the feathers, we would die. There are, as you can imagine, complicated arrangements, laws and rules in place to maintain balance between our people. A certain number of reavers must reside in the mines at all times, feeding our blood to the underground rivers and burying the bones of our dead in the earth around them.”

“And that helps form the large quantities of gold that the Light Realm own?”

“Correct. Without reavers, the King of Storms and Feathers and his land of dust and gold would be nothing.”

My heart thudded slowly as that sank in.

“Why don’t you get rostered for shifts in the mines?” I asked.

“The Gold Accords stipulate that a reaver elf must reside at Coridon at all times, a bonded servant to the king, who is highly valued by him and the court, venerated and protected.”

“And that’s you.”

“Yes. Until my death, that shall be my fate. If any harm befalls the royal Sayeeda, the Gold Accord is broken, and that would bring… kidnappings of lightning weavers, war, famine, endless bloodshed for all of the five realms.”

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