Page 61 of The Fae Lord

But there are no ‘what ifs,’ only now.

I cross the water that surrounds the citadel. As I approach, I begin to wonder how I am going to get inside. I cannot use brute strength; I need to surprise Eldrion to not set off alarms throughout the castle.

I stop, hovering in the air far enough away that the guards stationed around the castle’s outer walls will not see me.

I inhale slowly and drop my gates.

I am searching for a weak link. It does not take long to find one; a Shadowkind who is young and afraid. Clutching their weapon, staring out at the city and praying that they are not forced to take any kind of action because they simply don’t think they’re capable.

All these feelings rush over me. I latch onto them.

This is how I will get in.

The young Shadowkind guard is stationed on the eastern wall. He is far away from his fellow guards and shivering with cold as the night settles around him.

I approach quickly and quietly. When I land beside him, his eyes widen. He reaches for his sword and opens his mouth to scream, but before he can, I send in my purple shadows.

He coughs, swallowing, letting them inside.

“You’re not going to be afraid anymore,” I whisper. “You’re going to look at me and think happy thoughts because you’re pleased to see me.”

I have no idea if this will work. Controlling thoughts and emotions aren’t so very far away from each other, but I have never tried before. I have taken emotions, I have not manipulated them. And even when I’ve taken emotions, it has been by accident. Never planned.

As I speak, the guard’s eyes glaze over and he nods slowly at me.

“How do you feel?” I ask him.

He blinks, then a slow smile spreads across his lips. “It’s good to see you,” he says.

“It’s good to see you too.” I put a hand on his shoulder and squeeze. “I’m here to see Lord Eldrion. Could you take me to him?”

The guard frowns a little, his forehead creasing. “He is sleeping now,” he says quietly.

“That’s all right. He asked me to come.” I smile encouragingly. “He’ll be pleased to see me, like you are.”

After hesitating for a moment, the guard smiles again and nods. “Of course,” he says. “This way. He closed off the indoor staircase. You can only reach him from outside now.”

“Ah yes, I remember.” I lie with ease, following the guard towards the tower where I spent so very many hours talking with Eldrion.

The lights are out in his chambers, no glow coming from the window or sign that he is in there. But I trust this young guard at least knows where his master is at night, and what he is supposed to be guarding.

When we reach the stone spiral staircase that winds around the outside of the tower, the guard stops and scratches his chin. “I should go with you.”

I put my hand on his arm. “Oh, there’s no need. Thank you. He’ll be pleased to see me. Like you are.”

The guard smiles. “I am pleased to see you.”

As he turns and walks away, humming to himself as if he truly is happy, a twinge of guilt tugs at my chest. Should it be so easy to manipulate another person? Should I have felt a small thrill when it worked?

I breathe in deeply and try to shrug off the feeling.

I put one foot on the lower step and look back. The guard is watching me. This is his post. There is no one else around. He waves, like we are old friends.

I wave back, then begin my ascent to Eldrion’s chambers.

There is a door on the side of the tower that I didn’t notice the last time I was here. Perhaps because it leads to a room that is not the main belly of his chambers.

I put my hand on it and push, surprised that it swings open.

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