Page 73 of Knowing Trust

He came right through and took in the scene, rage filling his eyes as he looked out at the threat.

“Dad, help me save Stefanie!” I bellowed, focusing him.

His gaze snapped to hers and he knelt down, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them and giving me one of pity. “I’m sorry, Daughter.”

“No!” I argued. “No!”

“She will live, Your Highness,” Morgan assured me, grabbing my arm before I could try and pump energy into her. He nodded, pity in his eyes as well. “I knocked her out. She will live.”

Then what the fuck was the problem? Horror filled me when he turned her a bit and the bottom of her wing was completely gone.

“No,” I rasped, covering my face. “No, there has to be a—”

“Your fast thinking saved her life, Your Highness,” he comforted. “Your barrier came over her so only the bottom of her wing got clipped instead of all of them or her head. Her shield and wing took it. You deflected the rest and—”

“And was fucking around with wedding dresses instead of paying attention and worrying about—”

“Tamsin, you’re allowed to live too,” Morgan rasped. “Enough, she needs Faerie and help still. Your castle?”

“Yes, whatever she needs,” I agreed before glancing over at where I’d put up the other barrier.

“He’s gone,” Lageos bit out.

Well, fuck. My barrier was still up. The fairy had used some sort of key like I had to other fairy barriers and opened a door in mine.

Fucking, fuck.

20

Things were a blur for a bit. I was in shock.

We went back through the portal to Faerie. Morgan and I did with my detail and got Stefanie to my castle, the medical bay. Dad stayed to help the fairies who protected that portal. They were fine when he brought them through to Faerie.

Wires got crossed and someone thought I was injured, so Calarel appeared. I only pointed to Stefanie and begged her to help.

The next thing I knew, more royal healers were arriving and a few asked for permission to consult other healers, one in particular was a specialist of wings. I agreed and they were located, brought right in.

“I’m very sorry, Your Highness, but her wing is—Commander Stefanie will never fly again,” the specialist told me after they finished their exam. “The extent of her magic being damaged might not be that bad, but that was a death shot taken at you. The commander did her duty and protected you and she will never regret that.”

I let out a scream of pain that rattled the whole castle. Almost instantly, a portal opened and Neldor was there looking panicked. Then I was in his arms and we fell to the floor together. I heard people filling him in as he comforted me.

“It was all of our mistake, baby doll,” he whispered. “I should have told you to put back on your protections too. We all could have. Ara was the one who gave you the magazine. We were all—we all needed some damn fun and normal. It’s no one’s fault but his. It’s his fault, Tams. Please, don’t shatter from this and let him win. Stefanie wouldn’t want that.”

That worked. Hearing that made me shut down my anguish and I nodded that I heard him. Anguish and guilt weren’t going to solve anything.

Rage was much, much better.

Rage and revenge.

“Is she healed as much as she can be?” I asked of the healers as I stood.

“For now, yes,” Calarel answered. “The rest will take time. Breaking her shield and magic at that level cracked her magical core, rivers—all of it. It will take time for her to recover. But I promise you that she’s not in any danger. It’s simply time and then we can assess what her magical level is.”

“We need answers, Your Highness,” Morgan said quietly. “Others will need…”

I nodded and looked at my dad. “I found out more. I just did.” I swallowed loudly and glanced at Stefanie. “I still don’t have all the answers to have stopped this.” Then I frowned. “Why now?”

“Let’s take this to the conference room,” my dad muttered. “Commanders and Neldor only.”

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