Page 100 of The Realm That Falls to Her

“I realize that it would be asking a lot, to expect you to walk back into that palace and free some of the High Fae who showed no concern for your freedom, your health, or your dignity. But if we can remove my mother from power, I promise you now, you will see justice. As king, I will punish any fae who committed a crime against their fellow Seelie.”

The resistance begin to talk among themselves, and I catch snatches of the discussions—many pointing out that life was never bad like this under Ruskin’s rule, and that Evanthe is to blame for how things have changed. I can feel the mood shifting in our favor, and I look up at Ruskin with triumph.

He sighs and whispers to me. “I’ll never hear the end of this, will I?”

The corridors of the palace are eerily empty once more. The resistance told us that when the human soldiers arrived, most of the servants got out and fled to the town. According to their spies, some stayed to try to defend the palace, and then probably got caught up with the rest of the court—we just don’t know where they, or the Styrland soldiers, are exactly.

As we creep down the corridors with thirty Low Fae either side of us, we pass the occasional Styrlander lying dead, a weapon made of cold iron in their hand. It seems some of the High Fae, at least, put up a fight while they were being captured.

“Why do you think she didn’t just have Albrecht’s men kill them all?” I murmur to Ruskin. It’s a horrible question, but one I can’t help asking.

His expression is grim. “Because it’s not enough punishment, I suppose. However she’s going to ruin this kingdom, she wants them to witness it.”

I think of the dying world I saw in Jorna’s vision, and shudder, focusing on sending my magic outwards, probing the palace for large quantities of metal where it shouldn’t be, particularly cold iron.

At least I know Dad’s okay now. That’s one good thing to come out of the mess of the last twenty-four hours. Falstir assured me he would be safe with him and some of the other Low Fae who stayed behind at the resistance house. I hinted to Kaline’s brother some of what Dad has been through, worried about leaving him alone, and I saw understanding in the fae’s expression. Both of them know what it’s like to be at the mercy of someone powerful and cruel. After that, I felt confident leaving Dad there, knowing he’d be looked after.

I expected Dad to be harder to sway, but he argued even less than he did when we left Styrland. It worried me, how readily he accepted that I would be going back to the palace without him. I was afraid this was a sign he was slipping deeper into himself, losing himself to the horror of what Albrecht made him witness. But he simply patted my hand, the gesture turning into a squeeze to emphasize his words.

“I don’t pretend to understand everything that is happening, Nora. But I can see how important you are. It sounds like Blackcoat’s mother is another Albrecht, and if you’ve made friends in this place…” He glances around, and I’m encouraged by the hint of wonder in his expression. “Then I’m inclined to think it’s worth fighting for.”

“Guards!” General Sunshard shouts as we turn a corner in the palace. Three fae are positioned across the corridor, their weapons drawn. I’ve been using my magic to explore deeper in the palace, which is why I didn’t sense them so close. It takes me a moment to pull my power back to me, enough time to wonder how the guards think this will work out for them, given they’re outnumbered twenty to one.

Both groups stand, weapons raised, watching each other. But General Sunshard doesn’t give the order to charge, and neither does the leader of the trio. His uniform gives his captain’s rank away, but even without that he seems familiar. I’ve seen him around the palace, I’m sure, but now I study his face, looking for some sign that this hesitation is a trick. I can feel the resistance beside us, tense as coiled springs, and I wonder who will snap first.

The captain throws up his hand.

“Sheathe your weapons,” he orders his companions, and the voice seems even more familiar.

The tension in the fae around me eases a notch.

“Identify yourself, soldier,” General Sunshard demands.

The guard looks almost sad as he meets her gaze.

“Captain Kellspring, General.”

“You know who I am?” she asks.

“I trained under your daughter.” His expression makes sense now, and the familiarity of his voice too. I never interacted with the guards much, mostly because Halima handled everything so seamlessly, but I overheard her speaking with Kellspring once.

“I will be honest, Captain,” Ruskin says. “We’re here to take the court back from the queen as much as from the humans. Do you have any objections to this?”

Kellspring looks between the members of our group, taking in the Sunshards, Destan, the Low Fae, and me. A mixed band for certain, and I have no idea what he’ll make of it.

“Commander Sunshard always taught us that our loyalty should be to our kingdom, rather than to a single monarch. We have followed the queen’s orders, as long as the palace was hers to occupy, but now the court has fallen to invaders, and she is nowhere to be found.”

He eyes Ruskin, and I think he’s remembering Halima’s respect for the prince, because he nods as if deciding something. “We are at your disposal, my Lord.”

“Good. Have you identified where the invaders are holding the court?”

“We were not killed or captured in the initial attack like the other guards, partly because we were already searching for the queen in remote parts of the palace. Since then, the humans have been sweeping the castle for those of us they missed in the initial charge—but on their own or in pairs they’re easier targets, and we have been picking them off as we find them.”

That explains the dead Styrlanders we’ve passed.

“But we suspect they’ve taken the court to the orchard,” Kellspring continues. “Strategically, it is central, and it’s one of the few palace rooms large enough to hold the entire court and more.”

“Very well,” says General Sunshard. “Then let us proceed there.”

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