Page 99 of The Realm That Falls to Her

“What about Evanthe?” I ask.

“We don’t know. No one can find her.”

Our group exchange alarmed looks.

“It has to be Albrecht’s men, working on Evanthe’s orders,” I say. “He told Gawain there was a battle coming, didn’t he?”

Destan frowns. “But if she’s happy to risk revealing her alliance with the humans to the court, then that means…”

“That she no longer cares about keeping them on her side,” Ruskin says darkly. “The founding stone was just another step in her plan, but if she’s willing to show her true nature now, she must be reaching the final stages.”

“Which is?” Ecistan interrupts, clearly annoyed that he can’t follow what we’re talking about.

“The end of everything,” I say, addressing them all. “She wants to punish Seelie, to turn everything in this kingdom to ash.”

“That’s insane,” Gapir protests, clearly struggling to believe it.

“It’s true,” Ruskin says, with such finality that no one argues. There’s a pause as the resistance seem to absorb this.

“But how will she do it?” one of the other fae asks. “Even as High Queen, you can’t just wipe out a whole kingdom. Can you?”

“We don’t yet know her exact plans,” Ruskin admits.

“But we could find out,” says General Sunshard. “We could rescue the court from their captors, and turn them to our cause. I imagine most of them will see the error of their ways now Evanthe’s turned on them.”

“And they’re sure to have some clues as to what she’s planning,” says Destan excitedly. “Whether they realize what they know or not.”

“Are you kidding me?” Ecistan spits. “Some of those fae have terrorized us for weeks, tormented us.” He points to Falstir. “And you want us to go back to helping them? You’re on your own. The Low Fae will have no part of this.” There are murmurs of assent from the others, and I look for Ruskin’s reaction. He just raises an eyebrow.

“Very well, do as you wish. I am no longer your ruler, after all, and I will not compel you.”

I approve of the words, knowing how sickening it must feel to be asked to help the very people who treated you so poorly. If anyone ever came to me asking me to help Albrecht out, you can bet I’d send them packing. And yet, my gut tells me trying to do this alone again will be a mistake. The Unseelie are still at least a day’s travel away, as they are unable to portal directly into Seelie, and Evanthe is already gone—meaning her plan to poison the kingdom could be in motion as we speak.

“May I talk with you alone for a moment?” I ask Ruskin.

We step outside, and I pull Ruskin close, not wanting the Low Fae to hear us. In truth, even now, despite everything going on around us, the chance to be close to him just for the sake of it calls to me. I breathe in, taking strength from the way my body fits against his, made for each other.

“We should convince them to join us,” I say. “We need all the help we can get.”

Ruskin’s brow furrows. “How would we convince them? You heard them—they’re done with the High Fae. I would’ve thought you of all people would understand I shouldn’t force them to help us. Even if it would save their own kingdom,” he adds, and I can see him straining against the new boundaries he’s set for himself. The old him is whispering that it would be justifiable, necessary, but I can see that he knows better now.

“You have to offer something. They’re not withholding help to be petty. They’re hurt and afraid. They don’t want to give power back to people who abuse it.”

He touches my chin, gently turning my face as if examining me. We haven’t been alone for days, and just this intimate gesture makes my heart stutter and heat pool in my stomach.

“You have a way of making things seem so obvious,” he says. “Just when I think a situation is too complicated to navigate, you come and simplify it for me.”

“Remember my experiments?” I smile. “I’m used to simplifying things for people.”

He smirks at my gentle sarcasm. “All right, then, Lady Know-it-all. Let us—what is it that you say? ‘Test your hypothesis.’”

His tone may be teasing, but I’m warmed by how easily he accepts my suggestion. There was a time when I had to fight tooth and nail to get him to treat me like a true partner, to let me in so I could help him make decisions. He leans down to kiss me, and I don’t bother hiding my want for him, leaning in, opening my mouth to his. He nips at my bottom lip, and I moan quietly. He hums a noise of approval, pulling back to fix me with his darkened gaze.

“Soon, when this is all over, I want a week with you alone. Then I’ll pull that noise from you again and again.”

I grin at him mischievously. “Just a week?”

Back inside the house, Ruskin addresses the fae.

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