Page 129 of Crowned By the Fae King

"Injured?" I asked disdainfully. "The healer-King and his soulmate? What do you think?" I shook my head, as if disgusted. "Six archers posted in the woods," I said, pointing to them with unerring memory. "They're probably piles of crumbling bone. See what you can find. The infantry was a bit more trouble, as you saw, and the princess," I said, jerking my chin towards the slumped heap of gray ash that was all that was left of Tarra, "was never clever enough to come up with this on her own. Find Yllana and confine her until we decide what to do about her. The Misted Duke, too."

The guard's throat bobbed. "Yes, your majesty," she said, her eyes darting up to Cass, who stood there, silently looming.

I licked my lips, tasting blood. My scars burned. "Take care with your investigation, soldier," I said coolly. "Don't make me wonder how a dimwit princess managed to get six archers and a squad of trained fighters within spitting distance of my palace."

She paled further. "Yes, your majesty," she said again.

I walked over to the closest outcropping, Cass following me in stony silence, and set my bloody hand on it. My veins ached and the Court answered me sluggishly, as if unsure of my right to command it, but it did answer, and the stone of Mercy made a door to our bedroom. "I want the first report at nightfall," I said, and stepped through the door without waiting for an answer.

The second the doorway closed behind us, Cass collapsed. He didn't even stagger. One moment he was standing with his spine ramrod straight, and the next he was on the floor, shaking, making tiny sounds of pain.

I dropped onto my knees next to him, the pain of the impact singing up along my femurs. "Cassie—"

He curled up into a fetal position, his wings clattering as he shook from the pain. I couldn't feel any of it. The lack of that innate connection to Cass – of the biofeedback from his reflexive healing – left me unmoored, like I'd lost one of my senses. Cass was supposed to be in my blood and bones.

"I don't know how to hurt," he said, sounding like he was on the verge of weeping. "I'm— It—"

"Shh, shh." I brushed the hair out of his face, trying to soothe. "It'll be okay, c?c vàng. We're going to figure this out. You're going to be okay, alright?"

Cass smiled for me, the corners of his mouth trembling and his eyes gleaming with unshed tears. They were gold, now, all the way through, the slow change of his body accelerated with what I'd done to save him. "Are you lying for me, lioness?"

"No," I said, my throat going tight. "I'm not a liar. It has to be true. I won't—" My breath hitched. I had to close my eyes and make myself breathe, falling into the habits of meditation to keep my throat from closing with the pain. "I won't let it be a lie."

He tilted his face into my hand and pressed a kiss to my palm. "That's good, then," he said, closing his eyes. Even his lashes trembled, the tremors running through his whole body. "I don't think I can make it to the bed," he whispered. "I think I need—" His voice hitched. "—a healer."

I nodded, even though he couldn't see it, and bit my lip, trying to think fast. Whoever had been behind the assassins couldn't be allowed to know that Cass was injured, let alone entirely without access to his magic or the Court's power. They'd clearly intended that – had needed to cut off his ability to heal or respond to the attack – but if they knew they'd succeeded, they'd send more people, and that would be the end.

The palace healers were out. Some of them were probably lovely people, but I had no idea who among them was loyal, who resented Cass, and who saw him as a usurper and outsider. I couldn't imagine people wanted to see any of his noxious family on the throne—but Cass was scary. Terrifying, even; a man closer to god than fae. Someone out there clearly preferred any other Marys to him, and that someone had a presence in the palace.

In the whole world, the only people I was sure wouldn't want to hurt Cass – the only ones other than me – were Vad and Dani.

"I'm going to the Veiled Castle," I said grimly. "They surely have a healer or three there. Stay here and don't die, you hear me?"

"I don't— I don't think I'm dying," Cass said, his voice cracking. "I can wait here for you if you like, majesty, but may I have a pillow, first?"

A sob escaped, trying to be a laugh, and I almost burst into tears. "Yeah, okay. I've got you," I said, forcing the words out. I got to my feet, wobbling, and fetched his pillow and a blanket off of the bed.

Cass lifted his head for me, the corners of his mouth trembling, so I could tuck the pillow under his head. I draped the blanket over him, then tipped his chin up and kissed him. He made a low sound, lashes fluttering closed over his golden gaze.

"I'm coming back," I whispered. "As fast as I can."

"Go," he whispered back. A line formed between his brows. "Come home safe to me."

I went.

Burnout

The Court of Mercy struggled to make a door to the Veiled Castle. I got the sense that this was frustrating for the Court, too; it had purred with pleasure any time Cass or I had wielded it in new and interesting ways, but now it was cut off from its King and barely connected to its Queen. It had chosen us. It wanted us. Something else was standing between us, and the Court didn't like that at all.

It responded, moving sluggishly. I knew Vad and Dani. I knew them well; could imagine the way Vad's eyes warmed when he smiled and the bright laughter of his beautiful soulmate. They were our friends. They loved Cass—as family, and as more than family. I thought they might come to love me, too. In another world, maybe the three of them would have been a trinity, one where Cass had almost everything he wanted. Now, together, the four of us were finding our places: Monarchs and Archangels, friends and family, people who would always have space in their homes and hearts for each other—

The door snapped into place.

I knew better than to let it close. I hadn't been able to open a door from Tazajah home until Cass had put his hands over mine, and that had been when he and I were unfettered. Don't cut my arm off, don't cut my arm off, I mentally chanted. I put one hand over my eyes and stepped through, leaving one arm sticking through the door like someone trying to stop an elevator from closing. "I need your help," I started.

Vad jumped and hissed like an angry snake—and Dani yelped like a puppy, a moment before a heavy thud. "Dani!" Vad said, sounding horrified. "Gods, I'm so sorry, are you alright?"

"Um," I said, starting to shake. I could feel the door fritzing around my arm, wanting to close but not wanting to close while I was in it.

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