Page 168 of Court of the Fae Princes

Her gaze meets mine, but I sense she’s as uncertain as I am about how this will play out.

The crowd steps back, and Lady Grave stands before me. I know I saw her in Prince Forrest’s dream, but it’s truly like I’m seeing her for the first time. She’s tall and beautiful with long black hair and a flowing green dress. Wings like a butterfly’s sprout from behind her back.

She bows her head. “I’m Lady Grave, the leader of the House of Death. Please, emerge from the catacombs.”

I hesitate, but then step forward, my men following behind me until we’ve all emerged into the light. Glancing around the inner courtyard we’ve stepped into, I realize that we’ve come out a different place than we came in. Is it magic? I didn’t know, but every instinct in my body is screaming to be cautious.

Once we’re all standing before them, they close ranks around us once more. There’s tension in the air, and it makes me reach out for my magic again, for the threads that connect to all the dead in this castle. I tug on the threads, stealing the control from the fae in the House of Death.

I see shocked expressions come over their faces. Their magic pulls at the dead once more, but their threads are thin, weak compared to my own, and the control of the dead remains in my own hands. I don’t bring the dead to us, but I keep them at the ready.

Lady Grave gives me a strange look. One that holds both curiosity and a threat.

That’s right. If you’re trying to hurt my men again, you’re going to have to get through me.

I keep my head held high like the queen I’m supposed to be. “Are you attempting to stop us from leaving?” I ask, keeping my voice strong and steady.

Lady Grave regards me, an unreadable expression on her face. “No, Queen Cassia.” Her voice is soft like a breeze brushing against a tree. “I’m not here to hinder you; I’m here to offer assistance.”

I scoff. Yeah, right…

“Like the kind of assistance you offered when the Keeper of Death held us prisoner?” Prince Cobar asks, accusation thick in his voice.

Her cool expression doesn’t waiver. “The Keeper of Death tried and failed to fight a fae stronger, or at least cleverer, than herself. She also tried to fight fate. Both battles were fraught with conflict and ended as they were foretold.” Then she glances at Prince Cobar. “Like I said, death was inevitable.”

What? This woman knew my mother would fail, and she allowed this to happen anyway? Then what the hell was this all about? What was the point?

Lady Nova grins, stepping near Lady Grave. “They said you used a dagger to end the bitch. Nice.”

I grin back, trying not to look at the dangerous House of Death fae around me. “The fae are ready for powers and trickery, not a knife to the throat.”

Before I can say more, motion behind me draws my eye. Just between my men, I see her, the Keeper of Death, emerging from the shadows.

Holy hell!

My stomach flips, and my hand finds my dagger again, but I hesitate. She looks different, her eyes vacant, her movements stilted, like one of the many lifeless servants we passed in the corridors of this great house. As her body comes into sight, I flinch back at the little that’s left of her.

My dagger lowers. That change was swift. I take a shaky breath and turn back to Lady Grave.

She bows her head to me. “With the Keeper of Death no longer among the living, the bargain with the princes is complete.”

“It is, so we’ll be on our way.” There’s no softness in my voice because there can’t be, and my only goal now is to get my men home safely. To take them somewhere they can heal from both what they went through physically as well as what they went through mentally. They need safety, warmth, and love, not whatever this woman wants to offer us.

My mates. It’s my job now to protect them.

“You don’t understand–” she continues.

“I appreciate your offer, but we can find our way back just fine.” Looking around at my men, their expressions tell me they agree.

Lady Grave nods, then clasps her hands in front of her and asks, “Do you believe the kingdom will remain safe from the iron demons while you journey home?”

What?

I turn to my men. Disgrace and guilt paint their faces. Shame fills the air, and I know, I know they can’t keep the barrier up. It’s not their fault. No one could have held up against that.

Lady Grave stands quietly, awaiting my response.

But it’s Prince Sulien who speaks. “It may fall for a short time, I think, before we can get it back up. Some demons will get in, but hopefully, not many. Not enough to destroy the kingdom, but surely enough that they’ll cause death and destruction.”

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