Page 27 of Dark Fae's Destiny

“We need to get the families our Darkwatch protect to safety, lest King Bellari has the idea to attack those families and kill their Darkwatch protectors.” Phelio scowls now, dark. “And the Darkwatch we have are not enough to battle either the King’s still-loyal Brightwatch or the rest of the Darkwatch head-on.”

“The Magistros Courts are doing what we can to bring the issue of unlawfulness of the King’s reign to the people,” an aged Magistro says from where he sits to the right of Alleno. Dressed in long cobalt blue robes with silver embroidery, his grizzled form is ancient but kind with his bushy white eyebrows and long silver beard.

Serenitus Eldanni is one of the most important people here tonight; he’s been High Magistro of the Summer Fae Greater Court for centuries, ever since the reign of Quinn’s father. His piercing blue gaze takes us all in now, as he continues.

“As many of you now know, the Greater Court has found a precedent in our ancient past of a Summer Fae King being removed from his station when he refused to take the voice of his Courts into account in his rulings. It’s an ancient and little-known law, and has not been used in over ten thousand years. It’s there, however, and states that should a King or Queen give ten significant rulings in a row without consulting their Greater or Lesser Courts, that said Courts may take a vote to remove the monarch from their station. In such a case, the Courts would rule until the next suitable monarch could be found. By our count, the King has dismissed us on nine significant rulings in a row recently. One more, and we would have a lawful way to remove him from his high seat.”

“He’ll never go without a fight,” I say, even as I nod to High Magistro Eldanni for his input. “Though it gladdens my heart to know a law is in our books to remove a tyrant monarch, my father isn’t known for being defeated. He’s going to resist—and the Magistros need an army behind their ruling when it happens. We have some of that army now, but not enough, not yet.”

“More are coming to your banner every day. I’ve seen how they flock to the Red Letter Hotel Florence from the city and beyond. Even the common people are ready to fight for you, Lucca Bellari. And all the equality you represent.” Bello Bellissimo speaks up from halfway down the table, twirling his black mustachios. Sitting beside others from the Ilanti Rustico section of Florence, it turns out the area I’ve most loved in my beloved city also holds the largest population of Dark Fae in hiding.

Of which, Bello is their chosen spokesperson, leader of a clandestine Dark Fae saving operation through his pizza shop, for centuries.

“I won’t put regular citizens in harm’s way for a battle, Bello.” My voice is quiet, my look level as I regard him. “If fighting spills out into the streets of Florence or comes to the Red Letter Hotel again, it will be good if people are ready. But in order to make a run on the Palace of Light and secure a coup against my father, we need trained warriors. No offense.”

“None taken.” Bello gives an unflustered smile as he laces his fingers across his rotund belly. “Still. I do not believe you should dismiss the courage, magic, and heart of our regular people when push comes to shove. They will defend their home from a tyrant. And anyone else who comes to take it.”

“This council will most certainly keep that in mind.” I give Bello a deep nod of acknowledgment. “Adicus and I already have plans to make caches of weapons and protective charms for homes available throughout the city. We will not leave our people unaided. And we will give them the tools to fight, should it come to that.”

“Good.” Bello nods to me now, as he beams his big smile.

“We still need more support for a run on the palace,” Illyria says as her dark gaze pierces me. “Quinn has to leave a number of his Kissed Vampires and Dark Fae at the Red Letter Hotel Florence to protect it from the threat of the Vampire Council. Still, could he spare his three returned Revenants, for the day we attack the Palace of Light?”

“I can ask.” I frown now. “Those three have minds of their own, however, and though they are Kissed to Quinn now, those bonds are mostly just a formality. They are tremendously powerful; in the end, they will do only what they wish to. I do not think we can count on them… though I’m sure they would join Quinn in an attack on the Vampire Council. Just maybe not one upon the Summer Fae King.”

“We should plan without them.” Adicus steeples his fingertips, his elbows on his chair arms. “No good general counts on forces that are only loosely aligned with our aims. If they have no grievance with the Summer Fae King, they may not see it as imperative to support our invasion, though they respect Lucca and the Music. Speaking of… what chance do we have at using the Music to bolster our aims?”

“More than before.” I draw a deep breath. I can hear the faint singing of the Music inside my ears now, ever since the Gold Eyes’ influence was removed from us. It is there night and day now; but rather than be a hindrance, I find it soothing.

As I let that vast sound calm me now, I explain. “Quinn, Ariana, and I have removed the Gold Eyes’ connection to our Night magic. We can now use the Music at will, raising it between our trio. Though we can finally wield it with intention, it still makes Ascendant Sigils somewhat spontaneously—it’s not something we control yet, either what they say or how much energy they carry. Quinn and Ariana intend to fight with us the day we attack the Palace of Light, but we can’t count on the Music doing anything specific for us in battle just yet. We’ll raise it and sustain it… but it will do as it does, for now.”

“It will do.” Illyria smiles at me. She reaches out to grip my hand, and I feel her confident war-general’s energy flow into me, bolstering me. “You have a tremendous power in the Music, Lucca Bellari, do not gainsay it. Even acting spontaneously, it has already saved people dear to you many times; I believe that with your bright heart and Quinn’s and Ariana’s strong natures, that pattern will continue. If you learn how to control the Music to do something specific before our day comes, fine. But do not discount your power, simply because it is a wild card in the battle before us.”

Illyria’s words give me hope; drawing a deep breath, I smile my thanks, glad of her immense war-knowledge and support. I’m about to speak, when a massive concussion suddenly rocks the Livingtree.

Shuddering it all the way down into its roots.

“What the—?!” I only rise halfway from my seat, when another massive concussion rocks the tree, then another. Everyone’s rising quickly now, those of us who were sitting—as my big tawny barn owl Altenni flies in fast through one vaulted window in the tree’s trunk.

Seizing my jerkin in her talons, Altenni tosses me up to land astride her feathered back as we rush back out the window. It’s not a moment too soon; as the Livingtree flares with a maelstrom of our protective magic, swirling up through every vault, branch, and dome of the tree’s blossoms and leaves, three more terrible concussions hammer the tree to its very roots.

Those who are with us tonight leap from windows and branches to their own trained hawks, eagles, and falcons, others spreading auric wings to surge up into the falling night. As Altenni wings me up high over the treehouse, I see a massive army seething through the forest’s silver leaves.

My father, the Summer Fae King’s army—who already has Valorhome surrounded.

I have no idea how they got this close, since hundreds of wards have been set up throughout the forest and fields for miles, to hide us from my father. But here are his armies, marching on us now with the shining silver armor of the Brightwatch, plus the deep grey shadow gear of his yet-loyal Darkwatch interspersed among them.

We have no time to coordinate a defense; our allies are simply pouring out of the Livingtree now, hammering volleys of bright magic down upon the invaders below.

But we’re already hemmed in. As Altenni takes me over the battle, I see a massive, coordinated strike of magic go off again from inside my father’s forces. Something about that lance of energy is wrong, as it strikes right at the Livingtree’s heartwood, blasting my nearby allies away like paper dolls.

As awful silver sap spills out of my ages-old tree, the massive thing giving a horrible shudder right down to its roots, I see some kind of black spiderweb of magic wrap around the Livingtree like a leviathan’s tentacles.

As another volley of wretched, black magic hammers my tree, I see that tentaculate hand crunch down and rip. It’s then that I know what my father’s forces are trying to do.

Bring down my treehouse—and smash our rebellion to bits along with it.

It’s a hard, brutal fight now as Royal Summer Fae from our rebellion fly down on auric wings, massive Faeanic spears lengthening from our hands, and attack. But with their clever, vicious drives of strangely black-hued magic raging from their tightly controlled attacks, the Brightwatch and Darkwatch assailing us have an almost impenetrable strength to their magic.

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