Page 156 of Cathmoir's Sons

RHODES

No matter how many cups of lemon tea I drink, I can’t get the taste of bile out of my mouth.

Once the war council breaks up, I slip off into Ty Olewydd’s cozy study and call Evan.

“How much have you heard?” I ask after we exchange greetings.

“Darwin just showed up at Thistlemist and filled us in. I had to sit on Rachel to prevent her from putting her armor on,” Evan responds. His humor is always wry and his delivery often deadpan, but I think he’s being serious.

“You’re not going to let her come, though, right? She’s pregnant.”

“I’ve tried that argument.” Evan sighs. “Kellan’s pregnant, too. So is Teddy.”

“Caileán is some kind of reincarnated fae demi-goddess. Teddy evidently has adragonliving inside her.” Or so I’ve been told. “Rachel is?—”

“A mythic fae warrior with enchanted armor and a semi-sentient sword. She’s also an independent woman who makesher own decisions and fights her own battles. As she’s informed me. At length. And in great detail.” Another, longer sigh. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep her out of it anyway. The Oak King can call all of Faery’s Darkswerds. Whether he can command them anymore, well, I guess we’ll see soon enough.”

I rub my hand over my face. I don’t think anyone’s considered that. It would destroy Caileán to fightagainstTeddy and Rachel. I’ll raise it with her after I finish with Evan.

“What about Callan? Where does he stand?”

“I don’t know. He’s said many times that he owes his fealty to the Oak King. Callan’s a man who takes his vows seriously. But he’s also fae. And he’s been the de facto ruler of a whole court of slippery, scheming fae for centuries. If he can find a way out of taking a side in a conflict between Oak King and Crow Queen, he will.”

That’s only marginally reassuring.

“Do you think other courts will take the same position?” I ask. No one’s discussed what will happen if the high fae courts rally around the Oak King.

“I think your queen and her sisters have done a damn good job neutralizing the other courts. Will Thistlemist fight against a woman so many of them know and like, who is a sister in all but blood to the heir apparent’s wife? Will Ashegold rise against their own Storm Lady? There’s nothing left of Bloodelm. The other courts have done nothing more than send a squire or two to Ivywhile every decade for centuries. Will they come if the Oak King calls? It’s anyone’s guess.”

I rub the back of my neck. It’s sweaty and not because of exertion. “I wish we could be more certain.”

“Rho, no armed conflict is certain. That’s why we try so fucking hard to negotiate a resolution. But I don’t see any possibility of that here, do you?”

“No,” I admit. “Caileán’s committed now. Her sisters are with her. She’s formulating a battle plan.”

“One that doesn’t involve you, I hope,” Evan says.

“I’ll be at her side.”

Evan groans. “Rho, I know you’re trained, but battles between powerful fae end badly for mortals. Come on, you’ve studied magical history at Bevvy.”

“I know what I’m going into. I’ve already died once in this war. I won’t let fear of dying again keep me from my queen’s side. And ... the Oak King owes me a life, too. Caileán wrote out the story of how she met her consort Rhodrhi in her past life and I ... remembered things when I read it. I remembered details she didn’t include, like the blue scarf she wore around her hair that was knotted around my neck when I woke up in Faery. The Oak King killed that man who wore his girl’s scarf and fell so hard for her that he gave up his mortal life to be with her. I’m due the Mother’s justice, too.”

Evan’s silent for a long moment, then he says, “Before you go, call me. I’ll be there.”

“This isn’t your fight, Ev. Particularly not if you’re going to keep Rachel out of it.”

“I don’t know how much hope I have of keeping Rachel out of it, but whether or not she’ll agree to stay at Thistlemist, I’ll be there with you. We mortal Water mages need to stick together.”

I chuckle at that. And feel better about the coming battle knowing Evan’s willing to fight at my side.

I don’t havea chance to raise the worrying question of what we’ll do if the Oak King commands the Darkswerds againstCaileán until we’re half-way around the world, sitting with one very concerned Cait Sidhe ruler.

“I never advocated declaring war on the high fae,” Cathmoir says, directing his frown at his heir.

Law nods. “I know, Dad. I haven’t forgotten all the lessons you taught me. But I support Caileán completely. The Oak King murdered all of us those many years ago. He pulled together a hugely powerful cabal to do it and gave them the riches of the new world as a reward. We still don’t completely understand why. He’s never going to tell us but he’s also never going to stop. He’ll come at us again. I’m not waiting until we have kits to protect. We have a chance to take him down while he’s at his weakest. The Mother’s taken his lead knight away to create the Holly King. His summer sacrifice failed. His Regent is compromised. Now’s the time.”

Cathmoir reaches across the space between the couch he and Allie are sitting on to where Law’s sitting and grips his son’s shoulder. “I trust your judgment, son. This just isn’t an enemy I wanted you to ever face.”

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