Page 15 of Until the Stars Fall

I bit the inside of my lip nervously. “What does it say?”

“I’ve never read it myself, but I do know she arranged for you to be trained.”

“Trained in what exactly?”

“Defense.” She said the word as if it should have been obvious. “Your mother wanted to trust the fae, and she hoped you would be safe here with us. Unfortunately, the fae you encountered last night is not one to be trifled with. There won’t always be a prince nearby to save you. As much as the Durands and I strive to protect you and the other humans on this staff, the fact of the matter is our world is dangerous and hostile to your kind. Humans who stayed in Emeryn after the war have had to learn to protect themselves. Your mother’s family helps train anyone who needs it.”

Trained to protect myself? I had never considered this as an option before, but the more my mind tossed around the prospect, the more excited and intrigued I became. But there was one thing I didn’t understand about this plan my mother had hashed out.

“But I’m human. I have no chance of protecting myself against a fae. Trained or not, I could never gain the strength and speed necessary to defeat them.”

“Defeating them is not the goal. You only need to be able to survive and get away. Your mother had—stars, all of us have had—enough death and fighting for a million lifetimes, so no, defeating them is not the aim. Your mother truly thought you’d be safe here on the palace grounds, but I think she forgot whose child you are. You got your father’s curiosity and her stubbornness.”

I offered her a wry smile but said nothing. I didn’t want to leave. The palace held the only memories I had of my family. But if my mother had thought this was best for me, if she had gone to such great lengths to plan this out ahead of time, then I had to trust her.

Mrs. Bishop held the envelope out to me, and I took it cautiously. “No need to read it with my staring at you, but when you’re ready, let me know. I’ll have Mr. Pruitt get the carriage ready for you.”

I shot her a perplexed look. “I’m to take the carriage?”

The cook rose from her seat and placed the chair back at my desk before heading for the door. “Yes. Prince Connor thought it best to have you escorted to wherever you needed to go, especially with that fae bastard possibly lurking about waiting for you.” My face warmed at the mention of the prince’s name, as if he were here staring at me, but Mrs. Bishop continued. “I wouldn’t delay too long, though, Sunshine. Best to travel during the daylight if possible.”

CHAPTER 9

Connor

Two glasses of faerie wine had done little to erase the taste of that fae’s arm in my mouth, but they had at least dulled my senses enough to allow me some rest after the evening’s excitement—and give me a twinge of a headache this morning.

Downing the last sip of coffee in my mug, I reread the message Mrs. Bishop had included with my breakfast. Lieke was leaving today to stay with her distant family who would train her to protect herself. While this prospect raised some suspicions in the back of my mind, I trusted Mrs. Bishop’s judgment. She hadn’t specified how long Lieke would be gone, but with any luck, she wouldn’t return until after my brother was successfully married off.

I wandered over to the small dining table in my front room and grabbed a roll from the breakfast tray. If Mrs. Bishop returned to find I hadn’t consumed anything but coffee, she would repay me with a quick swat upside the head, no doubt. I started to head for the door, but the thought of angering our cook—and former governess—sent me back to the table for a few slices of fried meat as well.

There, now she’d only scold me for not touching the fruit.

I had nearly made it to Matthias’s office on the first floor of the palace when he came storming around the corner from the front entrance. His hardened expression—made more concerning by the cold anger in his eyes—sent my stomach straight to my feet.

“What happened?” I asked around the last bite of my breakfast, obliging him when he spun and waved for me to follow him out into the courtyard toward the stables. He was already leading my horse, Rosie—saddled and ready—out of her stall when he finally answered.

“There’s been another. To the south. Not too far from here.”

Another.

Taking the reins from him, I bit back a curse. Another attack so soon? The last had taken place only a couple of months ago. They were becoming more frequent, and apparently more serious. Normally we would have sent one of our junior officers or a squad leader to investigate and report back, but if Matthias was insisting I see it for myself, it was likely worse than the previous strikes. With great effort, I shoved back the horrors that sprang to life in my mind, the ghastly memories from my brief time fighting at the end of the war.

With a click of my tongue, I had Rosie following Matthias and his mount down the long drive and out the front gates. For hours we traveled through the forest in silence, with nothing but our horses’ hoofbeats and steady breathing to tick away the passing time.

We were nearly to Linley when our horses slowed of their own accord and laid their ears back against their heads. The forest had grown notably quiet, and despite the late-morning sunshine streaming brightly down on us, the air itself seemed wary. Up ahead, the road curved to the east, keeping whatever had happened here out of our line of sight. I listened for any sign of a potential ambush or lingering danger. Finding none, I nodded to Matthias to proceed. Whispering words of comfort to the horses, we urged them forward.

In the middle of the road a carriage stood like a deadly omen. The horses were gone. The doors were flung open. Unlike previous attacks, the scene was devoid of any blood, and no bodies littered the ground. I was about to allow myself to breathe easier when I saw a foot peeking out from behind the carriage.

My stomach lurched.

It was far too small to be an adult, but they had never—not since the attacks started several years ago—attacked a child.

I dismounted and handed my reins up to Matthias. While I didn’t expect Rosie to run away, I didn’t want to take the chance of anything spooking her. Surveying the ground, I carefully stepped up to the carriage. No one remained inside.

Behind me, Rosie stomped her foot. Apparently she was as eager to be away from this scene as I was. I pushed on, swallowing hard as six victims came into view. Two females. One male. Three young ones: a boy and two girls. All fae. All dead.

But this was no scene from a battlefield.

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