Page 58 of Queen of Ever

I needed help.

The door crashed open as I surged through it into the late afternoon, eating up the ground with long strides.I’d only gone back into the crumbling old castle to see if there had been any new information on the attack while I’d been gone.From what I could gather from Eochaid—who I’d descended on in a whirl of agitation, firing half a dozen questions at speed and getting only stuttered confusion and head shakes in response—a great deal of nothing had been done to figure out where the fuck the furies had come from and why they had spirited Imogen off into the night.Which didn’t surprise me.The High Council and the courtiers had likely all been too busy trying to blame each other for the whole calamity to do anything useful.

‘For crying out loud, Tarian, slow down!’

I’d become aware that Ves was trying to chase me down a little while back.But whatever he wanted me for, I was positive it didn’t warrant me slowing my pace.I had no damn time.

‘I know you want to find her, but—’

I turned on him fast enough that he almost skidded to a halt, hand clasped to his chest as he caught his breath.‘What?’I snapped.‘You know I want to find her, but what?Do you have something to tell me that will help me or were you about to follow up that comment by saying something about how I have other responsibilities, because if it’s the latter, I’m going to punch you.’

‘You wouldn’t land it,’ he panted, steadying himself against the castle wall.Straightening up, he pushed his dark hair back from his face.‘And I actually do have something useful to contribute, so thank you for your monstrous assumption that I’m not prioritising her safety.’

I took a breath.Released it.‘What do you want to tell me?’

‘That I spent a lovely evening with a halfling nymph a week ago who was complaining that she couldn’t get her hands on any sorrowroot for love or money.’

I blinked.Frowned.‘Which interests me because?’

‘Because sorrowroot is harvested only on a few of the isles of the Sunder, and the reason she can’t get any is because said isles have been infested by furies who set upon anyone who gets anywhere near them.’

At least that supported the sense I’d had that Imogen was on that island.Butwhere?There’d been nothing there, just bristly shrubbery and craggy rocks.‘Alright, that’s useful.’

‘And?’he prompted, turning his head as though to hear me better.

‘Thanks.’

‘There, see?That wasn’t difficult, was it?Now next time I bring myself torunafter you, you’ll know you should stop and listen to me.’

But as grateful as I was for the information, that didn’t mean I was going to stand around listening to him as he entertained himself with the sound of his own voice.‘I don’t know when I’ll be back.Can you try to hold the Unseelie delegation together until I am?I don’t want the queen getting involved because her advisors have gone flapping home to complain that I’ve abandoned them.’

Ves’ mouth stretched in a pointed smile.‘It would be a pleasure to keep them entertained.’

I didn’t ask how he intended to do that.I didn’t want to know.It probably involved a game of playing them off against each, along with a heavy dose of misdirection and manipulation.

‘Oh, and Tarian?’he continued as I turned away.I paused.Glanced behind me.‘I think the Seelie King is pretty eager to speak with you, too.’

Then my focus fixed on the sight of Solas striding through the same door I’d recently passed through, along with a few of his advisors and Eochaid.He quickly picked me out.

‘You’re not going anywhere,’ he said, like it was acommand,which really tickled my rancour, so much so that I strode out to meet him.‘I know you think the act of ruling a kingdom is some kind of hobby you can pick up and drop when you feel like it, but I have a rebellion to put down, so you’re not leaving until the amendment is signed,’ he said as I approached, but he seemed to realise I was a smouldering edifice of rage and he was a perfect outlet, because he took a step back.

‘I’m signingnothing,’ I snarled.‘And I dare you to try to keep me here.’

‘If you think—’

‘Imogen was taken, Solas.’The rage was rising, all heat along my neck and shoulders that contrasted starkly with the cold magic stirring in my hands.‘Carried off before our fucking eyes.Shouldn’t youcare?All that bluster in parading her about like you want her for yourself, and now you’re worried about your fucking amendment while we don’t even know what’s happening to her?’

‘This is why you’re not fit to be a king,’ was the response he decided to go with.‘You don’t understand the sacrifices, the way the needs of the few—’

He never got to finish issuing that little gem of wisdom.Because I drew my fist, swung my arm and punched him in the jaw.And it was so fucking satisfying.His head snapped back, and with a burst of movement and cries of alarm, his advisors surged forward to catch him as he stumbled, blinking in shock, touching fingers to his split lip.And that was exactly as much time as I was going to give him.I was already storming away, shaking out my hand, knuckles smarting, ignoring whatever they were shouting behind me.Ves gave me a two-finger salute from amidst a fit of laughter as I passed him and headed for the little hillock beside the castle that hid the cavern where I’d stashed my oracle.

‘Haddock,’ I called before I even reached the base of the stairs.No reply.I tried again, louder this time, my voice echoing off the walls.Still nothing.Where was that useless satyr?He was supposed to be down here.If he’d left without telling me, without solving his reading, and when I needed him most, I would hunt him down and string him up by his hooves.

When I reached the base of the stairs and entered the cavern, it only took me a moment of searching to find him curled on his side amongst a mess of papers covered in sketches and scribbled notes.He was snoring, ears flicking as he slept, a bottle of liquor he’d swiped from who knew where clutched in his hand.

He jerked awake when I shook him, cringing away from me, rubbing his eyes.

‘I need your help,’ I said as he shook his head rigorously, like he was shaking sand from his hair.‘Imogen’s gone.’

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