Page 62 of Chaos and Destiny
“Isn’t she lovely?” he asked.
“Quite so. What does your betrothed think of her?”
His head snapped to me, and rage filled his face, mirroring my own billowing within. The words had escaped before I could control them. He stood and grabbed me by my arm. I wanted to lay into him, but I let him lead me away from the table.
“I didn’t mean to offend you, my king. Only remind you that such outward affection may have been okay before but might be hurtful to your future bride. We must think of our alliance. Or did you not want my opinion anymore?” I held my breath.
He deflated, patting me on the back. “I can always count on you to look out for me, Temir. You are quite right. Morwena has too many spies in the castle these days. I must watch myself closely. Not that I’m afraid of that wench,” he said, stopping short.
“No, of course not, King Autus. But you don’t need a female scorned on the eve of your nuptials. If we are in fact on the eve. I never did ask when you planned to marry.”
Hopefully, the subject change would be insightful as well as effective.
“She’s yet to pick a date, and I’m in no rush.”
“You always were smarter than me,” I scowled behind my smile.
“I would hope so,” he said. “I am a high fae king after all, and you, with all your privileges, are still a lesser fae. Still lucky to be alive.”
“I have only you to thank for that.”
“Thank me later. I’ve got a beautiful female to see.”
As soon as I was dismissed, I stormed to my rooms, grabbed a vial of truth serum, just in case I needed it for anything and headed to the tunnels. I was extra diligent to make sure I wasn’t followed, due to the king’s odd behavior, but I walked as quickly as I could to the tunnels, and it didn’t take me long until I heard the screams and cries from within. Instantly, I was running. Something had happened, and if I had to guess, I would say the king, with his odd behavior, had discovered the rebellion.
Chapter 20
KING TOLERO
“How educated are you on poisons?” I panted, staring down the healer I’d just startled half to death.
“Well enough, my king. What is it?” He set a glass jar on his dusty table and wiped his soiled hands down the front of his apron.
“Do you know anything about the poison that took my mate from me?”
“Yes, a bit, but my lord ... that poison does not have an antidote. It comes from the waters beyond The Mists. One sip, a single drop on a finger, and it will kill a fae. It is nearly impossible to acquire.”
It was her then. All these years and now I finally knew. My tiger roared within me. The room swayed from below. I closed my eyes and tried to focus.
“What about a beast? Would it kill a cetani?”
“Well, they are quite massive, but yes, I believe so. If it didn’t kill them, it could make them very sick, my king.”
“Could you do anything to help them?”
“I may be able to flush the system of the beast, but I typically work on fae, Your Grace. I wouldn’t know about the cetani.”
“That will have to do. Bring whatever supplies you may need and meet me in the stables as fast as you can.”
He rushed around the room, dropping jars into a long leather satchel at his side. I left him to it and hustled down to the stables to find Inok waiting with three massive horses. They felt the urgency. The ground thundered beneath their hooves as they twitched with anticipation. I mounted my ride, and he threw his head back to whinny to the others.
“Who will be joining us?” Inok asked.
“The healer.”
He nodded, and we waited until, finally, the male scurried out of the castle doors with his arms full of more things than he should be able to carry.
“Good gods,” Inok said, dismounting his horse. “Rah, bring a second saddlebag.”
