Page 81 of Fate and Flame
“Why the meeting today?” he asked, nearly finishing another glass.
“I’ve got something serious to tell you.” It was my turn to finish the whole glass. “As you know, I worked on the king’s council as a spy for the rebellion. I wasn’t always a rebel and Autus trusted me. He enchanted Nadra, telling her his plans, assuming she would never escape, but when Nadra’s mother was taken as prisoner, I took Nadra to safety and came back for Megere. I was captured and exposed and spent some time in the dungeons. Autus enchanted me and, long story short, the majority of the northern rebellion that hadn’t already fled was killed. There are maybe five hundred still scattered through the north.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He rubbed his temple as he hung his head. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”
“That’s not all.” Nadra refilled all the glasses and sat back down beside me. “It’s about his plans. He aims to capture Ara and bind her to him. He’s found an ancient scroll that has given him the recipe to do it, if he can procure certain artifacts for the ritual.”
His head snapped up from his glass and, again, he was on his feet. “What specifically do you know?”
“He’s gotten four of the seven items,” I answered. “We tried to block him from several, but he’s been one step ahead of us. Unfortunately, Nadra’s mother died trying to keep him from one of them. The only items left are Ara’s blood, something in the dunes, and a certain flower we have hidden from him.”
“I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. Can we destroy the flower?” he asked, his brisk pacing making me dizzy.
“No,” Nadra and I said in unison.
“It’s not a typical flower. He mentioned needing to sever a mating bond, but I have no idea if that is something he has to do or something he wants to do just to make you suffer. Even so, can you think of anything that’s fabled to be missing and in the dunes?”
“I can’t, but I’ll get the staff to start researching immediately.” His body jerked, and he audibly swallowed. Seeming a million miles away, he was wherever his mate was. Perhaps a feeling she had sent down the mating bond.
“Is everything okay?” Nadra asked, setting down her wine glass and rising to her feet. “Can I get you something?”
“No, no. It’s fine. Is there anything else?” he clipped.
“Nothing that can’t wait until tomorrow, King Fenlas.” Nadra looked at me like I knew what to do.
“You can stay here if you wish. There’s plenty of space, and I’m sure Ara would love to have you near,” he said to Nadra.
The color in his tanned face began to fade as the door slammed open, the walls shook from the force, and the draconian fae that was with him in Volos stalked in dressed in black from head to toe with his hair tied back and blood dripping from his entire body.
“Where is she?” the king asked, his voice barely audible as he fell to his knees.
Nadra grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ara
Whereare you?Fen roared.
We’re just about to head back. Things got messy and I had to kill Coro. If he unleashes his army on us, we’re fucked.
But you’re fine?
I could practically hear the sigh that accompanied the relief in his voice.
Yes, I’m okay. Not even a scratch.
I still stood on the blood-covered table deep within the Marsh Court castle, Coro’s dead body stiffening before me. Gaea watched the door carefully. We’d made a plan together if things went terrible here, and they did. But the plan didn’t involve Greeve and his dominating bullshit. Some days he was worse than Fen. So he had to go back to the Flame Court.
I’m not coming directly home. We’ve got to make a stop first.
I bit my lip waiting for the retort, the infamous argument that always came when I had a plan that didn’t involve him. It didn’t come.
How long do you need?Though his voice was tight and his words clipped, he was trying.
No more than ten minutes and we will be back, but we’re still sitting in Coro’s castle, so we’ve got to go.
Be safe.
