Page 89 of Fate and Flame
“You’ve just taken a truth serum,” I announced. “Do you report about the rebellion to anyone?”
“No,” he answered.
“Have you ever been enchanted?”
“No,” he said again.
“Where are you from?”
“I worked in Coro’s castle,” he answered, shame crossing his face as he rubbed his wrists.
I handed him the red vial and he drank it.“That’s the entire process,” I said over the crowd. “Rhogan and I will stay until you can get your guards through questioning, and then we’ll let you run it from there,” I told Murtad.
He nodded and called out several larger fae males. We watched the process until the door could be covered and then left them to it. I stopped to invite Oravan to the castle and then we headed back to the training arena to watch the giant.
I didn’t think Rhogan had ever been so excited in his life.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ara
“Nadra? You’re sure?” I asked, stepping into my training gear.
“Without a doubt. Curly red hair and all,” Fen said as he watched me dress with hooded eyes.
“Where is she? Why haven’t I seen her?”
“We’ve been busy.” He leaned against the doorframe to the bathing room.
“Do you think the war council went okay last night?”
He scratched the back of his head. “As good as one can go, I suppose. I wish we had some final numbers, but I did get a message back from Murtad about the rebellion.”
“Oh, yes. The mysterious rebel leader.”I rolled my eyes.
“I would go with obnoxious before mysterious, but essentially, yes, him.”
“And?” I asked, pulling the shirt over my head.
“The rebels are in, conditionally.”
I shoved my foot into one boot and then the other. “Conditionally?”
“Trust me, it’s how he works. He always has to make it seem like he’s doing me a favor.”
“Sounds like a winner. When can I see Nadra?”
“Now if you want.”
“Of course I want to see her now. I’m surprised she isn’t banging the door down and tearing through our closet.”
“She was social at our meeting, but she didn’t seem like the same girl I saw at the parties in Coro’s castle. I think she’s changed.”
I snorted. “I doubt it.”
We hardly used the dining hall, but the number of us was growing and the kitchens weren’t, so we strode the halls, hand in hand, until we got there.
“Ara?” A beaming redhead shouted as she shot out of her chair and launched herself at me. “I thought we’d missed you.”Her simple clothes were tattered, her skin tanned by the sun and her eyes were the only thing gleaming. Even her hair had lost its luster.
