Page 134 of House of Embers
“We’ll get there after this is all over,” he said like a promise.
She sniffled and nodded. “Where should we put him in the meantime?”
“Wherever you like.”
Kerrigan bit her lip and then set her father down at the feet of the first Fae. “I’ll be back for you. We just have to win the war,” she told him. “Just like you dreamed that I could.”
Fordham embraced her as she broke into tears again. She would let it all out now. Because Fordham was right—after this, she would have to find a way to go forward.
And not forget what happened but learn from it.
Chapter Forty-Seven
The Summons
When Aurelie burst through the door, Kerrigan was in a war council meeting. Her head was spinning from all the numbers and troop movements and rider deployments and on and on and on. She could make miracles happen on a battlefield, but she wasn’t meant for this. Thank the gods Fordham was and he had a whole council of battle-hardened generals to lean on, because Kerrigan could not have been more ready for a distraction.
Aurelie still wore furs from her time in Erewa and riding through the winter chill far north. She pushed back her hood and nodded at her mother, Celeste, who had jumped to her feet at Aurelie’s entrance. There were tears in her eyes, as contact hadn’t been able to be made with Aurelie since she had left.
“Excuse me for interrupting, Your Majesty,” Aurelie said, bowing formally for Fordham.
He held a hand up. “No apologies needed, Lady Blanchard. We have been worried over you and your riders. Kerrigan reached out and we sent hawks, but we weren’t able to contact you. It is good to see you well. How fare your riders?”
“They are well,” she said quickly. “The hawks probably didn’t likethe cold, and something is strange about the magic up there. It is raw and wild.”
Kerrigan shot Fordham a look. They knew all about the wildness of the Erewan territory.
“I could wait no longer for word from you. I had to come myself for this,” she said, removing a letter on crisp, cream parchment from her cloaks. She handed it over to Fordham. “It is of the most urgency.”
Fordham turned the parchment over, and Kerrigan glanced over his shoulder to see the seal was the color of green grass with a little cottage with smoke curling out of the chimney. She had a sneaking suspicion who this was from. He broke the wax and unfolded the letter. In a swirling calligraphic script, the short note read:
His Royal Majesty King Fordham Ollivier of the line of Samil, descended of Mab—
Your presence is requested at my home.
I shall expect you forthwith.
Bring your heart.
—T
Everyone stared at Fordham in anticipation. His expression hadn’t changed, but his eyes were thunderstorms when he looked up at Kerrigan. “Everyone, leave the room.”
“Ford—”
“Not yet,” he said. He turned his expression to Aurelie. “Thank you. Please see your family and get some much-needed rest. I assume you flew straight through.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I will summon you when we have made a decision.”
Aurelie nodded. “As you wish.”
The rest of the war council rose from their seats and headed out of the room. Audria stared at the card, confused. It was Noda whograsped her arm and dragged her out. Wynter was out training the recruits with Viviana, or else she would have been sitting right there with her feet kicked up. Viviana had been relentless with training since freezing in midair at the battle. Kerrigan had hardly seen either of them since. It was Dozan who remained in the shadows where he belonged.
“Dozan, you too,” Fordham said.
Dozan crossed his arms over his chest. “I believe I was the only one who spoke up about the last stupid thing you did. I think I’ll stay.”
