Page 130 of Oaths & Vengeance
Lord Gannon nodded. “I agree. Darrow may take three hundred soldiers with him to storm Ivory Castle, but we must keep the battle contained to that location, so I will lend our most powerful channeler. Take the mountain pass into Therress quietly, and from there, he’ll be able to portal you into the keep.
Indescribable relief filled me. “Thank you, Father. That’s exactly what I’d hoped you'd say.”
“I’m going as well,” Hagon announced.
I turned to him, stunned. “Why?”
“We don’t always see eye to eye, brother. I recognize that, but my marriage has been cold these past three years since my wife learned of our curse. It isn’t even possible to get an heir from her under the current strain. If Aella is the greatest hope we have to end our family’s suffering, then my highest priority is to see her safe.”
His words surprised me, even if he had ulterior motives. I was more than happy to have him, considering he had two powerful abilities that would increase our chances of success. “Then you are welcome to join.”
Hagon nodded. “Good.”
“We will plan the battle for tomorrow at dusk and will make certain that by the end of the night, Therress won’t trouble us any longer,” my father announced.
I joined them at the table as we began to formulate a new battle plan.
Chapter 52
Aella
Ilay in a puddle of misery on the floor. My left arm was broken in multiple places, and both my ankles looked like large melons from when they’d thrown me against the wall while I was still chained to the floor. When the swelling became so bad that my feet and left hand changed colors, they’d taken all the shackles off. I was so weak from injuries, dehydration, and blood loss that I couldn’t have escaped if they left the cell door wide open.
“I’m running out of patience, Aella. If you don’t tell me how you’re involved with the Veronnians, I will have no choice except to kill you,” he said, glaring down at me.
The horrible image of Darrow freezing to death ran across my mind. Did he survive?
My voice came out in a croak as I returned to the present. “We’ve been searching…for a way…to get the Naforya Fountain back.”
My mind was so hazy from repeated blows to the head, but I stayed with that point no matter what my uncle or others did to me. I was beyond giving clever answers at this point.
“Yes, yes. You’ve said that already. Do you really think I’m so foolish as to believe that’s all you’ve been doing?” he asked.
I weakly lifted my head to meet his gaze. “Is it really so bad…if some of us are willing…to work together…to get the fountain back?” I asked, wishing for water to soothe my aching throat. “Our world…is dying.”
“Have you considered there might be a better solution, and the fountain’s return would jeopardize that,” he replied.
He was selfish, so damn selfish. How could he condemn the rest of this world for whatever plans only benefited him? Considering his alliance with the dark elves, I had to presume they were part of this as well. If I could think more clearly, I’d try asking him some pointed questions.
Instead, I gave him the most defiant look I could manage. “If you don’t want the fountain returned…then we have nothing to discuss.”
He crouched and picked up a lock of my matted blonde hair from my face, twisting it between his fingers. “Dear Aella, I must assume Darrow wants your assistance because he believes you are strong enough to channel to its location. Until recently, I hadn’t thought you were powerful enough, but now I see why he’d seek you out. Your magic is far beyond my expectations and could easily bring us back to the fae home world. Wouldn’t you like that better?”
“Faelaria…is lost to us,” I said. Was he delusional? Seelie couldn’t even inhabit most of it with all the changes to the planet after we left.
“No.” My uncle dropped my hair and brushed my cheek gently with the back of his hand as if he really cared, but I knew he was only employing a new strategy on me. “There is a way back for some of us, but it requires sacrifice. They would certainly love to have someone like you, but only if we can be certain of your loyalty.”
“I’m not betraying Darrow,” I croaked.
Lord Morgunn snorted. “Do you think his intentions are pure? Someone like him will use and discard you once you’ve served your purpose. He plays dangerous games. I’ve done my best to shield you from fae court politics, but he would put you directly in the middle of them.”
He paused, giving me a pitying look. “If you tell me what you’ve been doing with him and what he’s told you, I am certain I could resolve the matter so you will be safe from his manipulations.”
My uncle must have thought I was gullible. Regardless, if he found out I was married to Darrow, he’d surely kill me. Nothing I said was going to improve my fate.
Drawing a deep breath, I spoke the words that would condemn me. “It doesn’t matter…what Darrow was doing…because I will never support you again. You hurt…innocent people.”
“You foolish girl,” he growled, grabbing my throat to lift me and slam me into the stone wall. “Such powerful, unmatched magic, yet you’d rather die than be loyal to your family.”
