Page 89 of Oaths & Vengeance
“It was my gift to her since I thought you might not have said anything, and she had a right to be aware of it, especially when you pretty much ruined her birthday,” she said smugly, pocketing her stone.
For a moment, I was quiet as I considered everything. Some people took their revenge using violence or destruction. Aella took hers by making a person feel like shit about themselves while she came out looking sweet and benevolent. That was certainly her druid side since elves didn’t plot quiet and thoughtful strategies—light or dark. How well played, and yet, it didn’t make me feel any better about what I’d done to her.
I lifted my stone. “She gave me this as a gift.”
“You cannot be serious.” Faina moved closer with shock in her gaze. “I’m half tempted to kill you for that.”
“You could try,” I said, pulling my hand away before she tried to snatch my gift from me.
My sister made a tsking sound. “As much as I want to hate Aella, I have to say you don’t deserve her. She’s far too good for you.”
I grimaced. “I’ve begun to realize that.”
There was no way I’d mention to my sister that my wife had even planned to seduce me last night, so we could finally consummate our marriage. That was a subject I certainly didn’t want to discuss with a sibling. A part of me wondered if I shouldn’t have brought her to my loft. She was already in Siggaya at the time, so the damage was mostly done, but I’d worriedmy oldest brother might have been watching the loft. Who knew what the Unseelie was doing right now?
“Maybe you should start thinking of a way to make it up to her before she decides to hate you forever,” Faina said, expression thoughtful. “We need her on our side, and you’re ruining it, Dare.”
She wasn’t wrong.
A loud pounding on the door sounded before I could respond. I hurriedly grabbed a clean tunic, glad I’d passed out in my pants, and rushed to the sitting room. Only one person ever came to my home and knocked like that. My sister had vanished, aware of who the visitor must be as well.
I opened the door to my father, who appeared irritated. He barged inside and took a good look around my place. “Who else is here?”
“Only Faina.”
“Good.” He swung around. “What was Lord Morgunn’s daughter doing in Siggaya last night?”
That explained the extra-fierce pounding and my father’s mood. “Apparently, surprising me for my birthday.”
“Does she actually like you that much?” he asked, skepticism in his voice.
I sighed. “She did until I lectured her on the dangers of coming here. How did you know it was her?”
“My spy told me she was the only one who came through the portal, and she re-opened it less than forty minutes later, which should have been impossible.” Lord Gannon glared at me. “I had to kill him to keep that secret from spreading further.”
Lovely, someone had died so Aella could wish me a happy birthday. I really should have kept her here for longer, but I didn’t believe she’d be able to open the portal successfully until it was too late. At the time, I’d figured she’d fail, and then I’d figure out what to do with her until she regained her strength. When she succeeded, I was too stunned to stop her.
“I told you she was powerful, but she surprised me as well,” I said, gesturing at my father to take a seat. “She was so weak by the end that she crawled through the ring to leave.”
If not for the fact that it would have landed me in the heart of enemy territory, I would have carried her. The problem was she’d burned herselfout, and when one did that, it took at least a day to recover. She wouldn’t have been able to send me home for some time. As a result, I had no choice except to stand there helplessly as she left on her hands and knees.
“The only reason I’m not angrier with you is because last night proved she’s the answer to getting the Naforya Fountain back.” He reclined and rested an arm on the back of the couch. “My spy didn’t get a good look at her or know who she was, so anyone else watching wouldn’t have either, but you’re going to need to be extra cautious because if anyone else saw, they’ll come to the same conclusion as us.”
“I’m rather certain she’s furious with me,” I said, pulling out the clarity stone. “This was the gift she brought me, and I sent her away crying.”
My father’s eyes rounded. “That must have been left over from her mother’s collection.”
“Yes.” I went on to explain some of the other details from Aella’s visit and what Faina had told me.
Lord Gannon turned contemplative. “Your sister is right, as much as I hate to admit it. You need to make amends with your wife and start using her resources to help us find the fountain. It isn’t only her portal skills that are an asset, but also her access to Alavaar.”
“What’s there that we need?” I asked, frowning. My father could be the worst of us all when it came to doling out information like breadcrumbs.
“Libraries,” he said with a smug smile. “I’ve exhausted nearly all the other ones where we have access, but I suspect at least some of the answers we seek must be in Tuireen.”
I hadn’t considered that before—to my annoyance—but he was right. “Aella is due to visit her sister in about ten days.”
Assuming she stayed on schedule. It varied sometimes, but I didn’t see any reason the timing of her next trip would change. My spies were quite effective in their roles and would have reported otherwise.
