Page 68 of The Light Falls
Solandis sits up even straighter. “He’s a royal?”
“Tiernan said he had to be to wield faery fire. Apparently, phoenix use faery fire to regenerate, but they can’t wield it…” My voice trails off when they all look at me oddly. “I didn’t know that, but I guess you all do. Anyway, Madoc told me he would teach me to wield it when he returns. Apparently, I need to learn to save myself instead of relying on others.” My mouth twists at the familiar words. Screw them both. My skills weren’t great, but I did a pretty damn good job of taking care of myself or I would never have made it this long.
Solandis tilts her head. “Our entire family can wield faery fire because we are descendants of Konnyr, the original Fae King. Before light and dark cleaved us in two, we were one. What I want to know is who Madoc is and why does he have that power? Describe him to me.”
“Big. Warrior build. Dark complected. Straight, almost black hair to his shoulders. Steel-grey eyes. Scars all over his body, including a large one in the middle of his chest.” I pause, trying to think of his attributes.
Surprisingly plump lips that I don’t see very often because he’s always compressing them in anger. He has a darkly fascinating way of pushing you to the brink until all you want to do is annihilate him. Or kiss him.Where the hell did that thought come from?
“Wields faery fire, rides the shadows, and thinks Leandra punched through his chest and stole something from him.”
Solandis points and an image materializes on the wall. “Is that him?”
Suave with dark hair, the man in the image is handsome, but there’s a cruel twist to his mouth that makes me not trust him.
“No, why?”
She lowers her arm. “That’s the dark Fae king. For a minute, I thought he’d found a way to enter the palace.”
That’s the dark Fae king, love of Leandra’s life, and my father. Lovely.
I silently snort. I’m not impressed. The fact that he knows about me and doesn’t care is proof he’s not worth my time.
Cormal looks at Kaius. “He rides the shadows.”
Kaius nods grimly.
I tap Cormal on the arm. “Tell me.”
“We assigned another trainer to you, but someone killed him, remember? The killer used the shadows to enter his room,” Cormal reveals, to my astonishment. “Madoc had both the proximity and the skill necessary to do it.”
“So?” I state firmly. “Both of you, Callyx, and at least a dozen others have the ability to ride the shadows. Lady Estrella has the ability to ride the light beams. Tell me his motive.”
Cormal throws several suggestions out. “He thought you could lead him to Leandra.”
Beep. “Wrong. He didn’t even know Leandra and I were tied together until this afternoon. Try again.”
Cormal gets up and starts pacing. “I don’t know, but my gut is churning, and it’s never wrong. Nobody hides power without a reason.”
Stumped, we all sit there staring at each other.
Reaching behind her, Solandis eases the knot in her shoulder. “My brain is practically mush right now, and with Estrella’s betrayal… it’s too much. I need to soak and think about everything. Maybe then I’ll have some answers.” She gets up and walks out.
Kaius stands and stretches. “I’ll do some digging into Madoc. Right after I check on Solandis.”
When he’s gone, I drag Cormal over to the couch with me. “Solandis has the right idea. I don’t want to talk. Or kiss. Or anything. For the next hour, I don’t even want to think. Right now, I need comforting. Got it?” Closing my eyes, I sigh and snuggle closer to Cormal. “Take a nap. Breathe. Plot the next step in the plan. I don’t care. Just hold me and let me take a time out. It’s been a bitch of a day. And the wendigo was one of the creepiest damn things I’ve ever seen.”
Cormal makes a soothing sound and wraps his arm tightly around me. For once, he doesn’t say a word, merely lets me peacefully drift in and out in the quiet.
Kaius comes back a while later.
“Did you find out anything?” Cormal asks him.
He shrugs. “Madoc came here the day before the soldier was killed. Timing fits. I asked around, but there isn’t much information on him. The guards think he’s fantastic. He’s been training them on advanced techniques for weeks now.”
I clasp my hands together tightly. “Let’s not assume. Okay?” My eyes dart from one to the other. “Swear.”
They grumble, but both of them promise to hold off on any action until they can prove it. Kaius breaks up our sad little party. “I’m going to Solandis’ room. Text if you need me.”
