Page 71 of The Light Falls
“Nyssa didn’t know, did she?” Out of all the questions I could have asked, I never thought that would be the first one.
It surprises Tiernan, too. “The dark Fae king took a lot of precautions to hide the Fire Fae on his land. If she had ever visited, all she would have seen were mines, not cities. I don’t know what kind of dark magic he found to do it, and honestly, I don’t want to know.”
I look over at him. “Do they all want war? I know Brixton does. He was never satisfied with the status quo. To be honest, I wasn’t either. But the thought of war makes me break out into a cold sweat.”
“Most do,” Tiernan says, not pulling any punches. “They don’t have any rights. I’ve got a few because my father was a lord, but most of them have nothing beyond what you just saw. Whether you want war or not, it’s coming. It would take a miracle to prevent it.”
“What if Meri gave us rights?”
He pauses. “I doubt it will be enough, but who knows? Like I said… a miracle.” Changing forms, he points to the lightening sky. “We have to hurry.”
I transform and follow him back through the winding canyon to the barn. Quickly changing into our uniforms, we leave the other clothes scattered in the hay.
“Does anyone even remember me?” I ask Tiernan, afraid of the answer.
He hesitates. “The children who were saved think of you. The rest of the Fire Fae… some hold the warrior in high esteem. Others think you gave up fighting to enjoy life in the palace.” Placing a hand on my shoulder, he squeezes. “Having watched you for many years, I know what you’ve endured. But Nyssa is gone now. How you go forward is up to you.”
Slipping into the back of the inn, we find our comrades passed out on benches, tables, and even the floor.
Tiernan kicks a few and purposely stumbles into another. “We’ve got to go, you drunk bastards. It’s almost light.”
With a groan, we all follow him out the door to the bunkhouse where we catch a couple of hours of sleep. The horn sounds. Bleary-eyed and reeking of whiskey, we stand at attention in the courtyard and wait for the rest of the delegation. A messenger arrives to tell us we’re staying one more day. Relieved, the rest of the guards head back to bed, and not wanting Tiernan to get in trouble, I follow.
Lying there, all I can think about is the thousands of years that have gone by. How did I change so much that I don’t even recognize who I am anymore? Where is the fire I used to feel?
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
MERI
Kaius puts us in lockdown. I’m confined to the palace and not allowed to go anywhere outside of my room unless there’s at least two guards with me. The delegation put off returning for another day. Apparently, Faris is not stable, and Estrella is concerned about him.
Unable to stand my rooms any longer, I head to the library to read the treaty. Following Solandis’ directions, I twist the handle of the main door and open it, revealing a massive room full of books from floor to ceiling. I pause to breathe in the smell of paper and leather.Mmm.Rich and musty. People don’t always associate books with being rich, but in the Underworld, only the wealthy people like Cormal have libraries.
Besides the clothes in my closet, this is the second time material items have made me feel like a queen. Funny what signifies wealth to someone like me. Power is top of the hierarchy for everyone. Without power, nothing else matters. After power, everything else matters. More clothes than I can wear and more books than I can read tells me I’m rich.
Walking to the ornate gold door in the back, I open it and find a room barely big enough to fit me. Kian and Galen inspect it thoroughly, then station themselves outside the door. Stepping in, I stand facing the back wall and wait. Solandis said the vault will automatically unlock for the queen.
A glow comes from my forehead and shines on the wall in front of me. Seconds later, the illusion disappears, leaving an impressive vault in its place. A tiny thorn protrudes from the center of the door. Tapping it with my finger, it collects a bead of blood, and once absorbed, the door opens soundlessly.
Filled with an assortment of items, the shelves are stacked high with an astonishing number of scrolls, small books, and documents. Magic suspends each piece individually. The pieces are stacked into columns, and each vertical stack represents a century. I find the one from twenty-eight hundred years ago and ask for all historical information on the Fire Fae Rebellion, including the treaty. Several thick documents slide out of the column and float down into my gloved hands. Now I can see why Solandis insisted I wear them.
In the back of the vault is a chair and a table. My head swivels side-to-side as I walk back there with the treaty. Halfway there, I spot a pile of jewels and gold coins. Obviously, Keir knows nothing about this money.
Biting my lip, I contemplate the pile in front of me, and ultimately choose to start with the treaty. Once I’ve opened it, there’s no going back. An image of Rivan’s face reminds me of why I’m doing it. I flip open the first page and start reading.
The entire first section of the document is the official surrender by each of the generals, including Rivan and the leaders from each Fire Fae race. Brixton signed for the phoenix.
In the second section, the terms of surrender are listed. I skim through them—loss of land, congregating or assembly of groups is not allowed, communities were to be disbanded, assets would be seized to make reparations to the families of those killed, and all rights stripped from them. The last one makes me snort.What rights?
In turn, the Fire Fae would remain a part of the light or dark Fae realms and would not face persecution for their treason.
The third section lists every Fire Fae child’s name whom the monarchy took to end the war. My eyes skim hundreds of name and catch on two. Tiernan and Aeris. After the children, the document lists one hundred thirty-two phoenix willing to give up the power of resurrection to face true death in exchange for the lives of every child listed above.
Rivan’s name isn’t listed in the elite phoenix squad. Instead, there is an entire fourth section dedicated to serving Queen Nyssa and her court for the rest of his life. It details out how many hours he can fly each week, how far he can go without permission, the tasks he must perform each week for the families of the fallen whom he personally killed, and an extensive list of things forbidden to him, including contacting or searching for his family, living outside the palace, falling in love, and having children. Consequences for breaking the rules would be severe and punishment doled out by Queen Nyssa.
In the fifth section, the Fire Fae land is divided between the light and dark Fae. Nyssa splits her portion and awards it to two lords. Lord Carlen and Lord Basilus.
Interestingly, the last section is a concession to the Fire Fae. Three thousand years from the date the war started, the Fire Fae will be allowed to petition the council for their land to be returned to them. I stare at the date listed. It’s ten days away. Full circle indeed.
