Page 80 of The Light Falls
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Eris is a gem.Strutting through the halls in my fierce white pantsuit, silk turquoise blouse that pairs perfectly with my eyes, and five-inch heels, I know I look the part. This outfit is a statement. It screams Queen of the Light Fae.
Solandis’ lips curve into a satisfied smile when she sees me. “Queen Merindah.” Head held high, she struts into the council with an icy glint in her eyes and power crackling at her fingertips. A potent reminder of her place in the Fae hierarchy.
Giving her a moment to work the room, I wave a hand to fetch the folder with the documents I need in it. Strolling into the council meeting at a leisurely pace, I make sure to lock eyes with several key people in the room—Faris, Estrella, Lorn, Camon, and Kier. Once seated, I cross one leg over the other and wait for Camon to open the meeting.
Every single person is in attendance. Good. Maybe we’ll be able to see where the lines fall. Camon bows to me and waves his hand at the floor.
“How many of you were here when the Fire Fae Rebellion happened?” My voice rings out in the silent room. “Hands. How many?” I stand and walk to the center of the room.
All but two. “How many were council members?”
Almost none of them. I silently scoff. I bet I know why. “How many lost family members in that war?”
Camon steps forward to protest, but I turn my head. “The floor is mine. Sit down.”
Startled at the tone of my voice, he slowly sits.
The crowd nervously shuffles their feet.
“How many lost family members in the rebellion?” I repeat. All of them. “Most of you inherited your council seat from them, correct?” They nod. “Which of your children will inherit your seat when you die in this war?”
Microscopic lines appear in several of their smooth foreheads.
“The Fire Fae numbers are greater now than they were prior to the rebellion. By double,” I reveal to their astonishment. “How many of you are willing to sacrifice yourself for a piece of arid land you’ve never seen?”
Several hands go up, including Estrella’s. Many look at Faris, but his bland face gives nothing away. Somebody learned to play poker in the last twenty-four hours.
“How many of your children are you willing to sacrifice for that land? The previous rebellion lasted two hundred years. This one could last longer, especially if other Lesser Fae join with the Fire Fae. My spies tell me this is a possibility.” I slide that last piece of information into their minds and turn to look at Camon.
He gives me a wary look in return.
Pasting a sympathetic smile on my face, I ask him. “Camon, your wife is pregnant with your first child, correct? They should be old enough to fight in fifty years. I wonder if you’ll be there to send them off to war?”
“This sounds implausible, right? I assure you, it’s not,” I remark with a sad smile.
Opening the folder, I pass along copies of the information I got from the documents in the vault. Living in the Underworld taught me that war is an abstract concept unless it’s at your door. It means nothing until you lose the things that matter to you.
“If we do not give the land back to the Fire Fae, they will declare war. A lot of you will die. Some of your children will die. Others will inherit your council seats and serve the future of this kingdom. These are the numbers from the last war, including the deaths.”
I glance at Solandis, and she gives a firm nod. “Lord Carlen and Lord Basilus inherited the Fire Fae land after the war because Nyssa owed them a debt for betraying their king. They are gone, but their legacy lives on. Lord Basilus and Lady Kyra were murdered by the Fire Fae for their betrayal of King Arles, who had already promised them the land. Lord Carlen murdered Lord Faris’ father, Lord Dane, to cover up his betrayal. Lady Estrella murdered her father to keep the land. So much death for an arid piece of land in the middle of the kingdom.
“Lady Estrella has been accused of a crime of theft, and her confession is documented, if any member wants to review it,” I tell them, although based on the lack of surprise on their faces, most have already seen it. “I absolve Lady Estrella of attempted theft. Under interrogation, she confessed to another crime, but I believe her father’s death is on her conscience and has no bearing on this council.” Ready to unleash their indignation on me, the council visibly deflates.
When the whispers start, I hold up a hand for quiet. “Lord Dane, however, was an upstanding citizen of this council and a supporter of King Arles. For his death, I ask that you vote to give Lord Faris the right to seek reparations from Lady Estrella’s estate for his life.”
“All those in favor?” I ask.
Unsurprising, most of them vote against my proposal. It was a stretch. In their eyes, Lord Carlen killed Lord Dane, not Estrella. My eyes dart to Faris, who’s still wearing his poker face. His hands tell a different story. They’re clenched in fury.
“I’m sorry, Lord Faris,” I offer him. “Lady Estrella, it looks like you’re free. However, we’re not done discussing the land, so perhaps you want to stay?”
Her triumphant smile fades, and after the guards remove her cuffs, she walks over to take her council seat.
I turn my attention to the crowd. “So, what’s it going to be? Shall I declare war, or do we return the land to the Fire Fae? Those are the two options on the table. Choose wisely.” Walking over to sit in my chair, I wait for the room to explode.
Furious, several council members jump to their feet. “Why would we declare war? We should deny them the land and send a delegation to negotiate when the Fire Fae declare war.”
