Page 62 of The Light Falls
I stand and lean over his desk. “They might want to save and buy some land. Who cares what they do with it? It will be their money. Also, when you bring me the numbers, let’s go over the palace budget and assets. Okay?”
Tired of seeing his face, I dismiss him and head toward the door. Along the way, I swirl a finger at different objects until the office resembles its original, more utilitarian state.
“Sell the things in the hallway. I’m sure they will pay for the first week’s wages.”
Vela’s eyes are a combination of terror and wonder. She curtsies as I pass. “Your Majesty.”
An ugly thought occurs to me. “Keir. If you mistreat any of your staff, I will remove you from your position. Do you understand? I’ve got eyes and ears everywhere.” I slam out of the office and down the hallway filled with treasures from his office, Tiernan by my side. “Pompous asshole.”
Tiernan coughs. “Thank you for the wage.”
I blink. Tiernan is mixed. “I have another job for you. Have you heard about the delegation going to speak with the fire drakes?”
His jaw tightens. “Yes.”
I grab the nearest handle and open it to find a small bathroom. “Here.” Waving him in, I close it and seal the room. “This is strictly confidential. Got it? I’m sending Rivan with the delegation as a guard. You’re going with him. While you are there, I want you to find a way to the lands where the phoenix live. He needs to find out if more of his family is alive, not just his father. You must return with the delegation. Timing will be really tight. Can you do this?”
“What if Rivan doesn’t want to return?”
“Unfortunately, due to the nature of the treaty, he has no choice,” I state firmly. But now that I think about it, what does it actually say? He believes he has no choice, but who has even looked at the document since it was signed twenty-eight hundred years ago?
I stare at him, waiting for an answer.
He nods slowly. “I’ll do it.”
Relief makes my knees weak. “Good.” I hold my palm out and the bag of gold coins I just received from Keir appears. “Here. You might need to use this for bribes or whatever. He’ll need a uniform and a bit of glamour to disguise his face. Oh, and make sure to include a hat to hide his distinctive hair. If you need anything else, let me know before you leave.” I glance at my phone. “Let’s go. I have two minutes to get to training, and Madoc isn’t someone you want to piss off.”
He doesn’t reply, but by the way he ushers me out the door, he agrees.
CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
MERI
“You’re late,” Madoc snarls in my face. “Save it. I heard. Doling out wages like a fairy godmother.” He scoffs. “Next you’ll be championing the Lesser Fae.” Grey eyes are blank but watchful. A fireball hits the shield around me. “Somebody’s making progress.”
I stick out my tongue, then pale.Shit!Why do I let my impulses lead me astray? Every single time. Peering up at the massive man, I see the tiniest curl to his mouth, and it practically ruins me. I shiver, wanting to see more, then mentally slap myself. Stop ogling the beast. It will pick its teeth with your bones.
“Now that you mention it. I am.”
A puzzled expression crosses his face.
“Championing the Lesser Fae.”
He tilts his head to the side. “Is this to prevent a coup?”
Surprised to hear the word, I quickly look around to see if anyone’s listening. “Are you one of their spies?”
His mouth twists. “Hardly. The shadows whisper to me. Lately, they’ve been saying all kinds of interesting things.”
“At first, I just wanted to stop the coup, but when I found out how little they have, it infuriated me. They’re not recognized by the law or government in this kingdom. No rights mean they’re at the whimsy of another,” I say, infuriated with the Fae’s greediness and totalitarian system. “Leandra controlled my life, but the only one holding me back from freedom was me. Well, that and having the power to defend myself.”
He reaches over and grasps my arms. “Leandra who?”
Oh, shit. Don’t tell me this is another one of her victims.
“Leandra was my guardian. She’s an evil bitch sorceress who screwed everyone she met, including me. So, if she did something to you, don’t take it out on me,” I urge him, staring nervously at the deep scars on his face. I start praying to every goddess I know that it wasn’t her who did that to him.
His lip curls. “No, she didn’t scar my face. I have my own monsters in my past.” He places my palm on his chest exactly where I saw the puckered scar. “She did this to me. Reached in with her power and took something of mine. It’s irreplaceable, and I’m going to hunt her down until I get it back.”
