Page 67 of The Light Falls
“So are you, my love,” Kaius tells her. “I always forget how much power you wield until I see you in action.” He kisses his fingers. “Magnificent.”
She rolls her eyes and turns away from him, but I see the twinkle in her eye.
I move to Kaius, who is covered in dried blood, and gently hug him. “All healed?”
He nods.
“How did they know the location? I didn’t even know it,” I wonder. Plopping down beside Cormal, I take his bourbon from him and take a sip.
“Somebody must be monitoring the portal alerts,” Solandis guesses.
Cormal shakes his head. “I accounted for that in my planning. There wasn’t enough time for them to get an army there. It has to be on the cadre’s side.”
Kaius nods his head in agreement. “Hello.” He answers the phone before it finishes the first ring. He rubs his hand over his head while he listens to the person on the other end. When he hangs up, he fills us in. “That was Theron. A Fae female entered The Abbey earlier today. She glamoured herself to look like Maya, the club manager. He’s sending over a picture.” The phone pings. He looks down and curses, then holds it out to Solandis, not Cormal.
She lifts an eyebrow and takes it from him. Sitting up, she expands the image. “It’s Estrella.”
“Wait, Estrella glamoured herself to get the information on the delivery?” I question her. When she nods, I wince. “She was limping when she went into the portal earlier.”
Solandis lifts her chin. “Left side?” she asks quietly. When I nod, she closes her eyes as if she’s in pain. “Estrella must have been the leader I fought. But why? I don’t understand. How would she even know the delivery was coming?”
I raise a finger. “Me. I asked Camon to meet the shipment. She was standing nearby. I thought I was far enough away.”
“She must have used the light beams to listen,” Solandis explains. “As a kid, she used to listen to others’ conversations using the light. Looks like she hasn’t outgrown that habit.” She shakes her head back and forth. “She must have known she was fighting me, but once there, she couldn’t back down. I don’t understand why she would commit treason. Why does she need the weapons? Do you think the fire drakes have her that scared?”
“Maybe,” I say, thinking of her visit to Camon. “Unfortunately, we can’t interrupt the delegation. The negotiations are too delicate. We’ll have to speak to her when she returns.”
Solandis elegantly snorts. “I’m going to interrogate her, not have a polite conversation. Depending on her answers, she could lose everything. The council will strip her of all her assets.”
A knock at the door has us all looking at each other. I can’t help but laugh. When Cormal sends me a questioning glance, I shrug. It’s too long to explain.
Kaius answers the door, then steps out. He comes back with a ferocious scowl on his face. Crossing his arms, he glares at me. “When were you going to tell us you were attacked today?”
Cormal grabs my arm. “What the hell happened?”
I jerk my arm from his.
Kaius launches into the report Ansel just gave him.
“Let me get this straight. You went to training.” Cormal asks, looking at me. When I confirm, he continues. “But you had a fight with Madoc, so you left early? Then you were attacked by a Wendigo in the hallway, and Madoc saved you. Is that correct?”
I lift a shoulder. “Pretty much.”
Cormal’s eyes drill into me. “What was the fight about?”
Squirming, I contemplate whether to tell him. A fierce scowl appears, and he leans closer to me. “I mentioned Leandra’s name, and he lost it. Threatened me.” Cormal immediately heads toward the door. “Stop. I kicked him in the balls and dropped him on the mat. Then I left.” He doesn’t even pause. “He’s not here. I think he’s hunting Leandra.”
He stops and gives me an incredulous look.
He didn’t know Leandra and I were connected until I told him.Fuck me.Here I’ve been worrying that he was the dark Fae king, but he didn’t even know I knew her until I said her name. That was what triggered him. But if he’s not the king, then who is he?
Cormal grips my arms. “How did he save you?”
I look at the hands wrapped around my biceps. “I already kneed one man who thought he could demand something from me today. Do you want to be the second?” With a flicker of magic, I light my arms on fire.
“Fuck, Meri!” he roars, slapping his burning hands against his thighs. “Tell me what happened.” He grits his teeth. “Please.”
“Since you added the please…” I say with an irritated huff. “He came out of the shadows, grabbed the wendigo, and poured faery fire down its throat.”
