Page 86 of The Dark Rises
General Beld’s stoic face slackens for a second, but he lifts his chin and salutes Madoc, then returns to his men.
Folding his arms across his chest, he peers down at me. “What happened?”
“They all thought war was the only answer and were ready to dictate terms for their surrender or a peace treaty,” I tell him. “None of them would consider rights except for Lord Avi. So, I told them every Fae would be needed and they should go home and kiss their families goodbye.”
Madoc grunts. “If this war happens, we will need them.”
I lean against him. “Is Lord Edsel still alive?”
“Barely, but he’s been removed from all duties, and his title stripped from him,” he announces in a hard tone. “I need to take a trip to speak to the soldiers under his command and move them here. Will you be all right while I’m gone?”
“Who are you taking with you?” I ask, biting my lip.
“General Beld and a couple of platoons,” he states with a wry twist of his mouth. “Does that meet with your approval?”
“Mm, yes, thank you,” I reply, lifting my face toward his. “Can I get my goodbye kiss?”
His mouth descends and takes mine in the sweetest of kisses until I’m practically melting into a pile of goo. “Bye. Stay close to Cormal or Rivan. I don’t trust anyone else.”
“Good. I don’t trust anyone here either,” I pertly inform him. “Be careful. Keep your shield up.” Not once have I forgotten since I got here.
I leave him and cross the courtyard to the rear of the palace to find Rivan. As I turn the corner, I watch him shake hands with a tall female, then walk away.
He meets me halfway. “Is everything okay?”
I give him the highlights of the council meeting and Edsel’s fall from grace.
“Why are they so determined to hold on to the old ways? We have talented Fae out there who don’t hold titles who could bring so much to this kingdom. The one thing I did like about the light Fae was Meira,” he admits. “It gave everyone a glimpse into the future we could have if we got rid of the old prejudices.”
“You are Fire Fae. This was your war once,” I gently remind him. “Think back to the things you wanted. Two hundred years is a long time to fight. Those things must have been important to you. I’m sure the Fire Fae haven’t changed much over the years.”
“Madoc knows what they want,” he says, his voice full of frustration.
“Knowing and living it are two different things. Madoc was already in The Below when the last war started; he doesn’t have the context you have,” I state. “Plus, he’s the king, and his first priority is protecting his people and the kingdom. If you think there is a better solution than war, you need to find it fast.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
MERI
Rivan’s staring at a map, and I’m texting Cormal when Madoc returns. He strides in with blood on his clothes and the lines of his face set into a fierce scowl.
I jump up. “What happened?”
Madoc takes a deep breath. “Edsel thought he could use his army to hold on to his land. He was mistaken. Lady Dahlia and her children will be relocated to the nearest town. After they bury Edsel.”
He pours himself one of Cormal’s bourbons and walks over to kiss me hello. My eyes flick to the glass in his hand. The two are becoming more alike each day, and it’s quite irritating.
Rivan taps on the map. “What are you going to do with the land?” When Madoc lifts a brow, he clarifies, “There’s plenty of available land in this kingdom, but not all of it is hospitable.”
“I haven’t even thought about it yet,” Madoc replies tiredly. “Why?”
“One of things the non-titled Fae want the most is the ability to own land,” he informs him.
“Titled Fae, too,” I interject, remembering why Lady Estrella fought so hard to keep her land. “I never understood why the titled Fae didn’t just claim land for themselves.”
Madoc sits up. “Because land lost due to a dispute, an act of treason, or rebellion is returned to the crown. Land lost to the Wilds or a natural disaster or the enemy is never replaced because there is no law to account for those scenarios.”
“What if we offered everyone a piece of land? The plots can be reasonably sized, and if they want more, they can purchase more,” Rivan suggests. “Autumn probably has enough land for two to three thousand Fae?” He stares down at the map. “If the crown has land originally owned by another, that could also be an option.”
