Page 17 of The Dark Rises
I jump up. “No, wait. Cormal’s in danger. Where did you leave him?”
He stops on the edge of the threshold. “On the shore of the Caraway River. He was speaking with his men. What kind of danger?”
I look over at Solandis, who’s staring at Madoc with a peculiar look on her face.
“He’s on his way to the Forbidden Sea. We need to stop him,” she says emphatically.
Madoc curses. “I’ll go. Stay here.”
I rush to the door to go with him, but he’s already gone. “Damn it. When are those men going to realize I’m not helpless?”
Vargas pats me on the back. “Hopefully never.”
I swivel around to Solandis. “What’s in the Forbidden Sea?”
She swallows. “The Isle of Avalon. It’s a dangerous place. The Fae who lived there long ago died out, but their magic stillprotects the island. Unless you know its secrets, navigating it can be treacherous.”
Avalon. “Rivan’s mother came from there.”
Solandis’ eyes widen. “If he’s there, his mixed blood could be a point in his favor. Goddess help us if Brixton stirs up the old magic. All of the light Fae will be in danger.”
There’s another knock at the door, and Vargas opens it to find Theron standing there in an impeccable pinstriped navy-blue suit. With elegant strides, he walks in and kisses Solandis on the cheek before turning to me.
“Oryn returned to the palace. He confirmed King Denir is in communication with Brixton. The Phoenix have taken to the seas. They’re setting traps for the Water Fae along the shores,” he informs us. “Unfortunately, he can’t tell us where they are at this exact moment.”
“The Forbidden Sea,” Solandis reveals with a heavy sigh. “Madoc went to intercept Cormal and his men.”
“Damn. That’s not good. Do you trust Madoc?” Theron asks, his gaze intent. “He’s not working for Denir, is he?”
“Yes. I think so. Why would you say that?” I stammer.
“He’s dark Fae royalty,” Theron states matter-of-factly. “Didn’t you know? I thought it was odd he was by your side but it wasn’t my place to question you.”
Dark Fae? A shiver runs down my spine. “No, I didn’t. Did you?” I turn toward Vargas and Solandis.
Vargas shuffles restlessly. “The soldiers talked about him possibly having mixed blood, but I didn’t think it was important. There were a lot of mixed blood amongst the soldiers. Tiernan, for example.”
Solandis looks at me in surprise. “The second I met him. Today.”
Madoc and Solandis never met? The entire time I was queen. I try to recall them together but can’t. “Shit. I didn’t realize youhadn’t met.” I wince. “He doesn’t feel any different to me than the light Fae.”
Both Theron and Solandis look surprised by my statement. “Light Fae are like the sun, all bright and warm. Dark Fae feel cool and aloof. It’s how we identify each other.”
“Madoc feels dark but so does Cormal. Rivan’s the only one who feels warm to me,” I explain with a shrug. “Madoc thought I should have been able to tell Lorn was mixed blood, but I couldn’t. At the time, I thought it was because I was missing the connection with the Light Fae Kingdom, but maybe it’s me. The way Leandra made me.” My voice breaks a little at the thought of being so different from other Fae.
Solandis’ arms wrap around me tightly. “You’re unique. Don’t let this anomaly take away your birthright.”
Held in her arms, Solandis’ delicate floral perfume calms me. She’s right. I’ve always been different, and when I was queen, it turned out to be an asset. For some reason, The Abbey is stifling my newfound confidence. I need to get out of here and do something.
“Thank you. You’re right. And regarding Madoc, I trust Cormal, and he says the matter is resolved. I have to believe he’s on our side,” I tell them.
Solandis rubs her hands down my shoulders. “We trust you and Cormal, and we’ll extend the same to Madoc.” Her eyes lock with Vargas, and he dips his chin in agreement.
“Honestly, sometimes I thought he smelled like a demon,” Vargas interjects with a laugh. “Weird, huh?”
Uneasy with Madoc coming back to Solandis’ room, I give her a squeeze. “Do you happen to have an old map with the Forbidden Sea? I’d like to know where it is.”
Solandis closes her eyes and holds out an elegant hand. The map appears, and she gives it to me. “There you go. You know,you should still be able to access the light Fae library if you need anything. It’s open to all light Fae royalty.”
