Page 51 of Fates Fulfilled
“It’s an angelic symbol. Perhaps you’ve seen it in the Earth realm.”
Lex’s small hands grabbed Garrin’s and squeezed, squeezing a place in his heart as well. He didn’t like to see her so afraid. “The man with the crown knows who and what I am. And I swear he was in this room.”
Garrin pulled away gently and stood. “It can’t be the king.”
“Why not? What Mertha did—sending her last energy into me—that was impossible. My mother waking from inside a cave after hundreds of years and saving our asses, that was impossible too. But this”—she held up the sketch again—“this isn’t impossible. Not when you consider what has happened so far.”
She peered aimlessly as though searching her mind. “Your father is a magical being, right? He came to me in my dream like a phantom. You were gone, and the man in my dream was made of icy-cold fog. I couldn’t see his face, but I had a clear view at one point of the shape of his crown.”
“My father doesn’t have the ability to project into people’s dreams, but if he used alchemist magic…” Garrin didn’t want it to be true. But the longer they were in Dark Kingdom, the more anything seemed possible. And the more dangerous it became.
“What if what my mother and Mertha said are true?” Lex said. “And now your father suspects me in some way. What will happen?”
An image of his father bringing down the full force of his power upon Lex flashed through Garrin’s mind, and his heart sped up. “You can’t stay here. Not in the castle.”
“Where will I go?”
Garrin paced across the bedroom he hadn’t slept inside in over a year, his travels taking him far and wide to find Lex. “I’ll find someplace safe until we can leave Dark Kingdom.”
He stopped and closed his eyes, calling to a guard in his court who read minds. He commanded the Fae to put together a small group of royal soldiers for an errand.
What Garrin didn’t mention to the guard was that he intended to have the men remove Lex from the castle unseen.
“What if—” Lex started to say when a knock sounded.
That was fast.Garrin crossed the room to open the door.
Four castle soldiers stood on the other side. None of them the Fae Garrin had reached out to.
Garrin frowned. “What is this?”
“His Majesty wishes for you and the lady to join him and the queen for supper.”
“A moment,” Garrin said, and shut the door. He ushered Lex to the other side of the room and away from the guards’ hearing. Speaking quietly, he said, “We must leave now.” He rubbed his forehead, pressure building at his temples.
She nodded, but her eyes were filled with worry.
Another knock sounded, and Garrin’s jaw tensed. “They are ambitious, these soldiers whom I’ve not met before.” He wondered about that for moment, until he caught Lex’s terrified expression. “Have you everything you need before we go?”
“Of course I don’t!” she said in a low, forceful voice. “I’m still in this dress.”
“There is no time to change. I only meant a shawl or some such.”
Lex’s shoulders relaxed. “I don’t have a shawl, though I will say I’m not as cold as I should be wearing this gauze dress. But I doubt it will hold up to the outdoors.”
“We’ll find a coat on our way through the hidden passageways.” He motioned for her to precede him into another room. “Amund hasn’t returned, and he’s still drained. The passageways are our best bet—”
Another knock sounded, but this time, the person on the other side didn’t wait for Garrin to answer.
The king walked inside and took in Garrin’s surprised expression—as well as his rapid exit at the other side of the room. “Going somewhere?”
There was enough information about Garrin’s father to fear for Lex’s life should she remain in the castle. But he couldn’t fight the kingandthe army of men that stood behind him. There was no escaping. Not in this moment.
Garrin’s only tactical maneuver was to feign ignorance. “You and Mother requested our presence at supper. We were just leaving.” No need to mention he and Lex had been leaving the castle entirely.
His father’s smile was stiff as he took in Lex. “Allow me to escort you.” He extended his arm in the other direction.
“Of course.” Garrin glanced at Lex with his back to his father and sent her a stern look he hoped conveyed that they must go with the king.
