Page 40 of Forged By Heart and Claws
“What?” I pressed.
He scowled. Elara gave him a small nod, urging him on.
His jaw clenched. “When I was checking the eastern side of the onyx cellar, down near the stone door, I heard screams. Faint but clear. Someone pleaded with them not to put her in there. She said she was the Sylvan princess and offered a deal, but they laughed at her.”
“The old dungeons.” I scowled. My father had had them sealed for a reason. Those pits were worse than Firellan’s Spine. “We found a young Aquen princess’s shoes. It looked as if she’d been dragged away.” I held his gaze. “We need to get out of here, find allies, and form a strategy.”
“They’ll be watching the main entrances and exits.” Silus pursed his lips. “We should assume they’ll cover the roads as well.”
My plan took shape. We would leave through the tunnels and climb into the mountains. But first, we had to stabilize the injured enough to survive the journey. The timing would be tight. The river beneath the palace held fresh water but also connected to a brackish river along the sea. At this time of year, tides could make the lower tunnels deadly. Elara and Thalira had little chance of survival right now, but come morning, things might be different. “Right now, everyone needs rest and food. If you haven’t eaten, do it.”
Morning would be for decisions. Assessing our wounded, our resources, and our chances.
After settling on watch shifts and confirming that the run bags would be finished, I snagged a few handfuls of dried meat and assessed everyone. Thalira and Elara were sipping theirmedicinal teas. Rhielle and Veralt had settled in one of the corners of the room. Quen was chatting with Elias, and Myantha and Thalen had disappeared, but they’d be back soon enough. Vyraetos was just returning with a steaming bowl of broth in his hands. Its only real virtue was that it was hot.
Briar stood near the center of the low-ceilinged room, brow furrowed and thumb rubbing her bicep.
Concern flared through our bond.
“What’s wrong, beloved?” I went to her at once.
Worry etched her face. “Where’s Many-Greats? My grandfather? He’s gone.” She fidgeted with the neckline of her wedding gown.
A cold spasm cut through me. Bryn was gone?
Had the old man betrayed us?
CHAPTER 9
Briar
Igripped the torn silk of my wedding gown with bloodstained fingers and turned in a slow circle. The flickering lanterns cast warped shadows across the walls, and the air reeked of mushroom broth and scorched herbs—bitter, earthy, suffocating. My stomach churned.
Many-Greats had disappearedagain.
He’d pulled the rug from under my feet repeatedly. Why had I hoped he'd stay around and help clean up this mess? I should’ve expected this, but once again, I’d hoped he’d do better. A hollow sensation expanded within my chest, and I pressed my hand over my heart.
Vad crossed the room to me, slow and steady. When he reached me, he touched my cheek gently as a tremor rippled through our bond. His brow furrowed, the lines in his forehead deepening. “Gone?”
“I’ve looked everywhere.” My stomach knotted. “Could he have gotten into any of the locked rooms?” Something wasn’t right. I exhaled and scanned more of the dimly lit area.
There was no trace of him.
Vad crossed his arms, tension rolling off him. “Bryn wouldn’t vanish without a reason.” His tone held a biting edge of suspicion. “If he’s gone, he has a plan or a price.”
Anger flared through the bond, and I raised my hands. “Wait. Hold on. He wouldn’t betray us.” My voice cracked with conviction. “He’s done everything possible to protect my sister and me. He’s weird and secretive, but that doesn’t mean he’s a traitor.”
Even as I defended him, that hollow place in my chest ached harder. Because…I wasn’t sure. “I didn’t even know he existed until a few months ago. He started appearing in Ember’s and my bedrooms through some portal, talking about stuff I didn’t even know existed. He never told us everything or stayed long. But he cared. He made sure Ember knew I was alive. He helped me survive, though his actions were misdirected.” My voice softened. “Even when he tried to send me home, I think it was because he believed it was the only way to protect me. Not because he didn’t care.”
When I mentioned the portals, Vad’s expression shifted. His eyes narrowed. A dark look flashed across his face, gone before I could decipher it.
He turned and stalked down the hall, checking door after door, tension bunching in his shoulders. “You didn’t tell me. Not that he was on the Aureline High Council. Not that you were an Aureline.”
Pain struck me like a blade between the ribs, fast and unforgiving. “Because I didn’t know.” I wrapped my arms around my waist. “I didn’t know he was on the council until I was in that prison. Even then, he didn’t explain what that meant. I didn’t know I was Aureline. Not really.”
The words tumbled out, each one faster than the last.
“Thisisn’t where I was raised, Vad. I didn’t grow up with talks of curses and magic warnings. I didn’t know what beingAureline would mean, or anything about the fae.” I blinked hard, my throat tightening. “I was dropped into a competition where everyone wanted me dead, and the one person who seemed to have answers made me promise not to tell anyone I knew him.”
