Page 35 of Drawn in Blood
As hard as she tried to concentrate, her mind kept drifting to the Kitts and how much she missed studying in the small library with Fen and Killian. She was trying to feel at home here, but something still felt like it was missing.
Maybe this was just how it would be now. Maybe she would never feel truly at home anywhere ever again.
After studying for an hour, she was just about to grab another book when a Helio zipped under her door, hovering right in front of her on her desk. She furrowed her brow as Asteria’s voice came out of it.
“Meet me at the Wolf and Waife tomorrow afternoon. It cannot wait.”
Chapter 11
A Gate to Arcelia
“My parents are going to kill me,” Fen grumbled, as the trio trudged through Sigurvik toward the Wolf and Waife. Ember absentmindedly kicked rocks into shallow puddles as rogue raindrops wet her cheeks. He and Killian had received the same Helio the night before, and the three of them met at the terminal to walk into town together.
“She’s got courage, I’ll give her that.” Killian half laughed.
Ember furrowed her brow as she looked up at him. “Courage?” Sshe asked, as she shifted her bag to her other shoulder.
Killian nodded. “If I were Fae, I wouldn’t be showing myself anywhere in town right now, especially with young Vala. Odin knows what she’s been dealing with in all of this.”
Ember nodded silently. Honestly, she hadn’t thought about what Asteria, or any of the other Fae, might be dealing with. She shook her head as she mentally berated herself; she had been so wrapped up in her new home that she hadn’t even thought about her friends. If it wasn’t for Asteria, she never would’ve gotten through the last year. She owed the Fae a life debt.
“Not too late to turn back,” Fen mumbled under his breath, as they stood in front of the giant door that led into the pub.
Ember laughed as Killian cocked a brow and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Scared, Kitt?” He grinned.
Fen crossed his arms over his chest as he narrowed his eyes. “Of course not,” he huffed. “Not of Asteria. Mostly of my mum.”
Ember laughed as she rolled her eyes and shoved both doors open. They wandered through the dimly lit pub toward a booth in the back where Asteria sat with her head down, looking like she was doing her best not to be seen. Ember’s breath hitched in her chest—this was not the lighthearted Fae that had helped her the year before. This woman was broken, like something inside of her had been trampled on and left to fester. The light in her eyes was dim, even behind the weak smile she tried to give the trio.
“Asteria, what’s wrong?” Ember asked, as she slid into the booth. “What was so urgent that you needed to see us today?”
Asteria shook her head as she looked warily around the bar, silently threw her hand up in front of her, and mumbled something under her breath. “No one must know I was here,” she said quietly. “Technically speaking, I’m not supposed to be anywhere other than home and Hidden Moon, but with the Wardens that have been placed outside of my shop, I didn’t feel like it was safe to meet there.”
“Wardens?” Ember asked, as she furrowed her brow. “Why are there still Wardens in front of your shop?”
Asteria shrugged as she leaned back. “They don’t trust any of us. We’re all being closely watched, especially those of us that work in town.”
Fen huffed as he impatiently tapped the top of the table. “That’s bloody stupid,” he replied, as he rolled his eyes. “What do they think you’re going to do? Snatch a baby while its mum is buying tea?”
“They’re not thinking,” Asteria sighed. “That’s the problem. They’re acting out of fear, so nothing they’re doing is rational.”
“What did you call us here for?” Killian asked warily. “None of us have any pull with the Chief of the Guard. I don’t think we’ll be much help on that front.”
Asteria shook her head as she waved her hand. “That’s not it. I can handle that on my own. But I’ve been sent a message from Lord Erevan, and he wants to see you.”
“Who?” Ember asked, as she furrowed her brow.
“He’s the Fae king of sorts,” Fen replied, as his eyes narrowed toward Asteria. “What does he want with us?”
“He didn’t tell me that,” Asteria replied, as she shook her head. “Just that he needs to see you, and that it’s an urgent matter. It cannot wait. It must be tonight.”
“Tonight?” Fen asked, as he stiffened. “Mum will never let me go out tonight, not without them.”
“Since when did we start asking permission?” Killian asked with a grin.
Fen narrowed his eyes toward his friend and crossed his arms tightly over his chest.
