Page 3 of Drawn in Blood
Ember rolled her eyes. “You’re one to talk, Killian Vargr.”
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice,” the chief’s voice boomed, as he smoothed the sleeves of his ivory shirt. “I imagine you all have things to do this weekend, so I’ll make this as brief as possible. We have reason to believe that the children on Ellesmere are in grave danger.”
Bloody hell.
Whispers carried across the small hall, and Ember felt both the boys that flanked her stiffen. Fen instinctively reached for her hand, and Ember noticed Killian’s grip tighten on his knee. His eyes narrowed, and his throat bobbed as he straightened his back.
“We have had three children go missing over the last month,” Chief Thornsten continued. “We have it on good authority that they have been taken by the Fae. For what reason, we are still unsure, but rest assured, we are working day and night to bring our children home and make our island safe again.”
“Will it be safe for the children to return to Heksheim?” a voice said from the crowd.
“So far, they are only targeting children who are not of age yet, but that doesn’t mean everyone shouldn’t be aware of their surroundings.”
Ember felt Fen’s grip tighten around her hand, and his other gripped his knee. Her heart beat steadily in her throat as she squeezed his hand a little tighter.
Maeve.
“Travel in groups when possible, and try not to leave children home alone if it isn’t absolutely necessary. If they’re able, have your older children travel in groups to Heksheim as well. We can’t rule anything out quite yet. We are encouraging all parents to keep their young at home,” the chief swept his gaze over the crowd, “especially after dark. Wards have been heavily reinforced around Heksheim, as well as across the perimeter of the Dark Forest. We are asking you to do your part to keep our island and our young safe. Does anyone have any questions?”
Quiet murmurs traveled across the room as Chief Thornsten answered each question one by one. The weight of the news settled on the room like a wool blanket, the air heavy.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Killian mumbled, as he shoved his hands in his pockets, leaning back in his chair.
“What doesn’t?” Ember replied.
“The weans goin’ missin’,” he whispered.
“Children go missing all the time,” Ember replied, as she squeezed Fen’s hand a final time before dropping it. “It’s unfortunate, but not unheard of.”
“Not on Ellesmere,” Killian said, as he shook his head. “I’ve never heard of it happening here, not in numbers like this. And they’re always found within a day or two uninjured.”
Ember chewed her bottom lip. “Couldit be the Fae?” she asked, wincing as she thought about Asteria.
“The Fae are a proud people,” Killian replied. “They would never jeopardize the treaty like this. Not by taking children.”
The chief continued to answer questions as people began filing out of the room, soft whispers leaving a trail of worry as they went. The boys followed Ember out the door and into the warm August air, Fen shuffling his feet as blew out a deep breath.
“But Chief Thornsten said?—"
“I heard what he said,” Killian snapped, “but that doesn’t make it the truth.”
Ember furrowed her brow. “Are you saying he’s lying? If the Fae aren’t taking the kids, who is?”
Killian ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know,” he sighed, “but I do know one thing. ‘Believe nothing that you hear and only half of what you see.’”
Ember let out a laugh of disbelief. “You’re quoting Poe?”
Killian smiled, reaching a hand up as if to brush the back of it against her cheek before quickly pulling it away. “Dark days are ahead, Starshine,” he breathed. “Who better to usher them in?”
Ember gently rubbedMaia’s snout as she laid against her side, feet stretched out in the grass as the sun warmed her face. Small fish splashed in the pond in front of her, birds chirping as Della tried to catch a mid-afternoon snack. Maeve squealed beside her as Della sent water flying through the air.
“Control your cat, Maeve,” Fen grumbled, as he polished his AirWave, wiping away the droplets of water splattered across the board. “I’m going to have to start over now!”
Ember blew a stray hair from her face as she rolled her eyes. “Maybe you should do that somewhere that isn’t beside a body of water,” she laughed, as she sat up and began digging through the picnic basket Eira had packed for them.
“I should be able to enjoy this beautiful weather without being assaulted by my little sister’s ridiculous cat,” Fen snapped, glaring toward the Cat Sidhe now swishing its tail back and forth as it watched him. Fen stuck out his tongue as he narrowed hiseyes further. Maeve sighed as she sank into the grass at the edge of the pond, crossing her arms tightly over her chest.
“This is boring,” she whined, as she let her bare feet hang in the water. “Can’t I go play with Kady?”
