Page 55 of Songs of Retribution

I flicked my hand out for a thrush and sent a lengthy note to Elisa. I'd missed her and selfishly hoped she'd join the troops and explore the metal, if for no other purpose than to have her around. Though, to honor the new and tentative alliance Sai and I had created, I added that he didn't think Neia would be happy.

I pulled on a vest and buttoned the bottom when a sparkle of magic flashed. Another thrush hovered before me. Dread filled my stomach. It wasn't likely Elisa had responded so quickly and any missive could be a threat.

I reached out, took the note, and unfolded it.

Of course I'll help anyway I can.

I'm glad you and Sai are talking.

Another troop of soldiers leaves this morning and I'll see if I can join them.

-Elisa

My heart slowed, relief and gratitude washing through me. Shaan smoothed his fingers back through the waves of his hair and I longed to say he didn't need to do anything to it; he looked the most perfect when he first woke, his curls jumbled together, his eyes bright with sunshine.

A thundering sound erupted outside and the ground vibrated. Hundreds of horses moving into the clearing.

Shaan and I stared at each other, and I stumbled up. I jerked my boots on and pushed past the tent flaps and the guards who stood at the entrance. Their eyes were trained on the distance, weapons at the ready, where hundreds of beings approached, many riding not horses, but kelpies.

My stomach twisted. God damn it. It was too much to hope we might have a day of peace.

I jogged towards Sai and Lira where they'd risen from a fire pit. Magic crawled down my arms. Shaan jogged behind me, his presence like the sun on my back.

Shadows curled around Sai's form and Prasanna troops surrounded us, prepared to fight. We hadn't arranged a plan yet. If these soldiers arrived to use their cannons again, short of Shaan slaughtering them all, we were doomed.

The first rider, a woman I recognized vaguely from court, who had sharp dark eyes and a sleek black braid that rested on her shoulder, raised her empty hands. "Prince Lennox," she called. "We are here to aid you, Your Highness." She skimmed her gaze over the armed soldiers scattered around us. Nervousness flickered through both sides, kelpies shuddering and prancing their feet as Prasanna fingers tightened on bow strings.

Mist in the forest beyond the Seelie riders cleared and hundreds of beings stood, packs on their backs and weapons strapped across their chests.

I turned towards Sai. "What do you think?"

He seemed startled that I asked his opinion, and I worried perhaps that the night before was born from grief and fear and now he'd slept and would return to hating me. But he nodded and drifted closer to me, dropping his voice to a whisper. "This could be a trap."

"Yes." I couldn't argue. The Seelie were a fiercely loyal people. The chances of this many turning on Father seemed unlikely. Though I didn't understand the hundreds on foot. They were fairies, not human props; I could sense some of their magic.

Lira gasped and stepped in front of Sai to whisper to both of us. "She's a guard who helped me escape."

"You're sure?" Sai asked.

"Yes. I'd be dead if it wasn't for her." Lira turned her gaze to me. "She helped Aila."

Sai looked at me and I hesitated only a moment before speaking again. "If Aila trusts her, then I do."

"I still say we approach cautiously,” Sai whispered, his eyes dark with magic.

"I agree,” I said.

Sai stared at me for a moment as if he waited for me to make some protest, before squaring his shoulders back towards the Prasanna crowd and raising his voice. "The four of us”—he gestured to Lira, me, Shaan, and himself—“will meet in the center with four of your soldiers."

The woman nodded and turned to signal to certain group members as she jumped off her kelpie and handed her reins off to another. A mixture of unease and hope seemed to swirl into the Seelie soldiers’ expressions. I wished Luz was with us. They could sense intentions and inform us if this was a trap or not. All the Alegre still lingered in Kali’s caves, though, waiting for us to prompt them forth. Maybe we’d waited too long.

Lira, Sai, Shaan, and I stepped out from the protection of our soldiers and made our way across the clearing. When we reached them, the woman reacted like Eldrick had at seeing me up close without glamour—her eyebrows raised, her lips parting slightly before she snapped them together and swept a low bow. "Prince Lennox." She offered another to Lira. "Princess."

"Thank you," Lira said, "for rescuing me. I'm so glad you made it safely away."

"It was an honor, Your Highness."

She parted her lips to speak, but a few dozen women slid off kelpies they'd ridden with soldiers and bustled towards us. Despite wearing relaxed clothing for travel, they were dressed more colorfully than the rest of the party, and they laughed as they raced forward.

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