Amund nodded. “Considering the size of our kingdom, we would have a few days before they find us. Unless they get lucky with alchemists. Lex’s power level is—unique.”
“Indeed,” Camille said.
“It’s a chance we’ll have to take.” Garrin looked around the room. There were more of Lex’s friends than he realized. All were Fae or Halven. “We should leave.”
Camille tipped her head up as though reading something in the air. “Roughly forty-five soldiers approach as we speak.”
“Fifty,” Amund countered. “On the outskirts of the village and rapidly making their way in our direction.”
Camille’s mouth twisted in annoyance. “Fifty if you include the half a dozen soldiers minutes behind the first forty-five.”
Lex dropped Garrin’s hand, her shoulders stiffening. “So, a hell of a lot of deadly Fae. Let’s leave, but”—she sent Garrin a worried look—“I can’t go without my mother.”
Garrin looked at Amund, and Amund nodded. “Amund will bring your mother to the caves.” He turned to Camille. “If you portaled this many people across the Land of Ice, which is unheard of, I’m assuming you can get us to the caves?”
Camille nodded slowly. “I can. We’ve all drunk from the tea of the Ancient Allon. Our powers are enhanced, along with the powers of the soldiers we left in charge. Though I hadn’t anticipated the trip taking as long as it did. We spent two weeks traversing the Land of Ice on our way to Dark Kingdom. I will require days of rest if I am to portal everyone home.”
The Ancient Allon grew through the center of Old Kingdom castle. All allon were infused with Fae magic, but not like the Ancient Allon. According to lore, it held the power of Tirnan. If Camille and the other had drunk from it, that explained their strength and the speed in which Camille had traveled here.
Garrin had questions for Camille and the others, but they could wait until he got Lex somewhere safe. “We leave now.”
26
Servants handed Lex clothes and food before she stepped through Camille’s portal—to a scene she’d hoped to never see again.
Lex was back in her worst nightmare.Dammit.
Dark Castle might be antiquated, but at least there werepeople. Out here, in the grave caves, no less, there was only ice and snow-covered mountains. Adding ghosts to the mix was just cruel.
Lex stood at the entrance to a massive cavity Garrin had blown a hole into—literally; he blew on it and the ice and snow that had packed the entrance melted away. “Are you sure this isn’t one of the burial sites?” She inched closer to him.
The walls inside the cave were relatively smooth, with a dirt floor and rocks and stones along the inner walls. “This one was a barracks of sorts,” he said. “Soldiers lived here during battles.”
The place was huge, so Lex could imagine a bunch of seven-foot Fae soldiers hunkering down. Still, burial caves and deadly wars? “There isn’t someplace else we can hide? A loyal friend’s hut, perhaps?” she asked hopefully.
Garrin’s jaw was tense. “I’m afraid not. I would rather you be cared for by my court, but after what Zed did…it’s not to be.”
“Zed?”
Garrin frowned. “He was the head guard who took me. A friend I’ve known all of my life.”
Lex grabbed his hand. He was being betrayed on all sides. “I’m sorry.”
Guilt washed over his face. “It is I who should be sorry. Much as I despise that Jasper creature, he had the right of it. I brought you into harm’s way, and I’ll do everything within my power to get you out.”
Lex gripped his hand tighter. She didn’t regret the turn her life had taken. And she didn’t regret being with Garrin. In fact, she worried more about his plan for her to leave and what that would mean. Would he go with her? She also wanted to know why his father’s soldiers had taken him away. “What did the king’s guards do to you?”
His chest fell on a heavy sigh. “They asked me questions.”
“What questions?”
He waited for Keen and Derek, the tall men carrying blankets and other rations from Em’s house, to pass. “It’s not important. Your mother was right about my father; that is all. We must get you out with the help of your friends.”
That sounded an awful lot like Garrin didn’t plan on going with her. Which didn’t sit well. Not well at all. They were in this together. But before Lex could say as much, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Camille slump over a large stone.
Lex rushed over, and Garrin followed. “Are you all right, Camille?” she asked.
Camille tilted her head up and smiled wearily. “I am fine, only tired. The Ancient Allon enhances my powers, but carrying power-heavy Fae and Halven across a kingdom after traversing the Land of Ice is draining.”
