“I know.” I shook my head. “I found them. My father—well, the king—told me in a letter. I know all about how you saved my life that night in Valeford.” The note never left my person. I kept it in my pocket, too afraid for someone else to find it. Too afraid to lose the last piece I had of my father. I could feel the worn parchment poking my leg in my pocket.
A silent stream of tears fell down Vivienne's face. “That night,” she sighed. “It changed the course of our lands forever. Such a terrible, terrible night. That was the night your prophecy came to be, but the Fates warned us. Danger lay ahead. I had to protect everyone. I had to protect you.”
All I could do was whisper, “What did you do, Vivienne?”
She paused, wiping the remaining tears from her face. Collecting herself for a moment before continuing. “I couldn’t risk this information getting in the hands of those not deemed worthy. I didn’t know if the dark ones were aware of Thames and his potential plans.” She narrowed her gaze. “You’re looking for the journal? If you found the dagger, then you know it’s missing.”
“You took it?” Despite already knowing the answer, my stomach still dropped.
She nodded once. “To protect it for when you were ready. When you found your light.”
“Where is it? Where do I find it?” I grasped both of her hands in mine, not caring my palms were still sweaty. “This could help save our kingdom. You have to tell me.”
“The last place anyone would look. Where all manner of beasts lie in wait.”
I frowned. “Beasts?” Then it dawned on me. “The Southern Forest? But those rumors are bedtime stories,” I murmured, almost to myself. But were they? We’d seen a strox when we met Ian and the others before heading to Valeford.
She nodded. “I do not know the journal’s significance, only that it must be something great. The journal is locked and will only open for your bloodline. I didn’t dare anger the Fates by reading what was not intended for my eyes.”
“So, we need to leave?—”
A gust of wind slammed the inn door open with a bang, causing both Vivienne and me to flinch in our seats. A small group of grumpy-looking Fae trudged in, surveying the empty room.
“You wouldn’t happen to know where we could find the Hidden Henchman, would you?” He stroked his beard as he spoke, the fiery tendrils of copper hair coiled into perfect curls.
I stood, tentatively walking toward the men. “I guess it depends on whose asking.” Placing my hands on my hips, I brushed the hilt of my dagger, hidden in its sheath at my thigh.
“Some shifty type of fella said the Henchman was looking for an army.” The man looked back at his companions and chuckled. “And well, me and my friends here are itchin’ for a fight. Pay back to those ugly bastards for what they did to my farm a few months ago.”
My heart soared. My friends had done it. Ian had done it. Fae were coming to fight for their kingdom. We would not be fighting alone.
His words caught up to my mind, diminishing the excitement. “What they did to your farm?”
The man eyed me warily. “You been living under a rock, girl?”
I cocked an eyebrow and a woman stepped forward from the group, shoving the man out of her way. “For Fates’ sake, Angus, leave her alone.” She turned to me. “The old royal advisor, Andras, has been spreading his evil throughout Brookmere. You join his army, or you're punished. Most have been leaving people without a way to survive, burning crops, fields—anything to make us rely on him.”
I sucked in a sharp breath, rage boiling in my veins along with a crackle of magic shooting down my arm. My people were being hunted and left destitute.
“What he needs an army for, Fates only know.”
“Rumor has it that the border was fake. That another land exists, and they’re coming,” the man huffed. “Which brings us back to needing to find the Hidden Henchman. He’s raising a resistance, and we want to fight with him to protect our home.”
The flame inside of me flared with hope. Thames and Andras were creating an army by force and coercion, but we were creating one of love for our kingdom.
If I could obtain some answers, alongside building an army, we might have a chance of surviving and living to see Brookmere and Mysthaven united into Atheria again.
“Does she look familiar?” A Fae standing behind the man and woman whispered to him.
My lips twitched into a small smile as I took a step forward and held out my hand. “Welcome, friend.” He eyed it as a frown spread over his face but stuck out his own hand to shake mine in return. “You might know me best as Princess Illiana Dresden.”
The Fae fell to their knees, murmuring and stuttering.
I held up my hands. “There's no need for that, especially since we’ll be fighting side by side.”
“Your Majesty?” The man looked up, face wrinkled in confusion.
“I’m no man, but I am the Hidden Henchman. Seems only right I should thank you personally for answering my call.”
