“Too late,” Arie’s voice made me smile.
“No such thing as too much attention,” Thantrel retorted as playfully as Anna had jabbed him. Rynni rolled her eyes but opened the door wider for them to shuffle inside.
We continued to wait in the back, lest someone in the street was walking by and could see into the healer’s quarters, until my brothers filed in, their flaming red hair a mess from the wind. However, when Clemencia came into view, followed by Duran, my eyebrows pulled together. Clemencia made sense. Luccan adored her, and if there was danger—which I sensed there was—he would not leave her behind. But what was Duran doing here?
The door closed, and we stepped into the business portion of the cottage.
“Clem!” Neve ran to her once lady-in-waiting.
Clemencia curtseyed, but my mate pulled her up and hugged her. “I’m so glad you’re safe!”
“And I you, Princess Neve. I mean . . . Neve.”
Luccan’s face loosened as he took the rest of us in. “Thank the dead gods you’re still here.” He lifted a finger and gestured to my face, still healing from the orc claws. “What happened to you?”
“We came across a violent band of orcs,” I said, andmoved on to what I was more interested in. “I take it that, since you’re here, there are posters in Avaldenn about Neve, and you’ve come to warn us?”
“Posters here too,” Luccan replied. “Everywhereif what the king says is true.” He swallowed. “King Magnus announced her as an enemy to the Crown.”
“Called her the Slave Queen,” Thantrel said as he leaned against the wall. “You stole Lord Roar’s slaves?”
“You have no idea,” my mate replied. “Roar didn’t just have slaves at his castle. He was using humans in his mines as free labor. Also selling some to the Vampire Kingdom!”
“What!” Arie’s eyes went wide. “I can’t believe the king overlooked that in making him an advisor.”
I stiffened, as did Neve.
“Did you say that the king made Roar an advisor?” Neve spoke slowly.
“When he returned to court with news of you, I expect,” Arie replied. “Roar is also betrothed to Saga now, which the princess did not look happy about.”
A cold fire spread through me at the idea of my sister marrying my enemy—a faerie who tried to kill my mate, Caelo, and me—but that fire doused when Neve whacked me on the shoulder.
“I had a feeling! Stars, Vale, you should have gone to the bottom of that stupid shaft!”
“I don’t seehowhe survived,” I murmured. “It was far too deep to survive the fall.”
“That’s why I’m sure that he had to have shifted into something that saved him,” Neve replied.
I took her hand. I’d failed her, but really, did it matterhowRoar survived? He had and now danger came for my mate sooner than we’d hoped. “I’m sorry, my love. I failed you.”
She let out a long breath and the tension that bunched up around her shoulders loosened. “No, you didn’t. The king would have found out anyway—whether from me claiming my name or . . . apparently, this crazy scenario. I’d have preferred to have the timing onmyside, and maybe get a leg up on him, but this is our reality.” She looked at Luccan. “Fill us in oneverythingthat’s happened at court.”
He pointed to the area where we’d accumulated our supplies. “I will, but were you leaving tonight?”
“As soon as we could,” I answered. “We planned on returning to Riis Tower.”
“Not now, you’re not,” Luccan said. “We’ve left court without permission and traveled via gateway, first to the Tower to get Clemencia, and then to the brothel Father owns in Vitvik.”
Right. I’d forgotten that Luccan connected all the Riis properties via gateways. Somehow, I hadn’t imagined that meant each of the many taverns and brothels, too, but it was an intelligent move. Useful too.
“I’m sure that our timing will lead the king to suspect us of siding with you, with Neve,” Luccan added, “so we’re not returning to Avaldenn and none of our holdings will be safe to stay in for long. Save for maybe the castle.”
House Skau’s old stronghold in the east. Even then, that castle was not as formidable as others belonging to the other seven great houses. If the king suspected Neve of being there, an army could easily infiltrate the city of Bitra.
“We know where we can go, though,” Arie interrupted. “We weren’t the only ones to leave the capital. Houses Balik, Armenil, and Virtoris left too. We plan on seeking refuge with House Balik—they’re far from Avaldenn, heavily fortified, and with Neve’s connection to House Armenil, they’re likely to be sympathetic. I say we go there.”
Yes, the castle of the southlands. It abutted the Ice Tooth Range, which was filled with all sorts of creatures, including frost giants. Due to constant threats, House Balik’s home was the most secure castle in the realm. If we were to be safe anywhere, it would be there.
