Yrsa took the right fork, barreling down the dank passage lit by faelights that flickered as though they might go out at any second. The idea struck me as cruel. No natural light made itsway down here, and to lose even one faelight would plunge the closest cells into darkness. How terrifying that would be.
We hit a sharp left turn at the edge of the dungeon, I presumed.
Yrsa twisted. “We’re going to pass a few more cells, then duck into the isolation wing. I think she’ll be there.”
We careened through the passageway, rushing by cells filled with sleeping fae until a hiss sent a shiver down my spine. I whirled towards the sound and found, of all fae races, a leprechaun. Dirty-faced, disheveled, and wide awake, the fae stared at us.
“You shouldn’t be here.” His voice grated against my ear, raspy from disuse.
“And why are you?” Vale asked. “I’ve never seen an imprisoned leprechaun.”
“The high lady locked me up. But I bet she’d let me out if I called the guards. My debts, my misdeeds, arenothingto what you plan to do.” He arched knowing eyebrows.
He didn’t know who we were; the glamours were too good for that. But we were heading in the direction of the queen’s cell, so it didn’t take a genius to guess our motives.
“Or you can hold your tongue, and we’ll let you live.” Yrsa dangled the keys.
“Get me out and to safety, and I won’t squeal.”
“Deal, but we get what we came for first.”
There was the possibility that once any cell door opened, a guard above would be alerted. We could not waste that chance on this leprechaun.
He nodded, hinting what we had guessed might very well be true. I wondered how many fae tried to escape this place and how far they got before they were captured to give a random prisoner this idea.
“We’ll mark you.” Yrsa turned to Vale. “Pull that faelight here?”
With a flick of his wrist, my mate called air, and one of the suspended faelights drifted our way. As it was one of the only ones nearby, it would be an obvious marker.
“Any tips on how to get her out?” I asked.
The leprechaun snorted. “I’d expect your task to be difficult.”
“Thanks for nothing,” Astril muttered, and we continued on until we turned into the corridor that housed the isolation area.
This section of the dungeon was even more poorly lit, with only one faelight every fifty or so paces. As we walked, I listened, desperate to hear those of South Star approach. Were they close? Or in trouble?
That question left my mind as, about thirty empty cells deep into the isolation corridor, we came across Queen Inga, staring out of the darkness.
Chapter 35
VALE
“Mother.” I approached the bars, vibrating with magic.
She was thinner, her skin had taken on a gray pallor, and the light in her eyes was dimmed.
“Are you yourself?” I asked as the female who had brought me into this world and protected the secret of my parentage for so long shuffled closer. “Or is he still controlling you?”
Astril cocked her head, and I pretended I didn’t notice her reaction, but inwardly cursed my stupidity. We had not yet revealed that Mother or Rhistel were whisperers, but slip ups like that would have people guessing.
My mother came towards me, her steps unsteady. Tried to discern why she seemed aged and injured when there were no marks on her body. Only dirt.
“Vale? Is that you?” Her voice broke, gaze scanning my glamoured face.
She’d only been in here for a few days, but the isolation wing was empty and dark. The air hung around us, still and musty. Choking. A slab of stone, not even another cell with another being to make eye contact with. Perhaps the cell itself had magic upon it to amplify a sense of loneliness too. I would not put itpast Lady Ithamai. She was ruthless with anyone who broke her laws, no matter how small.
“It’s me, Mother.”
