“Like you deserve it! Look at those weapons!” a citizen of Myrr shouted. “Might even be the same steel that cut into my son two turns back!”
I swallowed. That fae might be right. I had no way to be sure, and I doubted the rebel did either.
“And she looks like an orc!” A male thrust a finger at Tonna, one fifth of my mate’s Valkyrja.
To Tonna’s credit, her facial expression didn’t change in the slightest. I suspected that outside the home she’d made with the rebels, Tonna was used to being feared and mocked.
“Quiet!Idemandquiet!” Filip held up his hands, and because he was the next lord of the southlands and everyone in the city recognized him, people did, in fact, fall quiet.
“My father has pardoned these people! We’re in an alliance with the Princesses Isolde and Thyra Falk, and these fae are loyal to them. You will not harm them. You will not violate them. And if you do, there will besevererepercussions.” Filip stared into the crowd, as if daring them to say otherwise. “We are allies now, and the people of the Golden City will treat them as such!”
Grumbles came from those who called Myrr home, but no one spoke out. No one struck again.
“Now,” Sian broke the tension-filled silence. “If the Myrranese could give us some space to get these people settled in, it would be appreciated.”
A few bowed or curtsied to their lordlings, chastened. Notable others, however, tossed sour looks over their shoulders as they left. Only when the last subject of Myrr was gone did I relax.
“Bac, Luccan, and the Valkyrja, get the travelers settled please.” They nodded at my command and shuffled people into the apartment. Once I stood alone with the Balik males, I spoke freely. “We’ll need to set up a larger guard right away. I don’t trust that nothing will happen if we leave the rebels alone. But I don’t want them to feel as if they can’t leave to do something as simple as taking a walk either.”
Myrr might not be their forever home, but it was their home for now.
“Agreed,” Filip exhaled. “We’ll leave half the guard that came with us, and I’ll speak to my father about creating a rotation.”
Sian gave his younger brother an approving look. “They’ll be safe. We promise. It might take the Myrranese some time, but they’re a peaceful people.”
Yes, but uncertain times could change people. War could too. Still, there was nothing to do but proceed with the plan, and hope that we’d made the right choice in bringing everyone to the Golden City.
Chapter 20
ISOLDE
My fingers trembled as tendrils of shadows spun from their tips to retrieve a goblet.
“Almost there, Isolde.” Thyra leaned so far forward on the settee in my quarters that she was in danger of tipping off. “I can’t believe this is happening.”
After days of reading the book bound with Shadow Fae skin and practicing as often as we could, my sister and I had both managed to call tendrils of shadow magic out of our bodies. And about fifty percent of the time, those emerging shadows would listen to what we wished.
The end effect was much like when we used Sassa’s Blade. However, this power came from within us and not a bloodthirsty sword that King Érebo imbued with his magic for his mate. Then again, using the dark tendrils didn’t sit particularlyrightwith us either.
My sister and I agreed that shadow magic felt oily and off. Nothing like our crisp and clean winter magic. Like something that had forced its way into us and was not truly a part of us. Not yet anyway.
Had Falks in the past felt that too? Had they known about this dark power hidden deep within our lineage and embraced it? I didn’t think we’d ever find out. They wouldn’t risk writing about such things. Not even in personal journals. The Shadow Fae had a poor reputation, and wielding their magic would not be in favor.
Will not be in favor,I reminded myself as I focused on the goblet, the rim stained with red wine. I commanded the tendrils to pick up the vessel and bring it to me.
The shadows swooped around the vessel, caressed it, and I felt the coolness of metal and glass against my own fingers, smooth and faceted. An odd sensation since I wasn’t touching the materials, except through my magic. I tried not to let that strangeness distract me and instead made my request again.
Pick it up. Bring it back.
The tendrils tightened their hold and the goblet hovered in the air and floated my way. I held my breath. Thyra’s excitement seemed to mount as the object of focus got closer and closer. When the shadows stopped in front of me, I reached out and took the vessel in my hand. I turned to my sister and beamed.
“Nice job.” She returned my smile. “I think we’ve got a handle on this. At least for small tasks.”
“Repetition is key,” I agreed.
“How do you feel?”
“Fine. Not tired.” When we’d first started practicing with shadow magic, our attempts had wiped us out within minutes, but I had built up a tolerance.
