“Don’t worry. It’s just their monster bird thing. It’s harmless.” Emonie shuffles forward. “Actually…I’m not really sure that itisharmless, but it’s probably fine.”
The fae does a double take. “Emonie?”
“Hi, Karth,” she says with a small wave.
He shakes his head in disbelief. “Everyone saw the king take you. What the hell happened?” he asks, paling as he takes inher appearance. “Who did this to you?” His gaze instantly moves to us with open accusation.
“Not them, and not important right now,” she says dismissively. “How are you here in the city? Where are the Stone Swords?”
The fae seems like he doesn’t know quite where to look, his gaze bouncing around from between Emonie’s beaten body, Argo, and me. “Wick called all the Vulmin in. We have Lydia. We have…Annwyn, actually.”
Emonie rears back. “What? What do you mean?”
“Come in, Emonie,” he insists. “We need to get you to Parta. She can heal you.”
“I will, but first, where’s the Lyäri?”
I exchange a look with the others.Lyäri?
“And…” Emonie turns to look at me. “What was his name?”
“Slade. Slade Ravinger,” I say, stepping forward.
The fae blinks. “You his brother? You look just like him.”
I suck in a breath. I don’t know how I stay on my fucking feet. “Yes. Yes. I’m his brother,” I say in a rush. “Where is he?”
He pauses as all of us crowd around him, waiting for his answer with bated breath.
“Karth,” Emonie urges. “Where?”
“I’m sorry, Oreans,” he says with a shake of his head. “They left. Just a few hours ago, I think.”
The disappointment is so buckling that I stumble back. I hear Lu let out a sigh, and see Digby’s whole body slump.
They were here, and they left. Wejustmissed them…
“Left? Where did they go?” Emonie asks desperately. “I need to talk to the Lyäri!”
“Ryatt?”
My head jerks to the left. Then my eyes widen.
Slade halts in the middle of the street in front of me, mouth dropped open in surprise. His spikes are on his arms, rot lines crawling up his neck and scales along both his cheeks. He looks really,reallyfae. Pointed ears on display, all his features out at once.
My vision tunnels on him.
We both just stare at each other. Shocked into place. I blink over and over again to make sure I’m not seeing things.
Then he surges forward.
I’m barely able to take a few steps before Slade practically tackles me in a hug. I hug him back, arms constricting around him just to make sure he’s actually real.
“How the fuck are you here?” he asks with astonishment as he pounds me on the back before pulling away. “How are you all here?” he says before he turns to grip Lu in a hug too.
“Put those spikes away before you take out an eye,” she chastises, but she’s smiling, beaming with happiness.
His spikes disappear as he claps Osrik on the back next, his own face broken out into a smile.
