Also, it was a relevant question.
If they, the uber-powerful Fae couldn't figure this out, then how was I supposed to?
"After he left, you father clawed back enough of our stronghold for us to have somewhere to retreat when needed," Callie said, gesturing to the surroundings.
Again, I detected fury from Travis.
Whatever issues he had, he didn't like my alleged father getting the credit for anything.
"So, he didn't abandon you entirely," I said to see what Travis would do.
He didn't disappoint. "Don't think because he made a small bolt hole for emergencies that it absolves him of his failures."
Yup, definitely a tender spot.
Travis stalked to the door. "Let's get moving. It'll be easier to show her than tell her."
Owen lumbered after him, Astrid skipping at his side.
Callie paused next to me. "I apologize for Travis. He was once close to Brin. He took his abandonment the hardest."
"What about you?"
Callie hesitated, sadness but not anger filtering through her emotions. "Brin had a great burden placed on him. I understood why he took the path he did."
"Yet, you're trying to reverse it now," I pointed out.
She glanced at Don where he waited next to the door. "Things have changed."
"What things?" I asked.
She shook her head. "You'll find out soon enough, I expect."
I gritted my teeth. Vague warnings and veiled hints. Two things I hated most.
The twins flanked me.
"Do you know something I don't?" I asked them in a low voice.
"We know many things you don't," they said as they moved past me.
Great. Callie wasn't the only one who insisted on being annoyingly vague.
Left with no choice, I followed them into the hallway, pausing to take in the magnitude of what I saw. The Keep was cold and silent, a mausoleum tainted by our mere presence.
Banners, faded and covered with dust, lined the walls. Large columns supported a ceiling shrouded in shadow.
Our footsteps echoed as we moved down the hall.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the flutter of wings as the shadow that had accompanied me back from the dark morphed into a black bird. It shot after us, clearing the door and lifting toward the ceiling.
After the first bug-eyed stare, I worked on ignoring it.
Bad enough I now saw emotions as clearly as I did color. I didn't want my hosts realizing I was also seeing things that shouldn't be there. No telling how they would react.
Why was it so interested in me, anyway?
I didn't get the sense it wished me harm.
