“In Blackthorn’s office, actually,” I bit as I tried to move around him.
He held his palm up, trying to cool me down, as usual.
I hated to admit he’d had to do so more than a friend should.
“What is everyone yapping about this morning?” I growled through my teeth.
“Well, wherever you were last night must have been far and removed from here, because the whole place has beenjumpingwith the news,” he said as he held my gaze.
“Get on with it Aiden...”
“It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but... the rumor has it the Queen of Lir has resurfaced,” he said with excited eyes.
My blood ran cold.
It had been nearly twenty years since the fall of what was revered as a powerful kingdom. I was only a child, but I’d heard the stories my parents touted about the missing princess, the siege of the kingdom itself, which lay empty when the dark faeries arrived.
As if they’d never been there at all..
“She is alive?” I asked, skeptically. I didn’t like to give much stock to rumors.
“Yeah, apparently. And that’s not the half of it, they think... they think they might’ve found the princess. You know... the one who went missing.”
The earth dispersed from beneath my feet as my knees threatened to buckle, and overwhelming sense of dread mingling with my fury.
No, it couldn’t be...
Violet’s letter had mentioned being sworn to secrecy, but there was no possible way she could have been talking about...
Blackthorn has quite a lot of explaining to do.
“I must go,” I said as I moved around him, making my way through the crowd of students with a one-track mind, and a stomach full of fire.
I didn’t even bother knocking as I waltzed past Blackthorn’s secretary, throwing the doors open to find the woman animatedly speaking with what looked like some cross of secret service and an actual flying monkey.
No, a dark faerie.
My blood rushed instantly at the sight, and I could feel my inner beast begging to come out...
“If you’ll excuse us, Monty,” she said plainly, and the faerie nodded in response, skittering away as fast he could.
I snarled as he passed me, my anger full fledged like a living, breathing thing.
“Where is she...” I said, fuming.
“Perfectly on time. Take a seat, Bane,” she said, as if I hadn’t just stormed into her office like a mad hatter.
Which only aggravated me more.
“I will fucking stand, thank you very much.”
The sound of three voices carried behind me, which only made me more self-conscious of the fact I felt as if I was about to break into a thousand pieces.
I knew I was speaking out of turn, but at the moment I didn’t care. The only thing I truly cared about was myanam cara.
If something happened to Violet...
I’d never forgive this place.
