“Similar to a gun perhaps,” Raza shook his head. “But these bullets are poisonous. They kill slowly.”
“Is there an antidote?” Councilman Ray Teagan surprised me by asking a sensible question. He was a bit of an ass normally.
“Only one,” Raza answered. “It's a fairy flower called suvanis. A single petal will combat the enchantment if taken within an hour of being struck.”
“And if it's not taken fast enough?” Murdock asked.
“Death is assured,” Bress ground out.
“Damn it all,” Murdock hissed.
“Can you get us some of these flowers, Dragon King?” Killian asked Raza.
“Possibly a few,” Raza narrowed his eyes. “Why?”
“I think we're going to need a lot more than a few,” Killian put the elf-shot down and slid it into the center of the table. It spun, casting sparkles in all directions before it went still. “Moire has just declared war, and she has an elf army to back her.”
Chapter Two
War. Three letters. Such a tiny word to encapsulate so much tragedy. As an extinguisher, I was raised to defend the truce which prevented war. Then I became Princess of Twilight, the Kingdom integral to keeping the peace between the Kingdoms of Seelie and Unseelie. As if that wasn't enough, I was made Ambassador between the realms and races. My existence is centered around peace. Which ironically involves me in its opposite quite often.
I sat silently through the angry discussion on Moire and the threat of war. Fists pounded the long council table, voices became strident, and expressions shifted into antagonistic territories. The mere mention of that three-letter word had instigated an argument among allies.
“Cease,” I said softly, wearily. Then, when no one listened, I stood and shouted, “Knock it off! You're behaving like a bunch of buffoons.”
The room went quiet. All except Cat, who started growling to emphasize my point.
“Buffoons?” Karmen mouthed silently at me with a horrified expression.
“Princess Seren is right,” High Councilman Murdock sighed. “None of this is helping. We need to come up with solutions, not start casting about accusations.”
“Blame is always easier to throw than to shoulder,” Raza said. “I will gather the flowers for you, and speak to the dark elves. That is the extent of what I can do for now.”
“Can I record you gathering flowers?” Killian smirked. “A video of the Unseelie King prancing through the forest, picking fairy flowers, will go viral.”
“You're a child,” Raza glowered at Killian. “And if you wish to make it to adulthood, I recommend that you learn some respect for your elders. Or, at the very least, some manners.”
“It was just a joke, Dragon,” Killian rolled his eyes. “You don't have to go all uppity fey on me.”
“Killian,” I shook my head at him.
Raza started to make this grumbly, grating sound, low in his chest. One of the signs of impending doom for anyone dumb enough to try his patience.
“I'd be happy to pick some flowers for you,” Karmen offered Killian. “If you'd like someone to video.”
Raza snorted, the sound of doom drifting away. I breathed a sigh of relief as Killian glanced at Karmen in surprise. On the surface, it had appeared to be shameless flirtation, but Karmen Simmel hadn't been made a councilman because of his good looks. He was smart and subtle, even, and perhaps especially, when he seemed like he was being obvious. His little comment had just defused a potentially disastrous situation.
“I will take this information back to the Coven,” Jared Turner, Elder of Quake, said. “We'll call Head Councilman Murdock with our decision.”
“Decision?” I asked.
“Whether the witches will join this war or not,” Jared explained.
“Whetherthey'll join?” Murdock lifted his brows. “Are you kidding? You are in it, Elder Turner,whetheryou decide to be or not. That elf-shot will hurt your witches just as much as it will hurt my people.”
“Possibly,” Jared shrugged. “Possibly not. We have fey blood after all.”
“Not enough to save you,” Raza declared ominously. “The poison will react with your human blood. The more human blood you have, the more the poison will affect you.”
