I can’t help but be impressed. Her and Grey’s loyalty to Orion is absolute. It doesn’t matter how powerful and dangerous Draven is. Unless Orion gives them permission, they won’t even answer his questions. It’s subtle, yet obvious at the same time. They truly do respect him. I haven’t really thought much about itbefore, but the more time I spend with Orion, the more I’m starting to realize that he is actually an excellent Unseelie King.
Only after Orion has given her a nod does she turn back to Draven and answer his question. “Yes, I think so. Normally when I search for pocket realities, I kind of just… shoot my magic around and see if I find anything.” She blushes. “Kind of like throwing food at the wall to see what sticks.”
Draven gives her a look of frustrated disbelief that seems to be a very sarcasticoh great.
She either doesn’t notice or isn’t bothered by it, because she just continues speaking. “But now that we’re here, it’s easier for me to narrow my search to just this location. So if there is a pocket reality somewhere here, I should be able to find it.”
“How long?”
“Probably before the end of the day, at least.”
He stares at her. “Before the end of the day? Bane and Jessina might already be here by then!”
“Then let’s stop wasting her time with pointless questions,” Orion interjects. Then he turns to Hana. “Find the pocket reality.”
She jerks her chin down in several quick nods. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
Her black hair flutters behind her as she spins around and then walks a short distance away. Closing her eyes, she stretches out both hands before her. I can’t see her magic, but I’m assuming that she is throwing it in that direction to search the area there.
“Azaroth’s fucking flame,” Draven mutters, and drags a hand through his messy black hair.
Ash swirls around our legs as another wind rushes across the barren landscape. I look up at the sky, searching for any signs of silver dragons, even though I know that we have a good head start on the Icehearts. Only thick gray clouds stare back at me.
“How did the Gold Clan even get into a pocket reality?” Isera asks. “They only have shield and ward magic. And none of the other dragon clans have magic that can open pocket realities.”
She’s right. Before we came to the Unseelie Court, I had never met anyone who possessed that ability, so it must be pretty rare. It’s a very advanced type of magic too. Hana explained how it works before she sent us into one of her pocket realities during the finale of the Great Games. Apparently, she can reach into another realm and pull a section of that realm into our realm. That section is still technically part of its original realm, but no one can enter or leave it while it’s held in the new realm.
It would definitely be the perfect place for the Gold Clan to hide. But Isera is right. How in Mabona’s name did they manage to get inside one?
“It must have been a fae who did it,” I say, thinking out loud.
Draven nods, a considering look on his face. Then he locks eyes with Orion. “What did you pay for the wards around your court all those millennia ago? You said that it was the single most expensive bargain your court has ever made.”
“It was,” Orion replies.
“So what did you pay for it?”
For a few seconds, the Unseelie King only looks back at us in silence. There is an unreadable expression on his beautiful face. Then he lets out a small sigh and admits, “I have no idea.”
Draven draws his dark eyebrows down in a scowl. “What?”
“That’s what makes it so expensive. The single most expensive bargain we have ever made. Because none of us have any idea what we gave them in return for it.”
My eyebrows shoot up, and I stare at him in surprise. So do the others. Everyone except Grey. And Hana, of course, who is wandering over to a different section of the ground.
Orion clicks his tongue and glances away for a second, almost looking a little embarrassed. “We keep meticulous records of all the bargains we make.” His gaze sharpens as he slides it back to Isera and pointedly adds, “Because wealwaysuphold our end of the deal.” Then he looks over at me and Draven again and shrugs. “But the price section of the bargain for the wards is blank. It always has been. So I have no idea what we paid for it.”
“Do you think…?” I begin.
He nods. “Yes. Now I’m starting to think that the cost was a fae who opened a pocket reality and then for the Green Clan to wipe that knowledge from the memories of everyone involved. Otherwise, how would the Green Clan know about this pocket reality while we don’t?”
“It makes sense,” Draven agrees. “The Green Clan is honorable. Always has been. Unless their archives are threatened, they would never use their powers on someone without that person’s permission. But if the Unseelie King back then agreed to have that specific knowledge wiped from his memory, they would do it.”
“And now their archivesarethreatened,” Isera points out.
“Yes.” Draven casts an impatient look back at Hana. “Which means that we need to find the Gold Clan first.”
That, however, turns out to be easier said than done.
