“Not lesser, truly. Those without much power didn’t like being subjected to the whim of those who had more. There was unrest, and war was brewing. That’s when the two factions formed a truce. Those with less power were given land to the west of faerie and their magic was suppressed. They didn’t want to use magic at all, but it’s not something you can take from someone.”
“Not without draining it beyond the point they recover,” Fury said dryly.
“The Claiming was part of the deal,” I said. “The lesser fae agreed to send a certain number of Nullens each year to be collared.”
“To be used as sources of energy or as servants,” Reyla said. “I can’t believe they agreed to something like that.”
“If they hadn’t, they wouldn’t have been allowed to leave, let alone live in peace.”
“And the powerless?” Layla asked. “Where do they come in?”
“They’re the dregs,” Fury said softly. “They were molded into those things by one of the fae rulers in the past, perhaps even when the treaty was formed. They’re the true Nullens, not those living in the middle part of the continent.” Her gaze swept across us all. “That’s why I don’t think we should kill them.”
“And now they can fly,” Zayde said. “As Airia pointed out, it’ll be nearly impossible to defeat them. At this point, I doubt they can be changed back.”
“Maybe.” Fury’s brow furrowed. “I keep thinking there must be a way, though I haven’t found any suggestions for how it could be done.” She looked up at me. “Are there books out there that might contain this information?”
I shrugged. “The king isn’t one for collecting old tomes, and I doubt he’d keep anything like that around for someone to find. I’ve already read the books he still has around, but there was nothing about the powerless inside them.”
“I think—” A rustling sound made Fury still.
Drask flapped his wings and released a shrill caw that made all of us jump.
My heart came to a stop then burst into speed, slamming against my ribcage.
A Liege shuffled into the room.
58
TEMPEST
As the Liege lurched into the room, his tattered robe brushing across the floor and his bones rattling, we burst to our feet.
I cast a ward, covering all of us, and I felt Vexxion reinforce it.
Drask left my shoulder but instead of flying at the creature, he soared up near the ceiling and flew in a crooked manner above the Liege and out of the room.
Vexxion’s threads snapped out. He grabbed the Liege, lifted him, and held him bound overhead. “Why are you here?” he asked in a voice that would make even the king shudder.
“You left before I could collect on our bargain, High Lord.” His words raked across my skin like jagged bones. “I’ve come to collect my fee.”
“Fee for what?” I snarled, stalking toward him with bladesin my hands. I’d killed three Lieges and would have no problem adding to that number.
Except . . .
I sucked in a breath and loosened my grip on my weapons. This was the LiegeI’dalso bargained with.
“Do you have something for me, my pretty?” he asked.
Vexxion growled and stepped between us, shaking the Liege with his threads. “She’s not part of our deal.”
“Of course not,High Lord.” He widened his maw, revealing jagged teeth. Fangs. A dark hole that sunk all the way to his spine. “It’s time to conclude our deal. One taste is not enough.”
“What did you promise him?” I asked. “And why didn’t I see this when I strolled through your mind?”
“You let her inside your mind?” Horror scraped through Zayde’s words. “That’s brave.”
“I would’ve given anything for those collars,” Vexxion told me. Seeing the dismay and hope for understanding in his eyes made my irritation drop.
