They should coat the arrow tips with poison.
“When will you leave?” Reyla asked, slipping into the command position already. If I was going to build an army, I couldn’t choose anyone better than her to lead it.
Brodine, too, though he was more a trainer and strategist than a leader. That’s why he’d been such a formidable Wraithweave player. He knew the ins and outs of each game piece, plus he was good at using their power to win in a way that used to irritate whoever he played with. They might hate him for winning all the time, but they’d admired his skill with the game.
I stood. “I’ll leave now if that works well for all of you.”
Airia nodded, pensive. Brodine grunted, his flinty gazetraveling from my mating mark to its match on Vexxion’s wrist lying on the countertop.
Reyla got up and rounded the island to give me a hug. “I won’t leave his side,” she whispered by my ear.
I pinched my eyes shut but only for a moment. Whatever I faced needed to be stared down with my eyes wide open. “I’ll come back as soon as possible.”
I quickly drew in power, pictured the waiting area outside the commander’s office, and flitted.
10
TEMPEST
Ilanded near the doorway to the hall outside the commander’s office.
A rider sitting in one of the chairs bolted to his feet and shot me a glare. “Fucking fae.”
Grinning, I gave him a sweeping bow. “That’s me, a fucking fae.” My laugh burst out, a touch shrill, but I wasn’t used to being anything but Nullen. “I’m here to see the commander.”
“You’ll have to wait. I’ve got an appointment with her, and she’ll—”
“Tempest?” someone said from my left.
Turning, I stared at Jessia, the team leader who’d led the raid where Kinart died.
“What are you doing here?” Her gaze fell to my neck, and she frowned. “You went to the Claiming. Last I heard, you’d gone to faerie and were claimed by the man who joined uswhen we raided the dregs.” Her eyes flicked away from mine. “The one where . . .”
“I’m here to see the commander,” I said. “I won’t take long. I bring startling news from faerie, something the commander needs to hear right away.”
She stepped backward into the office. “Come in. I’ll see you shortly, Davon,” she told the rider.
He huffed but sat in his chair once more, his glare raking down my back as I strode into the commander’s office.
Jessia settled in the chair behind the desk as I shut the door. “Welcome. I think.” Her face tightened. “I’m the new commander, by the way. I don’t believe you knew that when you left.”
No, because the old commander had just been eliminated by Vexxion.
“Congratulations.” I couldn’t think of anyone who’d do the job better than her.
“Thank you.” She gestured to the seat opposite her desk, and I took it. “What can I do for you? News from faerie, you said. Do you now work with the king?”
“I’m still with Vexxion, the man who claimed me.”
Her sharp gaze met mine. “The one who allowed all of us to believe he was Nullen.”
“Yes, well . . . We recently left Bledmire Court.” A diplomatic way to put it. “And what I have to tell you is going to be difficult to believe.”
Her penetrating gaze only dug deeper. “I don’t believe there’s much you can tell me that I wouldn’t believe about the fae, but please, enlighten me.” She eased back in her seat andrested her hands on the arms, though her posture remained tight.
“The fae king was working with the Lieges,” I said.
“I knew this.”
