My father. Who raised me and loved me and will never understand the choice I’m making. Who will have to make his own choice between his daughter and his kingdom … and I already know which one he’ll choose.
“I know.”
“Cairn isn’t going to like this.”
“I know that too.”
He stares at me again. I hold his gaze.
Then his lips curve … and he laughs.
“Well, this just got interesting.”
FORTY
CAIRN
The map is still spreadacross the table from last night. Someone has put a red X through the location of the Dell, leaving only four black markers showing where the remaining preserves are. And now there’s another marker showing where the camp is that holds the Dell’s freed fae.
Other than Therin, everyone is here. Kaelith is sitting across from me, one ankle crossed over his knee. Vessara and Sorel are on the opposite side of the table. Vel is pacing the room.
“The fae you freed from the Dell. How many are there?” Kaelith asks.
“Fifty, give or take.”
“That’s more than we’ve ever had to work with at once, but our network should be able to handle it.”
“How long do you need?”
“If we do it the same way we handle the rest—in small groups, moving them across the kingdom, then three weeks. Maybe four, if we’re extra careful.” He leans forward and taps where the camp marker is. “Sorel knows the safest paths. Vessara can coordinate with our village contacts.”
Vel makes a sound from across the room, not quite a scoff, but close.
“Do you have something to add?” I turn to her. She shakes her head. I return my attention to Kaelith. “All right then. Start immediately. I’ve already asked Therin to stop at the camp on his way back. He’ll tell them to prepare.”
“And then what?” Vel stops pacing. “We settle fifty fae into hiding, and then we sit on our hands for another three hundred years? We need to make a decision on the preserves.”
“Vel—” Kaelith sighs.
“No. We talked about this last night, and didn’t decide anything. We need to?—”
I can still feel her body clenched around mine, hear her moans as I thrust deep, taste?—
I shake my head, forcing my attention back to the argument going on around me.
“My vote is for Thornwood.” Vel doesn’t wait for anyone else to speak. “It’s closest to the capital now that the Dell is gone. We take it, and the king will feel it. He wakes up to the news that another preserve has been burned to the ground, and the fae are gone.”
“And every soldier in the area will descend on us before we get away.” Kaelith’s voice is mild, but there’s a steel bite beneath. “Thornwood is too visible. Too close to power. We hit it first, and we’re declaring war before we’re ready to fight one.”
“We arealreadyat war. Do you think it ended when Underhill was sealed?”
“There’s a difference between fighting and suicide, Vel.”
“Is there?” Vel rounds on him. “Because from where I’m standing, your version of fighting looks a lot like hiding. One fae at a time, bought at auction like cattle. How many more centuries do you want to spend being careful, Kaelith?”
“As many as it takes to not get us all killed.”
“We’re already dying! Every day we wait, our people are dying in those cages. Every hunt, every auction, every time some human noble decides they want a new toy—” Her teeth snap together. “I’m done waiting. I’m done being patient while our people suffer. We’ll never be ready if we keep waiting for the perfect moment.”
