“My boy.” Moira fell to her knees, grasping at the earth. “This can’t be happening.”
A horn blew, long and loud. The deep, bellowing sound could only mean one thing.
The king was dead.
Moira looked up at me and it broke my heart to see the utter hopelessness and confusion in her eyes.
“Steady, my queen.” I lifted her into my arms and flew up, taking her back to her chambers where Anna and Ella sat on the bed next to a sleeping Olivia. The wound seemed to be closed enough to stop the bleeding.
Once they saw Moira, they flew over to her sobbing. Moira stared at the pixies, wide-eyed, skin paler than I’d ever seen.
“Anna,” I said, guiding Moira to sit in the nearby chair. “The king has been murdered by Stephani, but a guard saw me. They think I killed the king and will be searching for me.”
Anna glanced at Moira then back at me. “So tell them you didn’t!”
Squaring my shoulders, I stood straighter. “Words may not be enough.”
“No,” Moira reached for my hand, and I gave it to her. “I will not let them hurt you. Tallis, I need to finish this.”
Without her explaining, I knew exactly what she meant. “Where’s the crystal dagger?”
Moira slipped a hand into her left pocket then the right. “I . . . I don’t have it.”
“It must be back in the room. Stay here.”
Leaning down, I kissed her on the top of the head. “Tend to the wound on the queen’s wrist and shoulder. I’ll be back soon.”
I raced down the secret passageway that would lead me back to the king’s chambers. Using my wind ability, I moved quicker than normal. Slowly, I opened the passageway. Kyros’ eyes were closed, and he was slumped over on the floor. Kane kneeled on the ground, crying over him.
The door to the bedchamber was closed, no guards in sight.
I walked in. “Where are the guards?”
Kane looked up at me, his shoulders shaking. “I sent them away. Who did this? Who killed my father? Was it the same one that killed my sisters?”
“The witches. They had planned to eliminate everyone and take the queen’s place.”
His gaze moved to Stephani who laid on the floor. “I never liked them. Were you here when it happened?”
I shook my head.
“My mother was covered in blood. . . so are you.” Kane pushed aside the front of his father’s tunic, his brow narrowing before his gaze landed on something on the floor. He reached over and picked up the queen’s moonblade. “This is my mother’s.”
“It's not what you think. A lot has happened in your absence.”
He stood; black shadows wafted off his skin. Before we had sent him to the dryads, his elemental ability had not manifested, and now it did. “The wound in my father’s chest . . . that’s not from a normal blade.”
“Shadow magic,” I whispered, surprised he received that elemental power when it hadn’t been seen in the fae for generations.
“Yes, one of many things that happened during all the years my mother abandoned me.”
“It was days here.”
“I don't care! She should never have sent me away. And this is what I come back to? My father dead. Was this her plan the whole time? Kill my father without me around to stop her?”
By the bed, near the floor, lay the jeweled dagger. I’d need to move quick.
“She killed him.” Kane’s shoulders shook. “I knew she was jealous of the witches, but this . . . how could she? She will answer for her crimes. You both will.”
