I have to see this through. Even if it’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. Even if I’m risking everything for a woman I’ve accused of betrayal.
The wind bites at my face as we fly back toward the deadlands. Back toward the Shadow Court.
Back toward her.
37
Isla
The castle rises. Towers go upward into the darkness. It’s thankfully a moonless night, and even though the stars are shining bright, it serves me well. I plan on taking full advantage.
I crouch in the shadows at the base of the outer wall, my back pressed against rough stone. My magic hums beneath my skin, eager and ready. I’ve wrapped myself in it, bending the darkness around my body like a cloak. Anyone looking in my direction would see nothing but shadows.
Getting past the outer guards was easier than I expected. They patrol in predictable patterns, their torches leaving wide swathes of darkness between their rounds. I slipped through one such gap without incident.
Now comes the hard part.
I tip my head back and study the castle’s facade. Towers, battlements, narrow windows glowing with candlelight. My mother is somewhere inside those walls. The woman who raised me. The woman I thought dead for so many summers.
I take a deep breath, then I reach for my magic and let it lift me.
I don’t need my silks anymore. The shadows obey my call, solidifying beneath my feet like steppingstones made of darkness. The air responds to my firefae blood, creating currents that support my weight and guide my movements.
I rise along the castle wall, silent as a whisper.
My hands find holds in the rough stone, but I barely need them. The magic does most of the work. I swing from one ledge to another, my body moving with ease.
The first tower I reach is the tallest spire of the keep. It is where the king would live, but since there is no king, I suspect that the Ruler General might occupy these large quarters. I find a window with shutters slightly ajar and ease it open, slipping inside.
The chamber is large and lavish. A four-poster bed sits in the center, its curtains drawn back to reveal silk sheets and embroidered pillows. Everything is pristine. Untouched and empty. There is no fire in the hearth and no candles burning.
I move through the room on silent feet, still using my magic to keep me hidden. There’s no sign of habitation at all. In fact, it looks like it was recently cleaned.
I slip back out the window and continue my search, using my shadows to rappel down the side of the tower and back up the next one.
The next section holds offices and meeting rooms. Even at this late hour, there’s light through some of the windows. I give these chambers a wide berth. My mother wouldn’t be housed among administrative spaces.
I swing around a corner and find myself facing a smaller tower. It’s not as grand as the keep, but it’s positioned well, with views over the courtyard below. A solar, most likely. Private apartments for those of high standing.
One window sits slightly open, letting in the night air.
I walk around the tower, preparing to ascend, when I hear someone approaching. I press myself flat against the exterior wall, wrapping shadows tighter around my form.
Two guards round the corner.
“Did you hear that?” one asks.
My lungs burn. I don’t dare breathe.
“Wind, probably,” the other says. “It’s picked up since darkfall.”
They pass just in front of me. If the one closest to me moved even an inch to the right, he would brush against me.
“The Ruler General has us jumping at shadows,” the first guard mutters. “Ever since the battle, she’s had patrols doubled.”
“Can you blame her? Her own daughter turned traitor. The little wench helped the Shadowfae King escape. There’s an even bigger bounty on the girl’s head now.”
My chest constricts.
