“And now he prepares for war.”
“If what the spies say is accurate,” I scoff, turning toward the Woodland Fae. Mal frowns but remains quiet. It’s Fenrir who looks affronted. “No disrespect to Mal’s resources, you’ve done well. But we both know our kind are better suited to the actual task of espionage and war.”
“Do you have a better option?” my father asks, chin planted onto his fist.
“We send our own spies,” I retort, shrugging. “It’s not hard to verify the information.”
“Our information has been verified,” Fenrir cuts in, holding a hand up as if to stop the flow of conversation.He’s always had to have the spotlight.“Our spies are sound. Griffin grows panicked over the last battle. He’s barricading himself into his kingdom, forgoing the other allies. Allies he made at the summit you infiltrated.”
My father grins, pleased at how well his—my—plan worked to gain access to the Lone Human King.
“Who are his allies?” I ask, looking to my uncle as he comes to my side. “Surely, your spies know this.”
“The Witch Covens.”
“Which?” I drawl, crossing my leg over my knee. Do I need to dig at the Woodland Fae? No. But it’s soothing a part of my soul that hungers for pain.
It’s better than letting my thoughts wander to my mate. Or to the burning bond in my chest.
Mal steps forward, hand on his sword. I don’t think he means todo it, but my father eyes it warily. To put him at ease, I call forth my magic, eyes submerging black.
“He’s aligned himself with the Freemantle, Greenbriar, and the Blackwoods. But he has pulled resources from the Covens.” Meaning he no longer supports them and has left them to flounder.
A niggling of guilt curls around my gut. “How does the Blackwoods Coven fair?”
Mal shakes his head. “You know our spies are not so well trained. We have little need of them since the Dark Fae take the brunt of the battles. But from what we can deduce, their shields are down. The village is still rebuilding, and without the King’s protection?—”
“They’re vulnerable.”Godsdammit. “And you’re certain?”
He sighs. “We intercepted a raid not too long ago. Only a few Humans, looking to take women in the night. Without those shields, the Coven is in danger. It’s only a matter of time before more come to test their resistance.”
“And how does this affect us?” Zelos interrupts, grabbing a chalice off his massive desk. “The Witches forsaken us centuries ago during the Great War. Why should I care if a Coven is being left to fall while our enemy stockpiles his weaponry to harm my people?”
“That Coven is your future queen’s family,” I growl, keeping my tone in check, even as my claw shred the armchair.
Granted, Taylay is a moron for fearing my mate, and the new Matriarch seems to be hiding things from her as well, but they’re still her family. She mourns for them, misses them; I’m not so cruel not to see how being without them affects her.
I’m a bastard, but even I know of their shared bond.
“Will it cause her to… retaliate?”
There’s a slip of fear in my father’s eyes and I relish it.
He may want to keep Max, use her, but he’s also afraid of what she can do. We’ve gotten lucky he hasn’t questioned her lack of rebuttal—my father’s arrogance is astounding—but he knows how dangerous she is. How one wrong move would result in her crushing hischest.
He’s frightened of my kitten and that gives us power over the king.
“It may.” I lean back, keeping my face bored. “Max is very protective of her Coven. She has family there. If something were to happen…” I let myself trail off, shrugging.
Zelos bites his inner cheek, mulling over my insinuation. I can’t push him too hard, but wait for him to take the bait. There’s a brief pause before he gestures to my uncle. “Can you prepare spies to inspect the Coven? Provide feedback on their condition?”
Oslo bows deeply. “Of course, my King. We only need hours to send them out.”
“Do so.” Oslo turns to relay the communication to one of our guards at the door as my father levels a stare at me. “We’ll also need eyes on Griffin. We need to know everything he’s doing. If he prepares for war, then we must.”
“Are we not already doing that, Father?”
Zelos locks eyes with me, his hand crushing the metal. “I want all possibilities covered. I leave that to you, my heir.”
