She lifts her hands. “Well, of course. I won’t pry.”
Now that the Queen has delivered her news about the dragons, and I have my answers about why the fae are in the west, I’m keen for this conversation to end.
“I’m leaving first thing tomorrow morning,” I say. “The Vandawolf will come with me.”
His old name doesn’t come easily to my tongue, but I’m not sure if he wants his real name shared.
“Good,” Karasi says. “I’ll have armor and weapons delivered to your room in the morning.” She clears her throat pointedly. “I ask that you take the shortest route from the castle and into the mountains to avoid encountering more of my people than necessary. They do not trust Blacksmiths. Elowynn can show you the way.”
“That’s fine with me.” I pause. “However, I’ve made it clear that my family’s safety is paramount to me. If you want me to succeed, I can’t be distracted by concerns for them.”
She lifts her hands. “I’ve granted them safety here.”
“But by your own admission, your people don’t trust Blacksmiths.”
She shrugs.
“I will encourage them to leave this place,” I say. “In accordance with our deal, you will not try to stop them if that’s what they choose to do.”
She inclines her head. “Agreed.”
“I would speak with them now. In private. Without listening ears.”
“Of course.” Again, Karasi nods. “I’ll clear the room and instruct my Frost fae to restrict their power. But…” She purses her lips at me, as if she’s a little puzzled. “At the risk of discussing personal matters again, you keep referring to your ‘family,’ yet Thaden Kane is no relation of yours, is he?”
“I consider Thaden Kane to be family, too,” I say firmly.
She shrugs, as if she doesn’t really care. “I simply wanted to clarify.”
She turns and heads back toward the arched opening, but there, she pauses.
Within the room, Erik is visible. He’s made his way to the other side of the space and is now speaking with my brother. They’ve taken themselves away from the table and appear to be in deep discussion.
“I wonder…” Karasi says, pressing a well-manicured finger to her lips. “Did the Vandawolf really hold you captive? Or was it the other way around?”
My forehead creases, but I remind myself that the Fae Queen is a master manipulator. Although I’m not sure what kind of seed she wants to plant in my mind with that comment.
She arches an eyebrow at me but doesn’t wait for my response before she glides back into the room, claps her hands for attention, and begins crying orders. “Thank you, my darlings, for an excellent evening! You will all take yourselves off now and leave Asha Silverspun and her family in peace.” She gives a light laugh. “No listening in, my dears. We don’t want to make our guests uncomfortable.”
It's a light order, but the look she gives Elowynn is steely.
Elowynn nods and quickly ushers the other fae from the room, including her sister. When the Queen follows, Elowynn shuts the door behind them, finally leaving me alone with my family.
I don’t have much hope that every word we saywon’tbe relayed back to the Queen, so I decide to guard my tongue where I can.
My sister has remained at the table and Thaden now sits beside her, both facing me. As are Erik and Gallium.
I tell myself to be factual, to keep my emotions out of it, but it’s not so easy now that light and dark are finely balanced within my mind.
“I… Um…” I’ve barely opened my mouth when Gallium hurries across the room toward me and gathers me up in a hug. The strength in his embrace reminds me how much he’s changed over the last ten years. Erik was right when he said that my brother would be an asset in the fight ahead of me, but I’m even more certain now that he can’t come with me.
“The Vandawolf said it was safe to hug you,” he explains before he clasps me tighter.
“It is.” I exhale my tension and accept my brother’s embrace. It feels like a lifetime since we parted in the Sunken Bog. But he has remained the same. Loyal and steadfast.
Gallium draws away a little, but now his features are tense. “The Vandawolf also told me you plan on leaving us behind.”
“Yes.” As I speak, I know that Tamra and Thaden are listening. “I’m even more certain about it now that I’m aware the humans have dragons.”
