Silas shrugged. “I think that’s a real possibility. It sowed confusion and doubt among the islanders, cast doubt on you. I’m not sure the reason it was there really mattered. It did what it was supposed to do, which was buy him time.”
“Do you have a guess when the Darkest Lord will attack? It must be soon.”
“There’s a blood moon in ten days,” Silas said. “If the Darkest Lord has already begun the spell to flesh-weave his army, and he can complete it before then, that could very well be the night he plans to attack. “
A chill rippled through me. Less than ten days to prepare. It wasn’t long enough.
“Any suggestions for the wards?” I asked, stifling the yawn that tugged at my jaw. “I need to be at Ranger HQ in a few hours, and I have no idea how to fix them.”
“It’ll be easier once you’re officially crowned. Combining your official Fae Queen magic with the power from your ancestors should help power the wards. In the meantime, I know Ranger X has brought in a specialist from the mainland who has already been working on ways to reinforce the wards through regular magic, our magic.”
“That’s probably who he wants me to meet with at HQ.”
“I imagine so. Alessia, let’s go to bed,” Silas said softly. “You’ll need some energy for the day ahead.”
When I didn’t respond, Silas stood from the couch and gently pulled me up with him. He guided me toward the bedroom where we first took a brief shower, standing in the hot water and letting it wash away the memories of the spirits. I watched the water swirl around the drain and disappear, thinking of how the spirits had vanished like smoke.
As I crawled into bed beside Silas, curled against his warm form, I felt gratitude to be bonded to this wonderful man for my lifetime. But my breath hitched as I thought about the approaching full moon, and I found myself wondering—what if the rest of my life was only ten more days?
two
Laterthatafternoon,Silasand I woke to the sound of birds chirping outside our window and a fresh breeze snaking through Wisteria Cottage. It was a perfectly pleasant afternoon, a deliciously slow way to start a day…if only our days weren’t numbered.
Silas and I dressed, said hello to Millie, ate the fortifying soup and garden salad she’d prepared for us, then quickly set out. We met Ranger X outside of the castle. He led us deeply into The Forest, and at one point, he opened a portal between two trees that apparently led to Ranger Headquarters. I wouldn’t be able to find it again if my life depended on it, which was probably the point.
Ranger HQ was quite probably situated below ground, though I’d learned locations and time on this island could be somewhat fluid. The building looked more corporate than I would’ve guessed, with sleek corridors and bright lights and shiny black marble everywhere.
Ranger X guided us to the main lobby and introduced us to Elle. As we were introduced, I recalled that this was the womanwho was supposedly part Fae. I studied the woman curiously, wondering if I’d be able to feel some sort of kinship with her based on our mutual ancestry.
As I laid eyes on Elle, I was shocked to discover she looked far,farmore like a Fae Queen than I ever could. Long silvery hair, legs for miles, a neat dress that showcased the whole bombshell package. When Elle smiled, it could stop a man’s heart.
After I shook her hand, I asked, “Do you know anything about your ancestors? I heard rumors you might have Fae blood in your veins, and I was just curious…”
Elle gave me a kind smile before I could finish my question. “I’m afraid there’s not much to say, and especially not much that will be of help to you. It’s believed that I have Fae blood in my lineage, but I’m afraid I don’t know any real details about it.”
“Of course. I understand.”
Elle spread her hands apologetically. “I wish I could be of more help. However, my life is far more normal than most people would suspect. I wish I had more knowledge of my ancestors, of yours, of Fae Queens in general or in the way your magic might work, but I simply don’t. Unfortunately, it’s a very understudied topic, especially in the last few centuries.”
I gave her a sympathetic smile. “That’s what I’ve come to understand.”
Elle proceeded to check me into Ranger HQ, and once I was all set with passes and the proper credentials, Ranger X led me down hallways that crissed and crossed and zigged and zagged.
As we walked, I could see no evidence of windows or outside light. I wasn’t sure if it was just this hallway or the whole building, but it felt locked down tight and heavily guarded. Even the click of my shoes in the silent corridor gave off a sense of foreboding.
Eventually, X ushered us into a laboratory-like space where Rangers in white coats bustled about, foregoing their usual blackattire. I stood in awe, taking in the busy, sterile space. Flames of every color danced in midair, beakers hovering over them. Machines I had never seen before whirred, contraptions buzzed. Liquids boiled and gurgled and spit. It was like visiting Lily’s storeroom, but on major scientific steroids.
I stopped short. I didn’t want to move too fast for fear I’d break something.
“This is where some of the scientists and engineers work,” Ranger X explained. “It’s where, for example, they’ve been dissecting the crimson lycanthrope and the kraken that attacked you. Where they identified the magically altered genes.”
“Have you made any progress in finding the person who created those creatures?”
“Some,” Ranger X said. “Nothing concrete yet, but we have a few tenuous leads. Only a handful of people can do work this advanced without a major laboratory, so it’s a small list to investigate. It will just take a lot of manpower to follow up on that list as these people also do not make themselves easy to find.”
“I wonder if, by chance,” I said, glancing between Silas and Ranger X, “the magic used to alter a lycanthrope might be the same sort of expertise involved in the Darkest Lord creating a spirit army that can cross realms?”
Ranger X and Silas exchanged a look over my head.
