“And what is your little ‘network’ planning to do about the tyrant prince sitting on his stolen throne?” Larch asked bitterly. “Why should we risk our lives for a drop in the bucket, when the humans won’t risk theirs to get rid of him? He won’t stop until he’s dead.”
Will sighed and pushed hair back from his face. “We aren’t strong enough yet. We don’t have the numbers to even take on the Iron Fist, never mind the regular army he could call up, without risking innocent lives. People are still too afraid to take up arms.”
“What about Rykard?” Aliena asked. “Your absent prince? Where is he while his brother terrorizes and murders his people?”
“Tuck said his contacts are trying to get a message through, but…again, that takes gold, and time. There aren’t many who will risk the Fair Folk to carry a treasonous message to an exiled prince, and Johar’s men control every port, every ship.”
“Then maybe your cowardly countrymen aren’t worth saving,” Larch spat. Will shoved his chair back and faced the faun, who was shorter than him, but much older and stronger. Luckily, Jon was bigger than both of them combined, and calmly stepped in.
“Sitdown, billy goat,” he snapped at Larch, who immediately raised his hands and leaned back on the wall.
“Fighting amongst ourselves is hardly helpful,” I told them. “We either do this or we don’t.”
“Youwon’t be doing anything, Mayhem,” Devil said.
“Excuse me?”
Aliena pounded her fist on the table and called, “We need a vote! There are plenty of folk in the Hollow who would risk themselves for this type of mission. They’ll follow Rob—I mean…Devil, and Jon, no matter what it is. All those in favor of taking the caravan and using the gold to help Nottingham?”
Devil and I raised our hands immediately, followed by Jon and Aliena.
Will raised his too, but Jon pushed it down gently and whispered, “You don’t get a vote, love.”
Without putting his hand up, Larch said, “If I’m going to do this, I want them to find Celia.”
“Larch…” said Devil in a delicate tone. “I looked—”
“You want me on this mission?” the faun growled. “I want my fucking wife back.”
“Deal,” said Will. “You tell me who to look for and I’ll pass the information to Tuck. I promise. If she’s…still alive, he’ll find her.” He put his hand out and Larch hesitated before shaking it.
“Nine days,” said Devil firmly. “Jon, Larch, pick a crew. A dozen. No more. We keep this small, light, and quick.” Larch poked his head outside to see if the rain had stopped, then left the house followed by Jon. Will just lingered by the table,his eyes on me. Aliena seemed to notice, and seized Devil by the edge of his wing, pulling him out of the cottage in spite of his protests.
“May, I’m so sorry,” sighed Will once they were gone.
“What for?”
“I just…” He waved vaguely at the cottage. “I know you found a home here. I’m sorry to come back into your life and upend everything this way.”
“You haven’t upendedanything, sweet Will,” I murmured. “Trust me, I’ve found plenty of problems here too. They do seem to follow me around.” With a reassuring smile, I took his hand and we went outside to begin planning our grand heist.
Chapter thirty-eight
Weapons & Wanting
When Ceres returned withMyrtle and Vale, they brought a basket full of tiny, steaming pies filled with mushrooms, wild carrots, and potatoes. She directed Jon, Devil, and Larch to carry Aliena’s table outside so that we could all enjoy a meal together, since the biting cold of the past week had softened, and the rain clouds had rolled south. Devil’s concern that she might catch wind of our new plan seemed to be allayed by the offer of a home-cooked meal, and he adorned the clearing in undulating streams of golden light. While Jon and Will went to fetch extra plates and cutlery from the oak tree, and Ceres recruited Larch to collect berries for dessert, Aliena and I were left to sit at the table. We sipped hot, mulled cider and watched Myrtle and Vale chase Devil’s magyk fireflies around the clearing.
“Did you know…about Jon and Will?” I asked her quietly.
“Yes,” she answered, “and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you when we were gossiping anyway. Jon swore me to secrecy. He thought you might rip his head off with those shadows.”
She smirked and I burst out laughing. “Oh, as if I could!”
“Isn’t that what you’ve been learning with Oberon? How to beat a man into submission?”
“Well…no,” I admitted, rolling my eyes. “He says my power wasn’t meant as a weapon, so I have to learn to control it fully before I do anything else.”
“I suppose he’s right, but…I don’t think Devil will let you anywhere near this job if you don’t know how to at least defend yourself.”
