He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back in his chair. “It is not ideal, but there is no otherway.”
“Are you sure about that?” I asked, bracing my arms on the table. “Because surely there must be an alternative. And if we can provide a different way to the Dark Fae, then theywon’t…”
Kael leaned forward and spread his hands across the table. “Then, they won’twhat?”
Heart hammering, I turned to face my instructors. Only Rourke knew the truth about my morning in the mountains. “I met a Dark Fae yesterday. He came to warn me that the King plans to invade this realm. He knows I’ve been trying to help the Redcaps, and he wants to stop me from doing anything more. The only way to prevent the attack is to provide the Dark Fae with a different energysource...”
Kael slammed his fist onto the table and stood. Liam scowled. The Rebel beside me let out a low chuckle, a harsh sound that scraped against my eardrums. Slowly, I stood from my chair as my heart pounded in my chest. I braced my hands on the table and met each of the fae’s eyes in turn. None of them looked happy, and I couldn’t blamethem.
Ungus turned his glowering gaze upon Rourke. “Is thistrue?”
Rourke gave a nod. The two of them had worked as Rebels together. Even though my mate had left them long ago, Ungus still seemed to have at least an inkling of respect forhim.
“So, the Dark Fae are invading,” Ungus said. “Let me guess. You share Marin’s belief that we should end theTithe.”
I swallowed hard. “Yes.”
“So, he’s coming here to kill you.” With a slight shake of his head, the Rebel pushed up from the table and grabbed his cloak from the back of his chair. “As sorry as I am to see the daughter of Marin slaughtered by the hands of those males, there’s nothing for it. And it has nought to do with the Rebels or the Autumns. I’ll be taking my leavenow.”
As he turned to go, I raised my voice and let the ice of winter drip into my words. “Unfortunately for you, he won’t stop with me. He plans to rule Otherworld. Last time I checked, you and the Autumns are very much a part of thisrealm.”
He froze, his back stiff and straight. “He plans to ruleOtherworld?”
“That’s what his sonsaid.”
Ungus sneered. “Fine. I will send for my men, but don’t for one second believe this has anything to do with you. This is for Otherworld and nothingmore.”
Chapter Nineteen
Iwoketo the sky beginning to lighten, all too aware that it was just one day before the Dark Fae’s attack on this realm. We had just enough time to gather our forces and build a makeshift army before the King and his fighters would arrive. I couldn’t help but recall the dream I’d had back at the Academy, the one that made me wake up in a cold sweat. The battlefield. The rivers of blood. That chaos-filled fae cresting thehill.
My heart clenched tight in my chest. Had that been some kind of omen of things to come? A vision of the future we were about tosee?
I shook my head and climbed out of the bed, padding over to the frosted windows to stare out at the snowy landscape of the Winter Court.No, I decided. It wasn’t a warning or a vision or anything of the sort. Ungus had sent for his Rebels. The Spring and Summer representatives had sent for as many Hunters as they could gather in time. And the Winters had plenty of fighters to round things out. Not to mention the snow just kept onfalling.
The weather was our greatest asset here. The Dark Fae would be forced to trek up the mountain in knee-deep snow, the cold seeping in through their clothes and their boots. Kael had told me they didn’t have winters there like we hadhere.
Maybe, just maybe, we could win thisthing.
If only I’d found a solution to our problem, but I’d come up empty in every book Iread.
So, we would have to fight. At least we had another day to getprepared.
“Norah.” Bree’s voice sounded from behind me. I whirled to find my best friend standing in the open doorway, her breath ragged, her cheeks dotted with pink. In an instant, I’d crossed the room, my heart rattling in my chest. I searched her eyes, confusion rippling through me. Why was shehere?
“Bree? What’swrong?”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she threw her arms around me to pull me close. Eyes wide, I slid my arms around her back and held ontight.
“I’ve been scared out of my mind, Norah,” she whispered into my hair. “Swear to me you’ll never again leave like that withoutme.”
I pulled back and looked into her tear-streaked face. “Did Alwyn not tell you where I’dgone?”
Not that I had told Alwyn a damn thing after the way she’d treated me. I had just assumed she’d know I went with mymates.
She sniffled and shook her head. “Not at first. I think she was afraid I’d go after you. And well, she was right. As soon as I found out you’d come here for the Starlight, because you thought you were going to turn into a Redcap…well, I was terrified. I had to come make sure you were okay. I thought you might need me. If you…well, you don’t look like you’vechanged?”
“Oh, Bree.” I wrapped my arms around her once again and pulled her close. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you I was going, but I didn’t have much time. My mates were going to go without me. I had to sneak out beforedawn.”
