“Two miles north of the border’s wall, almost as far east as one can go before falling into the Sea of Fomor. Except for the village of Oxgrove, of course, which is not far down the coast from here. But we won’t be paying them a visit, I’m afraid. Rumor has it they aren’t too fond of their wood king. So, if we want to find the army, it won’t be there.” Nollaig turned to point a gloved finger at the closely-packed trees just ahead. “That there is the Forest of Thorns. We’re several days’ journey from Craobhan if we head northwest. Two weeks to Murias if we go east.”
Reyna sighed. “And we’re going east, I imagine? To the capital?”
Nollaig glanced over her shoulder at the rest of their party. Lorcan had not yet returned from the shadows, and no one had even mentioned his disappearance since it happened. Which was more than fine with Reyna. She did not want to dwell on it more than she had to. Of course, that hadn’t stopped her from replaying their argument over and over again in her mind. The look on his face, pinched and angry. And then the softness that had soon followed when she’d almost fallen to her death.
She didn’t want to think too much about that.
“Tarrah?” Nollaig asked. “Anything new?”
“Not this again,” Reyna muttered to herself.
Tarrah, with her eyes shut tight against the world, nodded. “I thought we would need to go east, but it seems Unseelie has other plans for us. West it is.”
Reyna let out an audible sigh.
Tarrah’s eyes flew open, curiosity flickering in the darkness of her irises. “You do not want to go east. Why?”
“Because Murias is two weeks away, and then two more weeks return. My poor sister is trapped alone inside your castle. I can’t bear to imagine her inside a grungy dungeon cell with no hope, scared.”
“You wouldn’t be able to see her even if you were there, Princess,” Nollaig replied, albeit gently.
“I don’t care,” Reyna snapped. “At least I would be there instead of half a realm away.”
Tarrah frowned. “Princess Reyna…”
“I know what you’re going to say,” she said, cutting Tarrah off before she could prattle on about vows and commands. “I took a vow. I have to follow the king’s orders, and there’s nothing I can do to change it. Trust me. I’m well aware.” She coughed out a bitter laugh. “But that does not change my bone deep desire to keep Eislyn safe. If you had a sister, you’d understand.”
But it wasn’t just that. Reyna had never felt the same intense protectiveness toward Glencora. True, she loved her, but it was not the same. Eislynneededher in a way that no one else ever had, and she could not bear the thought of letting her down, letting her suffer. And yet suffer she had. Terribly.
“That was not what I was going to say at all,” Tarrah said in a quiet whisper.
Nollaig snapped her head in the prophetic fae’s direction, tsking loudly. “Tarrah, I think that is enough.”
“It isn’t right, Noll.”
“That may be so, but now is not the time.”
Reyna glanced from one shadow fae to the next. “What is this? What aren’t you saying? Is there something wrong with my sister that you’ve kept from me?” Her voice began to rise, higher-pitched with every word. Panic clutched her heart. “If you are, then I—”
“You’ll kill us. We know,” Nollaig said dryly.
“That didn’t answer my question.” Reyna balled her hands into fists. “Is there something wrong with Eislyn? Has she been hurt?”
Tarrah reached out and rested her hand on Reyna’s arm. When she spoke, her voice was as soft as a whisper on the wind. “There is nothing wrong with your sister. That I can swear to you.”
“You’re a shadow fae,” Reyna whispered back, unshed tears burning her eyes. “You can lie.”
“I can. But I don’t.” Tarrah smiled. “When we return to Findius, I’ll show you where she is.”
“Tarrah,” Nollaig muttered.
“What harm can come of it?”
“Our High King could burn you alive.”
“He wouldn’t,” Tarrah said, lifting her chin. “I’m his Champion.”
“Because you’ve proven yourself to be loyal and useful,” Nollaig countered. “The moment he no longer believes you’re either of those, he will throw you into the pits to an audience of thousands. Fire will devour your skin and soul, and your life will end in screams. I have seen him do it to others.”
