“Those of us in Aesir brought them back, didn’t we? This isthe fae’sfault.” He gave me a strained smile. “The gods corrupt souls. I’ve always believed the mortals would be more susceptible to their influence than we would. They’re weaker physically. But perhaps I had it wrong all this time. Perhapsthe faehave weaker hearts, and that is why the mortals have kept the truth hidden for so long. They knew Aesir would cause the Second Fell.”
Tessa suddenly stood. “It wasn’t—”
“You’re right,” I cut in. “In the end, Oberon was too weak to protect the world from Andromeda and her fellow gods. But what’s done is done, and we can only hope the mortals know more than they’ve shared before now. We need to reach out to them. I’m certain they’ve seen the comet in the sky, so they’ll know what’s happened. We’re never going to survive this if we don’t join our peoples together, just like we did all those centuries ago.”
Gaven, who had remained silent during the meeting thus far, finally spoke up. “You mean for us to travel to the mortal lands. What about Endir?”
Tension still lurked in Endir’s halls. The fae and humans had come to an uneasy understanding, but peace was a fragile thing. One wrong word from either side, and it could shatter into a million pieces. On top of that, the Kingdom of Storms had been silent in the weeks since my attack against their army, but I knew it was only a matter of time before their queen retaliated. I’d counted their numbers when they’d been camping outside the walls of Dubnos. That had not been their entire army. More would come unless we did something.
And now was not the time for petty battles.
“Only a few of us will go to Talaven. Gaven, unless something happens, you can stay in Endir to ensure peace continues. The rest of us will journey to Gailfean and offer a treaty to the Kingdom of Storms. Perhaps we can make the queen see some sense and join us in our fight against the gods.” My gaze moved to Toryn’s face. “You don’t have to come, of course.”
The muscles around Toryn’s eyes tightened. “I should go with you. If you attempt to cross the border, she’ll have you killed on sight. But not if I’m there.”
Niamh scowled. “Have you forgotten she tried to have you killed?”
“No, she tried to send a message.” He fisted his hands against the table. “She will not kill me—nor any of us—if we go to her. She wants me by her side too much for that.”
“I don’t like it,” I said in a low voice. I’d seen and heard too much to feel comfortable sending him back to that place, even by my side.
The day Toryn had stumbled across the border, begging me for a safe haven in Dubnos, he’d been bruised and bleeding and so weak, he could barely stand. They had been flesh wounds only, of course—nothing from which a fae couldn’t heal. But he’d been so broken, I’d worried for a good long while whether he would ever recover. In his heart, perhaps he finally had.
I met his gaze. “Your mother might not harm you, but your brother most certainly will.”
In the Kingdom of Storms, succession was determined in a brutal tournament if the current ruling family had more than one child. In front of the entire court, as well as hundreds of citizens, the potential heirs engaged in a fight to the death when they all came of age. Whoever won was declared the next king or queen. Magic was not permitted in the battle—only daggers, fists, swords, and arrows. Anything that made blood paint the floor.
And so as one of Queen Tatiana’s grown children, Toryn had been forced to endure the tournament against his two brothers and two sisters. Only he and Owen had survived the first round, though Toryn had done none of the killing. Just before round two began, Toryn escaped from the arena. He fled to Dubnos to take refuge, refusing to kill his brother. His mother had been trying to get him back ever since. He was her heir, or one of them, at least, and she wanted him and his brother to finish what they’d started all those years ago.
If Toryn crossed that border, his brother would go for him.
“He won’t attack me as long as you’re with me,” Toryn said. “Owen fears the mists. And you. That’s why he never followed me here.” He rubbed the scar on his cheek. “I need to do this, Kal. After all these years, I need to face them.”
My chest tightened, but I nodded. “All right. You and I will go to the Kingdom of Storms. Fenella, you come, too, and ask your cousin Caedmon to join us. Niamh, you and Alastair will visit the mortals.”
Niamh sighed but didn’t argue.
“If Druid Balfor is right, the people of Talaven might not be happy to have fae visitors now that the comet is in the sky. You’ll need a mortal to go with you…” I trailed off and glanced at Tessa, but then I shook my head. I wouldn’t part us again. “We’ll ask around and see if anyone would like to go on a trip to—”
“What about Val?” Niamh cut in, her eyes locked on the table before her. “Knowing her, she’ll want to do something to help.”
“Now wait…” Tessa said with a frown.
“Ask her.” I gave Niamh a nod and turned my gaze to Gaven. “As I said before, I’d like you to stay in the city. The people of Endir trust you. We’ll leave Morgan in the dungeons here. See if you can get any information out of her. She might know more than she’s said.”
My Mist Guard nodded, agreeing with the plan, though there was a thick cloud of unease clogging up the room. I hated splitting us up again, especially now. Gaven typically stayed in Endir all year round, but things felt different this time. Like this was the last time I’d ever see him or anyone who traveled to Talaven.
I just didn’t think we had another option. We had to divide first before we conquered.
I could only hope the gods wouldn’t conquer before we did.
Ten
Tessa
Kalen still had kingly duties to attend to, and I hadn’t seen Val yet. I’d gone straight into the meeting with the Mist Guard as soon as we’d arrived at the castle. Nellie had headed off to bed, exhausted from the journey. So when Kalen went to brief the warriors on our next steps, I wound through the silent castle corridors toward Val’s quarters. Torches flickered on the stone walls, casting ominous shadows across the floor.
Even as heavy as my eyelids were, my mind raced. There was so much we didn’t know about the gods, but what I’d learned tonight had threatened my fragile grip on hope. Death and plague and hunger were coming for us, and they were indestructible. Even if we made a truce with the Kingdom of Storms and they joined their warriors with ours, how would we ever stand a chance against immortal beings like that?
