Page 13
“The fact that you have Morgenstern—or ‘morning star’—blood,” Dezi says, “makes our mission to find out what the stag is telling us even more necessary. We must find out what demons were doing in the woods near Briarvale and why their symbols were at the site of your parents’ murder.”
Khol shoots me a look full of realization, and I give him a tiny head shake.
She doesn’t need to think about the fact that his uncle’s gang may be involved with that shit, nor about the connection to the High Mage.
“Maybe the Midnight fae kept this as leverage,” Revelin ponders, shifting to optimism like someone reaching for the last cookie. “If they did, they’d be able to hold it over Daybreak and Harvest in future negotiations if things went bad again. It definitely has accusations of Harvest in particular trying to wipe out one of their royal lines.”
“What does that mean for Sassy, then?” Khol says with a narrowed gaze. “If she lets them know who she is, what will happen? Will it keep her safer on our side?”
“They’ll want to use me, of course,” Fiadh snaps. Her eyes are furious and flashing the color of moonstones. “Or kill me, if they’re afraid I’ll lay claim to what’s supposedly mine. They won’t wait for me to say I don’t want it, either.”
Silence hangs heavily in the air; even Dezi can’t find a way to snark about that likelihood.
The energy in the room shifts again, and this time, it’s full of fury, fear, and uncertainty. Fiadh whips her head to stare at the door to the cursed library, tilting it as she stares. Within moments, there’s a faint sound of weaponry—probably enchanted, judging by the faint flowery tinge—and whoever’s holding it is getting closer.
I let go of my mate, turning to look at the others. “We should move before they get close enough to find us.”
Khol’s already clocking both exits. “Agreed. We can argue paternity somewhere less exposed.”
“Don’t you want to read any of this, Sassypants?” Revelin asks, waving the papers he’s holding at her. “I can help translate most of it and it might have pertinent info since it was in the same drawer as the tree.”
I stride over, snatching his papers to fold them and slide the bundle into my cargo pockets. “We’re taking them, and the damned parchment. The vampire can hide them in his pouch in his clothes. I refuse to leave something this strategic in a random fucking drawer.”
“But, Tier what if—”
Shaking my head, I look at her seriously. “No, Knuckles. We can’t give anyone this kind of power now that we know it exists. It all has to come with us in case you’re found out. It will protect you—even Rev knows that.”
The prince nods as he rolls to his feet. “Tier’s right, babe. It will.”
Khol puts a hand on Fiadh’s shoulder, gentle but insistent. “Let’s get out of here. I don’t want anyone to search us and find the documents.”
Our mate sighs, finally moving as the basilisk propels her. I lead the way to the door farther down the wall than the one we entered, gesturing to the others to follow closely. I know they’re going to keep her between us, so I don’t bother relaying that instruction.
We’re working better as a team with each day that passes.
Opening the door, I poke my head out, looking back and forth. Once it’s clear, I walk out and wave for them to follow me. We’re halfway to the spiral stairs when a voice drifts toward us, the sound as thin and charming as a guillotine’s edge.
“Did you get stranded in the library? I was told no one was to be out of their room while the alarms were going off.”
A figure emerges from the gloom, his face with silver dusted skin and eyes like polished pennies. The creepy dude is wearing one of the court uniforms that look harmless but I can tell by how he’s walking that it doubles as armor.
Fiadh whirls around to demand, “Who the fuck are you?”
Creepy Guy gives a theatrical sigh. “You wound me. I am from House Farrow, one of the Midnight Court’s most favored families. I serve at the pleasure of the royals in their magical corps which is why I am clearing rooms in the palace during this dire situation.”
“Boot-licker is what that means,” Dezi mutters as he straightens. He moves in front of our mate, charm oozing from his perfect features. “Do not trouble yourself with us, courtier. We were just leaving to make our way back to our suites when you arrived. Our mate desired a book to entertain her while we were sequestered, and we did not find anything to her taste.”
“I’m afraid coming with me is not optional,” the sparkly dude says with a less than pleasant smile. “Now that I have found you out of bounds, it will require a visit to the investigators, especially as the attacks began after you arrived.”
Two more of his kind appear at the head of the stairs, one on each side, and unlike this fucker, they’re heavily armed.
“They’re armed, Khol,” I whisper. “Fighting them will only draw more attention.”
He ignores my response, murmuring, “Sassy?”
Fiadh is staring at the Fae, her hands clenched in fists at her side. “We are guests of this court, and one of us is Prince Revelin of Daybreak. Would you risk offending the royal delegation in such a flagrant manner?”
Creepy Dude nods. “I would, as it is my duty. His lineage is what has prevented us from taking you by force as it is.”
