Queen of Fate (Fae of Woodlands & Wild #3)

Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

It felt as though I was going to jump out of my skin as we waited for the first fairy to arrive. Archon Oniville had taken us to a room just off the facility’s main floor that I guessed was normally used as a meeting area.

A fire crackled in the chamber’s small hearth, and a large metallic table sat at its center. Around the table were chairs also constructed of pure metal. Everything in this facility was made of similar material, which I supposed wasn’t surprising since some fae who worked here had a metalwork affinity and had probably crafted everything we touched.

Norivun sat at the table, drumming his fingers against the cool surface. His wings draped behind him, relaxed and loose in the chair’s divots.

Everyone else had taken a seat with the Solis royal, including Jax, but I couldn’t. I paced back and forth, nearly twisting my fingers off as I wrung my hands over and over. Alec, Trivan, Phillen, and Lander all watched me with worried expressions while Jax wore a perpetual scowl.

“My love,” my mate said for the third time. “Please, come sit with me.”

From the edge in Jax’s voice, I knew his mating instincts were not pleased with how I was feeling, but I shook my head. “I can’t. I need to keep moving.” I paced again when I reached the far wall.

“Has that collar truly suppressed you since you were five?” Norivun asked quietly when I swung back around to stride the other way. “You said it commonly activates.”

All I could manage was a nod as a low growl rumbled in Jax’s chest. “She’s been abused mercilessly with that collar.”

Norivun’s jaw locked just as the door opened, and Archon Oniville appeared with a female in tow.

“I do apologize for the wait, but may I present Angim Holz.” The archon waved toward the newcomer.

I spun toward her, hope bursting through me, but the second I saw her face, my shoulders fell.

She wasn’t who the semelees had shown me. She didn’t match the image at all with her long silvery hair, stooped shoulders, and wide eyes. She was very old, much older than the fairy I was shown.

Jax cast me a look. “She may still know something,” he said quietly. “If not about Bastian’s anklet, then perhaps about your collar.”

I nodded swiftly. He was right.

“Will you please check your storage vaults now to ensure all rhifilyte gems are accounted for?” Norivun asked Archon Oniville.

She bobbed her head. “Of course, I’ll report straight away with the amount we have stored after we’ve done a thorough accounting.”

The archon bustled from the room, leaving Angim Holz with us.

Frowning, the old fairy assessed us warily. Watery blue eyes regarded us, and despite having long hair that one commonly saw in youth, deep wrinkles grooved the skin alongside Angim’s eyes. She pushed her glasses up her nose, and when her attention fell upon Norivun, she brought a fist to her chest and bowed. “It’s an honor, truly.”

Norivun inclined his head and waved Angim to the chair across from him. “Please, have a seat.”

Angim’s wings hitched up when she sat, her wings also fitting into the divots on the chair’s back.

Norivun drummed his fingers on the table again. “My friends have a few questions for you.”

Angim swallowed audibly and tugged at her shirt. “Oh? May I ask what about?”

Jax leaned forward, his dark hair shining as black as ink in the fairy lights. “It’s in regard to my mate, Elowen, and a friend of mine named Bastian.” Jax’s attention slid to me. “Elowen? Would you please show Angim your collar?”

Stomach tumbling, I pulled out the chair beside the female and lowered myself down, then faced the old fairy. Angim’s gaze immediately fixated on my collar. Eyes widening behind her spectacles, she assessed my chestnut hair, green eyes, and wingless back.

“But you’re not a Solis fairy. Where did you get a collar infused with a rhifilyte gem?” Genuine confusion filled her expression.

“We’re hoping you can answer that,” Norivun replied, his tone as cold as the frosty landscape outside. “There’s also an anklet on a male in the reception area, the one named Bastian, who also wears a gem harvested from our mines. That’s two pieces of jewelry we need to account for, and apparently, there are many more anklets on other fae on the Silten continent as well. And there’s a device with the gem too that’s been used to control this female.”

Angim straightened, her wings flexing slightly behind her. “But how is that possible? We don’t sell our gems to them.”

“Exactly,” Norivun growled.

“But I’ve never seen this female before.” A blast of indignation shot into Angim’s tone. “And I know nothing about any anklets.”

“ Have you ever seen that collar before ?” Jax asked, his words laced with a Mistvale command.

Magic flowed in the air at my side, and Jax’s magic hit Angim square in the chest. Words tumbled out of Angim before she could stop herself. “No, never.”

“ What about an anklet with a rhifilyte gem? Have you ever seen one ?”

“No.”

“ Did you craft Elowen’s collar ?” Jax persisted.

Angim’s eyes widened anew. “No.”

“ Have you ever forged an anklet ?”

“Once, many full seasons ago, but not with a rhifilyte gem but rather a sarupeem stone. Anklets aren’t commonly requested by our jewelry stores.”

Despite her innocent answers, Jax continued. “ Do you know who crafted Elowen’s collar ?”

The old fairy’s throat rolled in a swallow. “No, but only a few fae would be strong enough to do so.”

Jax and I shared a look. Her answer aligned with what Archon Oniville had told us.

“ Do you know how to take Elowen’s collar off ?”

“I’m...I’m unsure.” As if of their own accord, Angim’s hands rose to my neck. Her fingers danced over the cool metal, and a hum of her potent magic encircled my throat.

Forehead furrowing, she took her time, her magic assessing and probing.

Finally, she dropped her hands and shook her head. “No, I cannot take it off. It has a locking mechanism at its back that’s magically hidden, but my affinity can’t undo it. Only its creator can. This collar will never come off unless the creator wills it.”

Unless the creator wills it. My heart soared. That meant it could be removed if only we found the creator. It was the same as Bastian’s anklet. Only his could be removed from who forged it.

Jax leaned forward in his seat. “ Have you ever heard of anyone illegally creating any jewelry of any kind with rhifilyte gems ?”

“No.”

“ Do you know anything about anybody stealing gems from this facility ?”

“No.” Sweat appeared atop Angim’s brow, and a moment of sympathy filled me.

With each answer she’d given so far, it was obvious she knew absolutely nothing about my collar or Bastian’s anklet. Yet Jax’s questions continued. Similar to how he’d questioned Guardian Alleron in the Ustilly Mountains, he looked for any loophole that would allow Angim to withhold information.

By the time he finished, Angim looked positively nauseous, and it was apparent that she truly didn’t know anything about my collar or Bastian’s anklet.

Everyone frowned, and Norivun began to drum his fingers on the table again.

I sighed, trying to hide my disappointment that Angim had been a dead end.

Finally, Jax inclined his head. “Thank you for your honest answers.”

Angim looked between him and Norivun, fear bleeding into her expression. “May I go now?”

“Yes, you may leave.” Norivun leaned back in his seat. “Please tell Saroly Yimmperfae she’s required next.”

Angim’s chair scraped sharply against the floor in her haste to exit the room.

Anxiety pulsed around me, and I again twisted my hands.

“We still have another fairy to question, Elowen,” Alec said from down the table.

Lander nodded, and even Trivan offered me an encouraging smile.

“We’re not out of options yet,” Phillen added. He then looked to Jax, but try as he might to hide his concern, I could feel Jax’s emotions along our bond. He felt as anxious as me.

I forced myself to sit still, even though my knee wanted to bounce, but I kept thinking of what would come if the next fairy also wasn’t the anklet’s creator.

Jax’s stare barreled into me, and when I glanced at him, a glow flared in his eyes. Protective and possessive energy surged from him, wrapping around me in a warm cloud. I took some comfort in the feel of his and the group’s unwavering support, but before I could voice any gratitude, the door reopened, and a new female appeared who I could only assume was Saroly Yimmperfae.

My jaw dropped.

Saroly’s eyes widened when she beheld the table full of Silten males and her sovereign.

Phillen closed the door behind her, then gestured to the empty chair. “Sit,” he said sharply.

On bated breath, I waited for her to sit beside me.