33. Keira
Chapter 33
Keira
T he war room is deep within the bowels of the fortress, one of the many chambers in the outer structures that wasn’t destroyed. The only furnishings are a huge, round table and many chairs.
I shiver uncontrollably, my teeth chattering, and tell myself it is because the unadorned stone of the walls, floor and ceiling seems to suck all the warmth out of the air. Not because of the icy dread pumping through me.
My father drags himself away from his staring match with Prince Niall long enough to glance at me, then clicks his fingers. The cold fireplace prepared with wood instantly roars to life.
The door crashes open and Aldrin walks in, Cyprien on his heels. My heart tumbles at the sight of his tall, broad, menacing form. So many would cower away from the man in whom I find safety. His eyes narrow as they land upon Finan’s brother, then a small smirk forms on his lips.
Aldrin runs a hand across my shoulders as he takes a seat next to me, then leans forward over the table, a feral gleam in his eyes. “Prince Niall, how is your brother doing? He seemed quite…unstable the last time we met. Tell me, did he raise a sword during the battle? Or did he loathe the idea of getting bloodstains on his pretty clothing?”
I send Aldrin a dark look, but he merely shrugs at me.
Prince Niall goes rigid, but he doesn’t speak until each person sits down. “It goes against my every instinct to be here, behind my brother’s back, advocating for something that isn’t in his best interests, but the situation has gotten too far out of hand.”
“I could have told you that after the first battle,” Caitlin spits. “You didn’t need to come here and ruin our party for that tidbit.”
“Tell us what you have come here to say. We will listen to you in full before we make any judgments.” My tone is hard, and my father raises an eyebrow at me, as though to say, Speak for yourself.
“Yes. I want to hear what the boy has to say.” Countess Lynna waves a hand in his direction, while Lord Bradford nods at her side.
Prince Niall draws in a long breath. “The king is not well. Half the time he doesn’t speak sense, and the other half his utter fabrications contradict each other, as though he cannot keep up with his own stories. My brother has lost his grip on reality. After his forces retreated from the North, he started visiting each noble’s estate to rally those who didn’t initially take up the call to arms.”
Lord Adalwolf curses, then gulps down the contents of his mug of cider, slamming it on the table. “Well, that answers that question, then.”
Niall collects his thoughts. Cold sweat rolls down my spine. My grandmother clacks her fingernails rapidly across the tabletop, looking like she wants to devour the prince whole.
“The king speaks of a great fae horde, tens of thousands strong, who have invaded these lands,” Prince Niall says. “Of how they torment and enslave the humans in the regions they occupy, dragging women back to their realm by force.”
“The only one attempting to drag a woman back by force is King Finan.” Countess Lynna snickers, sending me a wink.
Niall stabs a short finger against the table. “Don’t you understand? He has turned this into a war of survival against a foreign race. Against our oldest enemy. It is now a righteous crusade. It doesn’t matter that he tells each lord and countess a different story. Sometimes the fae army is made up of vicious goblins. Other times, they ride on the backs of thousands of dragons. He tells them the Lord Protector leads the army of fae, or that he has been killed by them. The kingdom is being united against you.”
I fist my hands in my lap. “What do his generals say to all this? Do they contradict him?”
“Surely, if they march on us, they will see that we are all human. That the fae are the smallest part of our army.” Lord Tomas looks from Niall to my father and back. “They will turn back, won’t they?”
Prince Niall taps a finger against his cheek. “I was there at the battle of Wenchwick Hold. All they will see are those dragons and fire sprites.” He rubs his temples before continuing. “Finan’s generals have lost their leash over him. They allow him to spread his rumors and falsehoods. When the war is over and the Southern lords realize this isn’t a fae invasion, the blame will land solely at my brother’s feet. Lord Desmond will still get the war he wants. Finan’s generals don’t stop him, but they also don’t speak a word in support during his mad ramblings.”
The prince falls silent, and it is as though the entire council holds its breath. I have a hundred questions, but I cannot articulate a single one as the gravity of his words slams home.
A deep scowl twists Aldrin’s features. Our eyes connect and hold for a long moment as he runs a soothing hand up and down my thigh. I can do this, with him at my side.
“Are we simply supposed to believe you?” Irritation ripples through my grandmother’s bony frame. “Tell me, why did my Mothers of Magic bring you here without notifying me first?”
Prince Niall’s lips press together in a thin line. “You are a hard woman to contact, High Priestess Naomi. Your Mothers of Magic in the capital have been helping me. They have proof of everything I have said. Letters from the Southern houses demanding that the Lord Protector execute the fae trespassers or they will declare war on House Appleshield. Transcripts of the discussions between the king, his generals and the noble houses, signed as accurate records by the lords themselves.”
“Why are you here, personally? Why not have the priestesses negotiate on your behalf?” my father snaps. The flames in the fireplace flare up with his agitation. “Are we still supposed to believe that you are trying to help us?”
The tendons in Prince Niall’s neck stick out.
“You suspect a military coup, don’t you?” I whisper, and all eyes fly to me. “You think Lord Desmond is going to make a bid for the throne?”
Prince Niall’s features crumple slightly, showing the first cracks in his mask of calm. “You are losing this war. The North may have won the last battle, but an infinitely larger force is coming your way in the next months. You will be crushed, and my family will be destroyed with you unless we change tactics. Lord Desmond and the other generals ignore Finan’s demands, and there are many secret meetings without him.”
He lets out a long, shaking breath.
“Lord Desmond will unite the entire kingdom under his righteous war. He will gain immense power under this guise, then he will take the throne for himself. Think of what life would be like under his brutal iron fist.” Prince Niall tips his head at Caitlin. “There will be no female Lord Protector after Edmund.” His eyes slide to Lynna. “Any countess already in power would be forced to marry a man of his choosing and have her power and titles transferred to her husband.”
My heart sinks as the despair of his words drags me down into darkness.
Prince Niall doesn’t let up. “The wealth of any estate would be his for the taking, and he would lay false charges to execute its lord without a second thought. The commoners would be little better than slaves, thrust into poverty. If you thought the ways of my father and brother were backward, they were saints in comparison.”
“That…is a very bleak picture,” Lord Bradford mutters.
“Again, why are you here, Prince Niall?” my father rumbles. “I suspect you have a purpose other than to give us this grim news in person.”
“Is it to intimidate us?” Lord Bradford’s tone is ice cold. Many of the others around the table have glassy eyes and vacant stares.
“You have a plan,” I say, biting my lip. I almost don’t want to know.
“We need to dispel the hysteria that the fae are here to conquer us. Without it, Lord Desmond has nothing.” Prince Niall pauses a moment. “There is a secret library in the palace with ancient texts and Living Memory Scrolls on our joint history with the fae. The truth of it, created by humans before and during the Great War. Each has a magical signature declaring its authenticity, and their facts cannot be denied. Both Keira and Diarmuid have seen this hidden collection.”
The people around me suck in sharp, audible breaths. Aldrin gives me a significant look, raising his eyebrows. I shrug an apology. Somehow, I forgot to tell him about this little detail. We haven’t exactly had much free time.
“Why did the royal lines keep these resources hidden?” Lord Bradford cuts in.
“I have witnessed similar Living Memory Scrolls in the fae lands.” I glance at Aldrin. “Our people lived in harmony for centuries before the Great War. We all know the scrolls cannot be altered or falsified. The memory is taken in its truest form.”
Prince Niall rubs at his chin. “I have witnessed many of the Living Memory Scrolls in the palace and read the texts when I was a child, before they put locks on the hidden room. What Keira says is true, and we have hundreds of items to use as proof.” He swallows hard, seemingly steeling his nerves before continuing. “I propose an expedition into the palace to retrieve as many books and scrolls as we can, and to use these to lift the human prejudice toward the fae. The Mothers of Magic could visit every lord, countess and military camp to spread this evidence and give testament to the true state of the North.”
My head hurts, the pain beginning at my jaw and temples, then radiating throughout my entire skull. There are too many moving parts in this war, and it is overwhelming.
Aldrin takes one look at me, then creates an air wield to pour me a cup of water from the jug in the corner of the room and float it over to me. I pluck it out of the air and sip at the cool liquid.
He leans in close and murmurs in my ear, “This could work.”
My father pinches the bridge of his nose. “How do you suppose we retrieve these books and scrolls from the hidden library? We can’t just walk up the front steps into the palace.”
A hint of a smug smile plays on Prince Niall’s lips. “I suggest we enter the library the same way Keira left the palace the night she fled. Use the portals.”
“Impossible!” Lord Tomas bellows. “Everyone knows those portals are broken.”
“They are not. I traveled through them,” I chime in. “They require a lot of raw power, infinitely more than portals of the priestesses’ sanctuary, because the destinations are so far apart.”
“I volunteer to escort a party into the library myself,” the prince says. “I know where the fae texts are and I can redirect any guards we may stumble upon.”
My grandmother narrows her eyes at Prince Niall, examining him with interest, like she has discovered a new toy. She will want those texts for the priestesses.
“And what guarantee do we have that this is not a trap?” she asks.
Prince Niall sighs. “Because I need you as much as you need me. To save my life. To save my brother. I can give you a blood oath if that is what you need.”
“I think King Finan is beyond saving at this point,” Lord Tomas scoffs.
“You need to accept that truth, Prince Niall,” my father urges.
The prince’s mouth opens and closes several times. The blood drains from his face and he closes his eyes for a long moment. My heart sinks as a sickness rises within me. He loves his brother. He always has. It is his first instinct to protect his family, but to save Finan, he must betray him.
I am not the only one who has been gravely wounded by Finan. He has been eating away at his brother for a long time. Niall knows what he needs to do, but cannot say the words.
My father leans forward, putting a hand on Niall’s shoulder and staring into his face. “You must declare yourself king on the grounds that Finan has lost his sanity and is no longer fit to rule. I will pledge my support for you if certain conditions are met.”
Niall nods, then pulls himself together. “It has taken me far too long to find the courage to make the hardest decision of my life. I will declare myself king when the timing is right. My only condition is that Finan is not killed, if it can be helped. I want him imprisoned in a castle with royal comforts. He is still my brother.”
“That may add complications to your reign,” Lord Bradford says gently. “He could become a rallying point for any future rebellions.”
“I don’t care!” Niall yells, slamming a fist on the table. “This is non-negotiable.”
I catch my father’s eye and mouth a single word. A name. Caitlin’s eyes widen in recognition. He thinks for a heartbeat before acting.
“We have conditions of our own,” he says. “I will pledge the support of the Appleshield Protectorate to your claim, but I ask that you solidify the alliance by a marriage to my youngest daughter, Brianna.”
Niall doesn’t hesitate. “I can gladly agree to that.” The hint of a rosy flush creeps up his neck and across his cheeks. “There will be a royal wedding as soon as I am seated on the throne, if Brianna agrees to it. I will not force a woman to marry me or risk her before my position is established.”
Caitlin snorts. “I don’t think you need to worry about whether she will agree.”
My whole body explodes with light-hearted tingles, and I cannot help the smile of pure joy that creeps across my face. Brianna has been in love with Prince Niall for years and he has always shown tenderness toward her. She has our mother’s charm and political mind and will be brilliant as Strathia’s queen.
Aldrin leans in and whispers in my ear, “You understand the irony here, right? I’m not the only one who sees it?”
I turn toward him. “What?”
He raises his eyebrows at me. “Your father literally chased me out of his lands and later imprisoned me for the crime of suggesting we solidify an alliance with a marriage.”
“Mmhmm. Makes him a hypocrite, doesn’t it? I’m sure you’ll give him a hard time about it for years.”
“Oh, I have vast plans.” Aldrin leans back in his seat, resting both hands behind his head. I don’t know how he can joke about this sort of thing. From the brutal look on Cyprien’s face, he has made the same connection and is livid.
My father stares at Niall, unblinking. “My final conditions are that the North and its leadership will remain unchanged under your new rule, and that a trade agreement is made with the fae of the Spring Court.” He glances at Aldrin and motions for him to speak.
“I want human and fae diplomats in both realms as soon as you take the throne.” Aldrin crosses his arms over his chest. “They will immediately draft trade agreements. I want merchants to cross between realms freely in the first human year, and a policy drawn up to allow migration of all in the first five human years. I am not saying people will come and go as they please, but that a person can apply for a license to travel and receive a background check before it is given. The crossings can be closely monitored and controlled against mass influxes of people, if that is an issue. Some may prosper in the business of tourism with such an agreement in place.” His eyes flick over to my grandmother. “Perhaps it could become another role of the Mothers of Magic: guiding humans on their pilgrimage to the fae lands.”
My shoulders tighten. If Aldrin achieves this feat, and Titania takes the credit for the influx of wealth it will bring to his lands, it will be even harder to remove her from the throne. Deep respect for him blooms in my heart. He has always put the needs of his people above his own.
The room explodes with a fury of voices, some demanding exclusive rights to the fae trade and Lord Tomas calling for caution.
Prince Niall looks Aldrin in the eye.“I agree.”
We spend hours poring over the details. Niall will maintain his position in the royal court until the timing is right, but he is already our pledged king.
My head spins with the developments of the night as I walk through the dark, dank corridors of the fortress with Caitlin, back to our shared room so I can change my clothes and strap on my weapons. We will steal those texts and scrolls tonight.
I find myself jumping at shadows. There is something eerie about the usually busy stone passages being completely empty. Every little sound is echoed back to us, mostly the scurrying of rats and dripping of water after the rain.
Caitlin suddenly grabs my arm and places a finger to her lips. I hear them, then. The voices.
My grandmother’s floats to us first. “So, you have decided to marry off your youngest daughter at just seventeen.”
There is a long silence. “Eighteen. She will be eighteen by that time.” My father sighs.“I don’t like it, but this was an opportunity that could not be missed, for both Brianna and this family. Niall is not his brother.”
“No. He is not. And King Willard is no longer alive to torment his son’s bride.”
I move to step into the junction between corridors, to let them know we can hear them, because it isn’t right to eavesdrop. Caitlin wraps an arm around my middle and presses me against the wall next to her. She even has the audacity to shush me.
The footsteps stop, and it sounds like they are just around the corner from us.
“Somehow, of all my daughters, I feel Brianna will be the only one who won’t hate me for the choices I have made of late. Caitlin bites my head off every time I suggest caution about her riding into battle, claiming I am trying to steal her agency. I only want to protect the babe. And Keira? I don’t know where to begin to heal the wounds between us. I was so afraid when Aldrin arrived a second time to steal her away, and I acted rashly.”
My father’s voice breaks, and he sounds more vulnerable than I have ever heard him.
“I thought it was hard when we had twin toddlers running around the castle setting things on fire, and a baby constantly crying,” he says. “But trying to guide and protect adult children is so much more difficult. Every decision has greater weight and huge ramifications for the rest of their lives. Sometimes, I want to go back to simpler times, when their daddy was invincible in their eyes and knew everything.”
My grandmother lets out a half-choked laugh. “I know the feeling, Edmund. The gods know we have had our differences. Your daughters may be angry with you now for being the overbearing, overprotective father, but trust me, they do not hate you. It is the hardest thing to take a step back and allow them to make their own choices. Every adult needs to make their mistakes and learn how to pick themselves up.”
My heart feels like it is going to shatter. I want to rush out and hug our father, but this moment isn’t about me. Caitlin’s eyes meet mine as tears form at their corners. Her lips are downturned. She has become as emotional as me in her pregnancy.
“But those mistakes could bring down a kingdom.” Our father’s voice is muffled, and I wonder if he rests his head against his mother’s shoulder, like I have seen him do when he thinks they are alone. No matter how old we get, our mother is always our soft place to land. “And must they be so willful?” he practically growls.
I have to choke down a laugh when Caitlin’s head whips toward the voices, an outraged scowl pinching her features.
“Oh, willful, is it?” my grandmother mocks. “Well, Edmund, that is rich coming from you. You almost put me in an early grave so many times.”
“Mother, I’m convinced you’re going to outlive us all. The Explosion Brothers could place a bomb beneath your feet, and you’d walk away from it unscathed.”
She lets out a huff of breath. “Women need to be strong-minded in this world. Remember that the next time they challenge you. It doesn’t make our lives easier as parents, though.” Her voice is growing distant. They must have continued walking again.
“Why did I always think Diarmuid was going to be the one who would give me the most trouble?” My father laughs. It is hardly audible. “Suddenly, drinking too much and gambling doesn’t seem like such a big problem.”
From the look on Caitlin’s face, she is considering creeping after them to hear more. I grab her arm and lead her in the opposite direction.