Chapter 6
W rapping my arms around myself, I attempted to stave off the rising goose bumps on my flesh as I stared out of my open balcony doors.
The chill in the air wasn’t merely from the cool spring breeze, but from the thoughts consuming my mind. I searched the sky for Ian’s hawk form as I replayed the infuriating, obnoxious comments from Kade.
My emotions had been wavering since leaving Corbin, Leif, and Ian last night after they coordinated the return of the unused goods, and the empty carriage.
The way Kade spoke so callously of my father had completely gotten underneath my skin. Although I was furious at my father for withholding secrets about the kingdom, the likelihood of him ignoring the problem seemed unlikely.
I knew my father. He loved our people. He loved Brookmere. He’d never knowingly ignore such a terrible plight, but the way Kade spoke about him worried me. If Kade felt this way, were there others who felt similarly?
Were the people in the border towns feeling abandoned? I created the Hidden Henchman after overhearing reports of our people struggling for food and basic necessities in many of our towns. Crops were withering in places previously abundant for centuries. The thought had scared me into doing something. Not for myself or my father, but for my people. We lived in Ellevail, protected from the atrocities happening outside the city walls. The startling contrast of learning such horrifying reports of crops going bad, and unrest spreading, broke my heart. I wanted for nothing, and no one would miss those goods within the palace walls. But my people would benefit greatly. They deserved a life as beautiful as we had here in Ellevail.
The Hidden Henchman was only created to supplement the aid I thought my father already provided. What if I was wrong? What if the people’s unrest came from feeling abandoned completely by its Crown?
A short cry from a hawk sounded overhead. Ian’s call. His hawk form appeared in the sky, sweeping over the balcony, before he flew down beneath it.
Time to talk about what in the Fates actually happened at yesterday’s drop.
A short staircase led straight into the heart of my immaculate garden. While smaller than the grand gardens visitors frequented around our palace, mine was still exquisite. Small hedges of roses of all colors, clustered together between marble pillars, and white stone seats dotted the space. Butterflies and bumble bees buzzed about the other flowers, feeding on the bounty of nature's gifts.
The serene peace made it one of my favorite places to be. The sweet floral notes calmed the rising panic in my chest and imbued a strength, as if nature itself would always be there to rise within me. Even without magic.
I hurried down the stairs and toward the back of the garden where we normally met.
This place existed as a sanctuary for another reason as well—it provided a private space to discuss all things Hidden Henchman with Ian, Leif, and Corbin.
From behind a white marble pillar to my left, Ian appeared.
“Leif and Corbin are almost here,” he said.
“We are here,” Leif countered from behind us.
Pivoting, I observed Leif and Corbin enter from some of the more concealed brush.
I had to hand it to our little group —we had this system worked out well. The ease with which we’d fallen into our areas of expertise seemed as if Fate itself played a part in our schemes. We made a great team. Pride swelled within my chest at the trust built between us, the secrets we all held together.
Leif and Corbin may not know every part of me like Ian and Kalliah did, but over the course of the Hidden Henchman’s existence, I’d dropped more and more of the “princess” persona around them. Some days I could fully be myself. Almost.
“So,” I began. “Last night was?—”
Ian rubbed his temples . “Deadly? Horrific? A disaster?”
Corbin snorted.
“We survived, though.” Leif shrugged, flashing me a grin.
Corbin crossed his arms and leaned against one of the pillars. He ran a finger over his leather-bound arm. “Storm and Kade were…” He paused. “Helpful.”
“Helpful. It’s one way to describe it,” Leif added. “They are also powerful. Powerful in a way I haven’t felt before.”
Ian brushed a dirt-streaked hand through his blond hair. It always hung loosely in waves at his shoulders after shifting. “If Fae with that magnitude of power are seeking assistance, then who knows what is going on out there. It’s curious they’d need our help at all, quite frankly. If they can’t stop what’s happening in their own village—” He didn’t finish his thought. “And that’s before we even discuss how it's possible they knew we were doing a drop or where we were last night.”
“They could have truly been following some of the dark ones like they said,” Leif offered, cracking his knuckles.
“Rumors are spreading every time a carriage returns to the stables from long journeys,” Corbin said gruffly. “Issues at the borders are getting worse, and we know the trouble isn’t contained to just the outskirts of Brookmere now,” he continued. “Besides seeing these dark ones with our own eyes from the meeting in Eomer Forest and the drop, the villages requesting help are getting closer to Ellevail. We’ve already received another letter requesting aid since Storm’s came to us.”
Closing my eyes, I attempted to regain the inner peace gleaned from my garden before my cadre arrived.
Leif cleared his throat. “Kade had you more riled than I’ve ever seen, Your Highness.”
I glared, daring him to say anything further. When he held his hands up, conceding, I settled with a shrug. “He disrespected my father the entire fight. You know how I feel about cocky men in general.”
“It’s not safe to let your emotions get to you in a fight,” Ian remarked. “Especially during a battle where we could easily be overpowered.”
A lecture brewed in his eyes. We stared at each other until one of the others coughed, deliberately in a blatant attempt to distract us.
“We’ll need to be careful in the coming weeks, make sure we aren’t being followed, be more cautious when we’re together,” Ian said. “For the time being, since we had two outsiders learn so much about us, vigilance is key.”
He was right. The fact Kade and Storm found us at all should be concerning. The number of times they’d done it now—even worse.
“What about the other request that came in?” I asked Corbin.
“The request is simple,” Corbin began. “Leif and I could handle it by ourselves with no issue. No need for multiple meetings. Just need a few bales of hay and starter plants their Earth Fae can enhance and grow.”
“Well, that’s a bit of good news,” I said, relieved.
“You two take care of the new request. Quietly,” Ian commanded, sighing deeply. “About Storm and Kade’s drop next week…” He trailed off, seemingly to halt this discussion altogether.
Silence fell amongst us. I shifted my gaze between my three companions. “Is there something wrong with the plan?” I asked. Each of the men seemed fidgety, rocking back and forth, and refusing to make eye contact. It set my nerves on edge.
“You have come so far in your training, Your Highness,” Corbin lauded. “You wield your weapon well, and during the fight yesterday, you were focused and powerful.”
Corbin, who barely paid anyone notice, had me suspicious, complimenting me out of nowhere. Something twitched inside of me, a deep-rooted discomfort about myself and my abilities.
“Because of you,” Leif added, “our people are finding aid, when before, they felt unheard.”
“Stop it,” I said. “What is this about?”
“You can’t come on anymore drops.” The words tumbled out of Ian’s mouth, as if he couldn't hold it in any longer.
A sinister inner voice, which had been with me throughout my life, hissed in glee, giving itself a sense of validation.
“Excuse me?”
Unworthy. Weak. Nothing.
“This has nothing to do with what you’re capable of,” Ian continued. “And everything to do with a threat we don’t know enough about.”
“A threat I’ve helped with twice now, just like you.”
“Lana…” Leif took a step forward.
I hated knowing a part of me understood this decision.
“Stop,” I said. “I am the princess. My word is the one you will obey. There is nothing I should demand of you without facing it myself.”
Ian’s gaze filled with a sort of remorse I hadn’t seen in years.
In a whisper, he said, “As your personal guard, I forbid it.”
My jaw clenched.
“There is one heir to the entire kingdom, Lan. One,” he continued, his voice firmer the longer he scolded me. “Until we understand what this infection, or insanity, or dark magic is, I will not risk the heir to the throne’s life.”
I lifted my chin, keeping my teeth solidly together to save my lip from quivering.
“I will not risk my best friend,” he murmured.
A rustle in the gardens beyond had us pausing our conversation, immediately putting us all on alert. On instinct, I reached for the dagger hidden on my thigh. The slit of my velvet aubergine dress allowed for easy access.
After waiting in silence for a few moments, I directed my attention to Ian. “We’ll come back to this later,” I whispered. “This conversation is far from finished.”
Corbin and Leif nodded one after the other before disappearing amongst the thick brush of the roses. Secret pathways carved between the hedges led to a small hidden exit, allowing for easy escapes such as this.
Ian shifted into his hawk form as soon as I strode into my room, his gaze heavy while I tiptoed up the garden stairs.
Despite it being petty, I slammed the doors, not bothering to glance back, even when I heard his caw of farewell.