Chapter 9 Lana
Lana
“Vivienne.” My heart pounded in my chest. “Sister?”
She nodded her head. “The better-looking one.”
I looked at the seer I’d been around my entire life, really looked at her, and internally scolded myself for not putting it together myself. Of course they were sisters—the resemblance was uncanny.
I blinked, shaking my head. “What do you mean, it’s you?”
She sighed, pulling out a chair before sitting and patting the empty one next to her. “Come, child. We have much to discuss. Let my sister help your friend while we speak.” Cassandra nodded and disappeared up the stairs, not waiting a moment longer.
Vivienne and I were alone, something I generally avoided for any length of time, but I couldn’t recall her ever being so lucid and clear-minded.
There were so many things I wanted to say to her after the revelations of how she’d saved my life when I was a baby.
My questions would have to wait though; I needed this information now.
“Illiana, for so long your bloodline has prepared for this. To know it’s finally time brings me excitement and fear.
” The pained smile gracing her lips sent my stomach into knots.
It didn’t bode well for our conversation to start in such a manner.
After everything we’d already discovered, the truths about to be revealed would likely break me yet again.
I wasn’t sure how much more my heart could take.
Vivienne reached for me and clasped my hand. I turned to face her in the chair, our knees touching in the cramped space. Patiently, I waited for her to speak.
“Please know, everything I am about to tell you, I did for the good of Brookmere. What I thought was the right choice for our people to protect them from evil.” Her eyes wandered, lost in thought.
“The Fates demanded my actions, sending visions until I became lost in myself. I heeded their warnings, even though it doesn’t seem like every choice led me down the right path. ”
My heart pounded in my ears, and I pulled my hands from her grasp to wipe the beads of sweat from my palms on my pants. “Go on, Vivienne. I’m listening.”
Taking a deep breath, a shiver ripped through her shoulders, and she began. “That dagger you have in your hand was buried with your parents, your biological parents.”
“I know.” I shook my head. “I found them. My father—well, the king—told me in a letter. I know all about how you saved my life that night in Valeford.” The note never left my person.
I kept it in my pocket, too afraid for someone else to find it.
Too afraid to lose the last piece I had of my father.
I could feel the worn parchment poking my leg in my pocket.
A silent stream of tears fell down Vivienne's face. “That night,” she sighed. “It changed the course of our lands forever. Such a terrible, terrible night. That was the night your prophecy came to be, but the Fates warned us. Danger lay ahead. I had to protect everyone. I had to protect you.”
All I could do was whisper, “What did you do, Vivienne?”
She paused, wiping the remaining tears from her face.
Collecting herself for a moment before continuing.
“I couldn’t risk this information getting in the hands of those not deemed worthy.
I didn’t know if the dark ones were aware of Thames and his potential plans.
” She narrowed her gaze. “You’re looking for the journal?
If you found the dagger, then you know it’s missing. ”
“You took it?” Despite already knowing the answer, my stomach still dropped.
She nodded once. “To protect it for when you were ready. When you found your light.”
“Where is it? Where do I find it?” I grasped both of her hands in mine, not caring my palms were still sweaty. “This could help save our kingdom. You have to tell me.”
“The last place anyone would look. Where all manner of beasts lie in wait.”
I frowned. “Beasts?” Then it dawned on me. “The Southern Forest? But those rumors are bedtime stories,” I murmured, almost to myself. But were they? We’d seen a strox when we met Ian and the others before heading to Valeford.
She nodded. “I do not know the journal’s significance, only that it must be something great. The journal is locked and will only open for your bloodline. I didn’t dare anger the Fates by reading what was not intended for my eyes.”
“So, we need to leave—”
A gust of wind slammed the inn door open with a bang, causing both Vivienne and me to flinch in our seats. A small group of grumpy-looking Fae trudged in, surveying the empty room.
“You wouldn’t happen to know where we could find the Hidden Henchman, would you?” He stroked his beard as he spoke, the fiery tendrils of copper hair coiled into perfect curls.
I stood, tentatively walking toward the men. “I guess it depends on whose asking.” Placing my hands on my hips, I brushed the hilt of my dagger, hidden in its sheath at my thigh.
“Some shifty type of fella said the Henchman was looking for an army.” The man looked back at his companions and chuckled. “And well, me and my friends here are itchin’ for a fight. Pay back to those ugly bastards for what they did to my farm a few months ago.”
My heart soared. My friends had done it. Ian had done it. Fae were coming to fight for their kingdom. We would not be fighting alone.
His words caught up to my mind, diminishing the excitement. “What they did to your farm?”
The man eyed me warily. “You been living under a rock, girl?”
I cocked an eyebrow and a woman stepped forward from the group, shoving the man out of her way.
“For Fates’ sake, Angus, leave her alone.
” She turned to me. “The old royal advisor, Andras, has been spreading his evil throughout Brookmere.
You join his army, or you're punished. Most have been leaving people without a way to survive, burning crops, fields—anything to make us rely on him.”
I sucked in a sharp breath, rage boiling in my veins along with a crackle of magic shooting down my arm. My people were being hunted and left destitute.
“What he needs an army for, Fates only know.”
“Rumor has it that the border was fake. That another land exists, and they’re coming,” the man huffed. “Which brings us back to needing to find the Hidden Henchman. He’s raising a resistance, and we want to fight with him to protect our home.”
The flame inside of me flared with hope. Thames and Andras were creating an army by force and coercion, but we were creating one of love for our kingdom.
If I could obtain some answers, alongside building an army, we might have a chance of surviving and living to see Brookmere and Mysthaven united into Atheria again.
“Does she look familiar?” A Fae standing behind the man and woman whispered to him.
My lips twitched into a small smile as I took a step forward and held out my hand. “Welcome, friend.” He eyed it as a frown spread over his face but stuck out his own hand to shake mine in return. “You might know me best as Princess Illiana Dresden.”
The Fae fell to their knees, murmuring and stuttering.
I held up my hands. “There's no need for that, especially since we’ll be fighting side by side.”
“Your Majesty?” The man looked up, face wrinkled in confusion.
“I’m no man, but I am the Hidden Henchman. Seems only right I should thank you personally for answering my call.”
As the afternoon went on, more and more Fae appeared on the Knotted Willow’s doorsteps. Some came prepared with wagons carrying supplies, while others came with only what they could carry on their backs.
Behind the inn lay a large grassy field.
Earth Fae constructed small enclosures for the new arrivals.
Groups of them stood together, using their magic to raise the earth into small hills and then carve out the inside to create hut-like structures built into the field itself.
They left grass growing on top of the homes, which allowed the structures to blend into the surroundings.
What once lay flat and open now looked more like rolling hills.
A brilliant idea from Corbin to protect our citizens—no, our warriors—from anything flying overhead.
To the left in an adjacent field, other earth Fae constructed gardens, sowing the plots of land to harvest fruits and vegetables for the growing number of people.
William had traveled to order supplies for the inn and picked up a few plants as well to make sure we could carry on as arrivals showed up.
To the right, a group of metal wielders began construction on a makeshift forge.
Fae built a covered structure with plenty of ventilation for more than one metal wielder to forge weapons in.
We would need so many more than we had in order to arm everyone for the battle to come.
Storm had already agreed to help each morning to stoke the fires.
Corbin walked over, standing next to me as he looked on, overseeing it all. “This is incredible,” I whispered as the awe of what the Fae were accomplishing overtook me.
“They’ve been adapting and working together to build these structures all on their own,” Corbin said, crossing his arms. He looked on proudly.
I nudged my shoulder into his. “With some guidance from you.”
He shook his head. “Honestly, once we set up a team of leaders for each area, they ran with it. They’re teaching each other different ways to use their magic. Expanding their abilities. Then working on projects together, figuring out ways to make their magic last longer.”
I couldn’t stop the grin as pride swelled in my chest.
It didn’t matter in what direction I looked, every Fae, both man and woman, worked together to create a space for our army to build, grow, and thrive. They’d traveled for miles, away from their homes and families, to fight for our kingdom. To fight for all our freedom.