Chapter 20
Lana
“Why, Leif?” My voice trembled along with the flurry of emotions coursing through my veins.
Anger. Hurt. Devastation. I’d lost another friend to this evil, and I wasn’t sure how many tears I had left to cry. These losses were too many.
“No! Wait, Lana, I can explain.” Leif took a step forward only for Ian to pull out his blade and hold it against his friend’s throat.
I didn’t miss the way his hand trembled as he clutched his weapon harder. The way he tried to keep his voice calm and steady, but instead it came out uneven. “Do not come near her.”
I lowered my hand to Apollo, now resting on my thigh, feeling the cool hilt between my fingers.
I’d purge Leif of the darkness haunting his body.
He couldn’t be trapped like this. Ian couldn’t handle losing someone else.
Fates knew I couldn’t either after losing both sets of parents, and Elisabeth.
And Kalliah—I couldn’t even think about the devastation she’d endure knowing he stayed behind and turned into the very evil we were trying to destroy.
Leif put his hands up in the air in surrender. “Hold on, just watch,” he said, lowering his arm.
I inched forward, earning a glare from Ian as I unsheathed my dagger. His eyes widened before nodding once, understanding my intentions.
Leif produced a cloth from his pocket and rubbed hard at the dark one's mark on his arm. I watched the ink faintly smudge.
“It’s not real?” I gasped, hope filling my voice.
Leif grinned as Ian tentatively lowered his weapon.
“Of course it’s not real,” Leif retorted.
“I just came up with a way to fuck with them. One that allows me to get around as I please to get the information I need. It took a long time to get it right and be able to pass for a real one, but I finally figured it out.” He shoved the cloth back into his pocket and started mumbling to himself, “Going to take forever to fix that.”
My whole body relaxed as the tension released from my shoulders. I rubbed my neck to work out the last bit of ache in my muscles. Where were those damn shadows when I needed them?
“That’s—” Ian paused, shaking his head before he laughed. “Ingenious.”
Leif bowed his head, flourishing his hand dramatically. “Thank you, Captain.”
Ian finally put his sword away and pulled Leif in for a hug. “Fates, I’m glad you’re safe. I really didn’t want to have to hurt one of my friends.”
Leif opened his mouth to say something, but a shout interrupted him.
“Boy,” Tommy roared as he stormed back into the main area. “I told you to stay out of my kitchen. You’re a magnet for disaster.”
“A magnet you adore though, right?” Leif asked.
Tommy huffed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “If you weren’t such an integral part of this resistance, I’d have kicked you out the first time you thudded through my door.”
“How did you end up here?” I asked, as Leif brushed flour from his pants.
“You’re cleaning that up,” Tommy grumbled, as he grabbed a rag and swirled it around a set of glassware drying on the bar top.
“I’ve heard all of your infamous stories from Dukes Pub. I figured if that old grump let you both in time and time again, he might accept me too.” Leif shrugged. He turned fully toward me, reaching for my arm. “Is—is Kalliah with you?”
My breath caught in my throat. “She’s travelling with the others and missing you, if you can believe that.”
“Never.” His blush told me otherwise. “Anyway, we’ve been trying to update Joseph so he can help, but I’m assuming if you’re here, we’re tight on time?”
I nodded.
“Our army will be hidden from sight until we’re ready.” Ian transformed, shifting into captain mode, getting down to business. “We just need to know whatever details you have about access points and what locations are most heavily guarded.”
“It’s like planning for the Hidden Henchman all over again.” Leif rubbed his hands together excitedly.
“Leif,” I cautioned, glancing over at Tommy. While outside of the palace walls we’d admitted my true identity, having it revealed inside the city made fear curl in my stomach.
The bartender looked up, eyebrow raised. “If you think for one minute hearing you two were behind the Henchman shenanigans surprises me in any way, you must think I’m dumber than I look.”
I stared at Tommy, shocked at his candor. “What?”
Leif chimed in. “We’ve actually spread the word that you’re the Hidden Henchman.
It’s been an asset for recruiting. Your people loved you already, Lana, but now that they know you helped so many throughout Brookmere, it only emphasized the kind of Fae you are.
” Leif chuckled. “All of Andras’s hard work trying to bad-mouth you backfired even more as your hidden identity spread across the land. It’s been entertaining to watch.”
Tommy snorted, interjecting again from the bar. “They probably wouldn’t be so impressed if they knew their princess ran amuck in here every year for her birthday. Costing me tables and booze.”
I rose, walking over to Tommy before placing my hands on my hips. “I paid for all my damages. Plus, you always got generous tips from me.”
“Generous heaps of crazy, you mean,” he countered. His gaze had softened though, lips twitching in the faintest smile.
“Tell you what,” I said, picking up a handful of nuts from the bowl on the bar top and popping one into my mouth. “You continue risking your neck and helping with our cause and I’ll fund the tavern for a year.”
This time Tommy laughed. “You know what? You have yourself a deal.”
Ian glanced at him. “You were going to do it anyway, weren’t you.”
Tommy winked—actually winked—at Ian. “You both may be a pain in the ass, but you’re my pains in the ass. Queen Illiana’s preferred pub wouldn’t be too bad of a reputation either.”
I laughed along with the others before Tommy abruptly stopped and cleared his throat. “Get back to work.”
Leif saluted and ran back behind the bar, bringing out a sheet of parchment. He laid it out on one of the tables and my jaw dropped. On it was a sketch of Ellevail with various markings everywhere including a chart containing times and notes.
Amazing didn’t even begin to describe the work before me. The intricacies and intimate details of not only the map itself, but of the other information it contained.
“I’ve been in and out for weeks, watching and recording their movements.
The ones farther away from the castle are more erratic.
Their motions twitchier and more uncontrollable.
The dark ones around the perimeter of the city and inside the castle are the ones to worry about though.
Our theory is those who were forced, fight the darkness harder and have the jerkier movements, while those who willingly turned are sharper and appear more ‘normal’. ”
“That’s right. We learned that as well,” I nodded.
“Leif.” Ian ran his fingers over the map. “This is incredible. These details will be invaluable for our attack. You should have considered a career in the guard.”
Leif’s cheeks flushed as he bowed his head. “The others are on their way?”
I nodded. “They’ll be in Eomer Forest until we come back with information and decide where we’ll breach.”
“I’d say…” Leif pointed at the front gates. “Right through the front. I can rally a few who will cause a distraction to pull the guards away from the city gates.”
“It’d certainly make a statement,” Ian mused. “Walking straight through the front entrance. Bold move.”
“If we plan it for shift change at dusk, it’ll be even more chaotic, and you’ll be able to get almost all the way to the secondary gates at the palace in the confusion.
” Leif rubbed his neck and then nodded as if double-checking his statement.
“Meanwhile, I can head back into the palace and try to gather anyone willing to fight from the inside and meet you once you’re through. ”
“Now I know why all the drops were so successful. You’re a strategist,” I complimented.
“Perhaps. It’s come in handy for us a time or two. It’ll help now.”
“This is good, Leif. A solid plan.” Ian’s face turned somber. “What happened after we escaped?”
Leif inhaled. “They brought me to Andras for questioning, but he didn't care. He was so excited, he laughed in my face, saying you all got rid of the weak link. They threw me in the dungeons and left me for a few days. Then a guard came.” He looked at Ian.
“The one who approached us after the standoff with Andras and”—his eyes flicked to me with a depth of sadness in them—“and our queen fell.”
Ian frowned, nodding slowly. “Right, I remember.”
“His name is Valmik. He brought me food for about a week, and we talked. I told him my idea of the fake dark one marks, and he convinced one of the guards close to Casimir to let the guards handle turning people. There were a few who went beyond what was asked of them.” Leif sighed.
“Sacrificed their lives, essentially, to prove we were serious. Then we pretended they’d infected me, and I was released.
Other guards, loyal to you and your family, Lana, have been impersonating dark ones as well.
I try to meet up with them once a week to gather any relevant information. ”
I couldn’t help but shiver as my throat clogged with emotions thinking about those who gave up everything on a whim.
On just a hope that this insane plan would work.
We would honor them after we won this war.
Leif pointed to a few numbers crossed out and changing along the bottom of the map.
“This is the number of dark ones combined with guards loyal to Andras that Valmik and his crew believe are in play.”
“One hundred forty-two?” Lana said, eyebrows raised.
“Less than I thought,” Ian murmured.
“The number has gone down significantly in the past week or so. Andras recently sent a large number of them out of Ellevail, but we didn’t hear where they went.”
I frowned. “That’s never good.”
Leif shrugged. “The point is, if we start this fight, that’s how many we have to contend with, plus Andras and Casimir. You think we can?”
“Yes,” Ian said without hesitation. “I do.”
The way they were speaking brought me so much hope that we might actually succeed. A giddy feeling swirled in my chest. Light pooled at my fingertips in a sort of excited anticipation.
Leif shoved his chair back. “What in the Fates’ names is that?”
“Oh, right.” I smiled, waving my hand around as light formed in an arc above my head. “I have magic now.”
“Well then,” Leif said, laughing. “While you never needed magic to be a queen for me, it looks like we’ve got another ace up our sleeve to put you back in your palace, Your Majesty.”
I nodded, closing my eyes as his words and the knowledge of how much work he’d done truly hit me. “You’ve exponentially improved our odds of winning, Leif. I don’t know how to thank you for what you risked in our absence.”
He moved to kneel in front of me with a hand over his heart.
“I’ve told you before, and I’ll say it again.
You see us, Lana, all of us. Not just the nobles, not just the wealthy, but you see us.
The lesser Fae. Being in your inner circle is a privilege I will never take for granted.
I saw a small chance to make a difference, and I took it.
But it was because you’ve given us direction and hope for what we could be under your reign. ”
My heart burst, gratitude threatening to consume me on the spot.
I swallowed, not even sure what to say as I let his words sink in.
They were words Ian had said, and Kade. Storm and Corbin too.
I let them soak into my soul, preparing me for the role I must play in this battle ahead.
I would make a difference. But first, I needed to take back my home.
“If you ever call yourself lesser Fae again, I’ll punch you square in the jaw.
My right hook has improved too. I might have learned some new moves while I’ve been gone,” I joked, tugging on Leif’s arm to stand.
“But otherwise, you’re right. Let’s go destroy Andras and start building toward our future. ”