Chapter 32
CHAPTER 32
L ight flared from the spear’s tip, fracturing into an iridescent shower bright enough to sear Lila’s eyes. She strained to leap forward and somehow intercept it, but King Elroth’s command gripped her tight. She might as well have been trapped in amber.
She recognized the spear’s radiance for what it was—a spell to guarantee Farras’s weapon would strike and kill the king. With no other option, she screamed a wordless warning that was echoed by a dozen other voices.
Two of the king’s retainers surged forward—one a female clad in silver mail, the other a male in armor so dark that it seemed to drink the light. The latter spurred his black steed closest to the king, ready to shield him at all costs, but he could not close the distance in time.
Farras had chosen his position well, launching his attack from the left and behind, outside King Elroth’s line of sight. At the warning cry, the monarch twisted in his saddle, but not fast enough to do more than glimpse his own execution.
A huge shape eclipsed the spear’s blinding sparks. Lila blinked, clearing her sight of the blazing afterimage to see an enormous gray wolf spring into the air, catching the spear in his jaws. Lila’s breath stopped. Rafe! He had bolted in from outside the broken wall and from beyond the sphere of the king’s command to freeze.
The spear, loaded with intricate spellwork, shattered in Rafe’s bite before his paws hit the floor. The power banked within the weapon discharged in a single, wild eruption. A searing flash ended in a clap of rushing air. Lila flinched, unable to duck, and squeezed her eyes shut. A wave of pins and needles coursed over her body followed by a strange nothingness.
Her ears recovered first as the remains of the spear clattered to the floor. Lila rubbed tears from her light-blinded eyes, relieved to be able to move again. When her vision cleared, she saw the king still seated on his horse, his face white with shock.
Amid the shards of the spear, Rafe sprawled at the feet of the king’s charger. The rush of unfocused magic had changed him back to human form, naked and unconscious.
Lila dove toward Rafe, frantic with worry. She fell to her knees and skidded the last few feet across the polished floor, heedless of the guards and the nervous stamping of the horses. One of the lesser fae dove past her head, wings buzzing in alarm, but she waved it away.
Rafe was facedown, one arm flung forward. Lila placed her hand against the lean muscle of his back, a soft cry of relief escaping her lips when she felt the rise and fall of his breath. But his skin was unnaturally cool, as if his vital spark had been seared away.
Someone was shouting at Lila, but the words were meaningless to her. She summoned the last of her strength, sending it through her touch and into Rafe’s still form. His heart skipped and fluttered until it caught the rhythm of hers. For an instant, their pulses beat together, fae and wolf. Without thinking of where she was or who might be watching, she used her free hand to smooth the dark tangle of hair from his face .
Only then did she notice the prick of a blade against her spine. Lila looked up, and the warrior in silver glared down. The fierce-eyed female had dismounted and held a sword inches from Lila’s flesh.
“What do you think you’re doing?” The warrior demanded, casting a meaningful glance toward Elroth. “We’re in a mood to strike anyone who gets too close to the king.”
“I have to heal him,” Lila replied, a headache pounding behind her eyes. She’d stretched her energy too far, but she couldn’t stop now.
The warrior opened her mouth, but her reply was drowned out.
“Seize Lord Farras,” roared the king. “Bring him forward to answer for this crime.”
Lila glanced up to see Farras sprinting for the broken wall. In a swirl of capes and swords, the fae fell upon the lord, forcing him facedown and wrenching his hands behind his back. Power flared, and a fae in silk finery flew backward. But there were too many for Farras to fight all at once, especially when the king’s mounted retainers joined the fray. The warrior in black produced iron cuffs, locking them around the prisoner’s bare wrists.
Lila’s attention returned to Rafe. His life force was steadier now, his temperature warming. Or maybe that was an illusion, because she was starting to shiver.
The warrior in silver mail grasped her shoulder. “You need to stop and step away now. You’re hurting yourself.”
“Not yet,” Lila said stubbornly.
“He’s only a wolf.” The fae frowned at Rafe, who was just beginning to stir.
Lila opened her mouth to protest the only , but gave a sob of relief as Rafe slowly sat up. He shook his head as if trying to clear it.
“Rafe? Are you all right?” Lila asked .
He nodded, then seemed to regret the motion. Reaching blindly, he grasped her hand and squeezed it in silent thanks.
With a chime of harness bells, King Elroth dismounted next to where Lila sat with Rafe. With a sweeping gesture, he unhooked his russet cloak, draping it around the wolf’s shoulders. A murmur rose from the crowd. The gesture was an enormous mark of royal favor.
With fluid grace, he knelt beside them, frank curiosity on his face. “Lila of House Fernblade, is that you?”
Her mouth went dry. “It is, sire.”
“You summoned me.”
“I did, sire.”
“Clearly, we have much to discuss.” His gaze swept over her. “For now, you’ve done enough. Let me finish your task.”
The king spread his fingertips over Rafe’s chest, releasing a pale golden glow of healing magic. Even though she was not its target, Lila felt the brush of royal power like a pressure against her skin. The touch did not last more than a second or two, but Rafe’s eyes flared wolf-gold. He scrambled to his feet, as if too filled with energy to be still.
“This wolf saved my life,” the king said, rising to face the room. “I owe him and his pack a boon.”
“He is my son,” another wolf called out.
Lila got to her feet more slowly, eager to get a look at the Alpha she’d heard so much about. He was older and not as tall as his son, but she could see a resemblance, especially in his fierce regard. Every line of his body said he would fight for his pack, and especially his child.
“King Elroth,” Rafe said with a courteous bow, showing excellent manners to a monarch who was not his own. “The wolves have come for justice. There was nothing to be gained by more death.”
“You risked your life,” said Elroth. “I will not forget that. What is your name? ”
“Rafe of Pack Devries.”
“Rafe, I thank you.” The king gave a deep nod. “And while I would prefer to keep on praising your bravery, young wolf, duty commands me. There is much to do before sunrise. Go to your pack knowing you have my gratitude.”
With a last bow, Rafe retreated from the king’s presence. He paused as he passed close to Lila, bending to whisper in her ear. “Thank you.”
Then he disappeared into the throng of wolves.
A murmur rippled through the crowd, growing louder until Elroth held up a hand for silence. “I will hear your grievances, but first you will cease your battle. Fae will gather near the high table. The rest of you go to the other end of the hall.”
He pointed to emphasize his orders. Lila began to move, but the king stopped her.
“You remain here, Lila of House Fernblade,” he said in softer tones. “You summoned me, and you have yet to tell me why.”
A vampire in a smart suit, who seemed to be the leader of the Undead, stood his ground. “You give orders easily for one who doesn’t rule the Undead or the wolves.”
Elroth’s shoulders stiffened. “And you are?”
A beat passed before the Undead answered. “Malatest. I rule the vampires in these parts.”
“You are here, Mr. Malatest, in a fae territory, where I rule everyone.”
“We didn’t come here for something fun to do.” The vampire tilted his fedora back a degree. “We have a score to settle.”
“As I said, if you have complaints, they shall be heard. Whether they are heard before the sun rises is up to you.”
Malatest matched him silence for silence, then gave a short nod. “Then I’ll play nice to save time, but understand we were winning the fight.”
Elroth raised his brow. “Your position is noted.”
Malatest retreated. By some unspoken agreement, the Undead gathered on the left side of the hall and the shifters on the right. When Lila looked back, Rafe had between swept into the crowd of wolves. As natural as that might be, a pang of disappointment ran through her. She missed his presence at her side.
Once the noise settled, the king strode to the middle of the banquet hall, while his retinue ranged behind him and beneath the portal’s glowing arch. The retainers were all warriors, armed to the teeth. Their grim faces made it plain what would happen if anyone—fae, wolf, or vampire—put a foot wrong.
Lila found a place next to the retainers and scanned the room for her parents. She saw the gargoyles first, looming like large and ugly statues. Ademar had commandeered a bench, where her parents sat together. Though Galeeta sat as upright and poised as ever, Gareth slumped, holding her hand in his. Ademar leaned against the wall on Galeeta’s other side, brow creased in a frown.
Lila’s chest tightened with a mix of emotions—love, exasperation, and anxiety. Mother, father, brother—they were all a piece of her. And so vulnerable. She felt adrift, caught between the desire to be with them and the need to tell King Elroth everything she knew.
She forced herself to look away. The rest of the fae stood in a crescent at one end of the banquet hall, shuffling nervously. There seemed fewer than before. Had some fled when Farras was arrested? If they’d followed him out of fear, maybe they saw their chance and ran?
Lila searched the wolves until she found Rafe among them. It was not hard since his dark head rose above the rest. He was talking to his father, and the king’s cloak was gone. He wore pants and a sleeveless jacket, but no shirt, leaving his bare arms and chest on display. Lila longed to reach out and put her hand against his warm skin, but he was too far away. For a heartsick instant, she wondered when she would touch him again—or if she ever would.
Lila’s heart skipped with apprehension as King Elroth raised his hands for silence. After a moment, all that they could hear was the wind in the forest, clearly audible through the gap in the wall the vampires had made.
“I was on my way to Gilden Wood,” Elroth said. “Imagine my surprise when I was suddenly summoned by an urgent message to come here. It has been a long time since I received a communication by crystal of such strength and clarity.”
On hearing his device had actually worked, Ademar jerked upright, grinning, then quickly smothered his expression. Lila couldn’t hide an answering smile. Elroth looked her way, and she felt her cheeks grow hot.
“I responded immediately,” he said. “A king comes when one of his people calls out in distress. I would ask the sender why she sent that message.”
The warrior in silver mail nudged her forward. Once Lila was in motion, all her years of training for court took over. She approached Elroth, stopping at a respectful distance, and sunk into a curtsy. The gesture felt wrong in her grubby, ill-fitting clothes. “Your Majesty.”
She rose, feeling the weight of so many watching. Farras stood where she could see him from the corner of her eye. His captors had hauled him to the front of the crowd and gagged him with a banquet napkin.
“It is evident that much has happened here,” Elroth said with an edge of sarcasm. “Tell me your message now, in full.”
“This is a long tale with several threads, sire, and I do not know every part,” Lila began. “But what I do know is that there is an individual some call the Magician selling bacchante in the city.”
“I have heard of the drug,” Elroth replied. “That is one reason I believe the fae will benefit by retreating from the human world.”
Lila tensed. “I am sorry to say, Your Majesty, that the Magician is a fae, and he sells the drug to other supernaturals as well as to our people. ”
The king’s eyebrows lifted. “A fae is selling bacchante? A light fae?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Lila pushed on, wanting to say as much as she could before she lost her chance to speak. “The effect on other species is most often fatal, so they are eager to find the Magician’s identity.”
“Understandable,” Elroth said.
“Wolves tracked the Magician to this way station, but they vanished without a trace. Rafe was the last to arrive with his Undead companion.” Lila gestured to where Izetta stood. “I was here when they were thrown into the dungeon beneath this building.”
“Way stations do not have cells,” Elroth interrupted in an affronted tone. “Or should not.”
“This one does,” Lila replied, leaving as little room as possible for interruption. “Lord Farras confessed to me that he spelled the wolves to sleep and put them in the prison cells. I freed those who were left alive, along with Captain Teegar and my father. They were all being held in the dungeon.”
“Captain Teegar?”
“And my father. Lord Farras said that you were responsible for his capture.”
“He did, did he?” Elroth’s frown deepened. “That is far from the truth.”
“One more thing.”
The king’s eyebrows rose again. “Just one?”
“So there is no doubt ever again, I would like to be formally and publicly released from any expectation that I marry Lord Farras.”
Elroth made a less than kingly snort. “That I grant without reservation. Allow me a moment to consider what you’ve told me. Remain here in case I have questions.”
Lila curtsied again and retreated to her place beside the retainers .
The silver-clad warrior gave her an approving nod. “Quick and concise,” she said under her breath. “That’s how he likes it.”
And it didn’t take long for Elroth to digest what she’d told him. Barely a moment later, he addressed the room.
“I have heard a great many disturbing things in these last minutes. First among them is that a fae is responsible for deaths in other communities.”
Malatest stepped forward. “Like I said, we have a score to settle.”
“As do we.” That was Rafe’s father, matching the vampire move for move.
Elroth looked from one to the other. “Then I ask you, does anyone know the identity of the Magician?”