Chapter 5 - Velra #3
Graceyn gestured at her soldiers. “As we’ve all come to see for ourselves through your recent actions—and battles. Including you contacting us through your new ally here.”
“Well, I can’t reach into the Dark Fae Realm with my banishment in effect.”
“So, of course, you found another way.” She smiled. “We’re glad you did. Things have reached a tipping point. Something you’ve registered despite being disconnected from us and the Realm itself. Impressive.”
“It’s why I’ve had this meeting arranged.”
“Yes. You want to know where it’s coming from, how there are so many Dark Fae committing despicable crimes across the supernatural world—those joining with Puritas, others performing mind-meddling, bringing enhanced versions of that twisted magic out beyond the Realm as well.”
I nodded.
“Darethor is waning.”
The King of the Dark Fae wasn’t even referred to by his title with Thryne. It was a little resistance in itself.
She went on, “His power is weakening due to illness born from him delving into dangerous magics far too often over the years. In response, he’s delegated much more of his rule and high-level decision-making to the Royal Fae Court.
And they have taken advantage of it. It’s led to a call for domination and dangerous power moves that have caused all of this. ”
I scrubbed my hand over my face, a curse escaping me.
“With your connections now to the higher echelons of the supernatural world, there is much you can do to further our cause, to help put an end to this. And not just your connections in that respect—but in a far more personal way, I’m afraid.”
“What does that mean? You’re referring to Sorin? Rest assured, he’s been incapacitated.”
Her lips twisted, like just the thought of it made her sick—on my behalf, it seemed.
“Not that psychopath. Two others. More sociopathic, if we’re getting technical.
Those who are heading the Royal Fae Court now, who have taken advantage of the current situation and turned Darethor into little more than a figurehead, while they think themselves monarchs in his stead.
” She shifted her weight. “Lavra and Arvent Tenebris.”
I choked and took an unsteady step back.
My parents.
“You didn’t mention any of that before when I connected with you,” Kelsana snapped at Graceyn.
“We weren’t sure Velra would come here if we had. But seeing us in person is different for her.”
“So you’re manipulating her? Her kindness? Knowing seeing you up close would tug at that gentle heart of hers?”
“We do what we must when we’re up against forces like this.”
“Be really careful where you draw that line. Believe me, you need to. Things can go a whole other way so quickly and, before you know it, you’re becoming the very enemies you’re trying to fight.”
“That’s an easy stance to take when you’re on the outside of all of this.”
“It’s not. And I don’t intend to be on the outside anymore. It’s why Velra brought me back here to you all.”
“You wish to join us? You know your parents are lobbying hard for seats on the Royal Fae Court? They wish to become the next Tenebris nightmare.”
“All the more reason for me to become a part of your resistance to that kind of insanity coming to pass and impacting our entire kind in an irreversible way.”
“Hmm… a whole lot of attitude, forthright, principled, dragging yourself back from the dark side of Fae nature… you certainly seem like Thryne material.”
Their interaction reached me.
I could hear it, even see it… but I wasn’t properly internalizing it.
The revelation about my parents was trumping everything. The way they were connected to all of this. How deep the rot went. Those Dark Fae who’d been there when Morien had nearly killed me… that had been at my parents’ behest.
And their hatred and revulsion toward me had extended into impacting the supernatural world as a whole—especially all hybrid kind.
“You don’t have a lock on them, do you?”
My words cut right through Graceyn and Kelsana’s conversation.
Kelsana started and looked on curiously at Graceyn.
“It’s why you agreed to this meeting so easily, despite the risks of reuniting with the likes of me when a whole lot of people are hunting me and hybrids all over the world right now.”
“Yes. We need your help to find them.”
“A blood link won’t do it,” I warned her. “My blood is corrupted by my Wraith side. You can’t run a Blood Trace or anything of the sort on me as a result.”
“Sorin.”
“What?”
“He’s the weak link here, Velra. He always has been. He’s just been bolstered by the likes of Victor Halrow and Puritas for so long. But our intel points to Sorin now being isolated somewhere.”
“Somewhere?” I asked, forcing the edge out of my voice.
“No one knows. We’ve just heard that Puritas has been sending out scouts searching for him.”
Phew.
“I’ll see to it.”
“What?” Graceyn uttered.
Kelsana laid her hand carefully on my shoulder. “After what he did to you, I don’t think—”
“I’ll see to him. I’ll get a lock on Lavra and Arvent.” I stepped back. “You’ll hear from me shortly.”
“Velra—” Graceyn started.
“Are you remaining outside the Realm for a while?”
“A few weeks we’ll be here, yes.”
“I’ll track you, then. Once I have the information you need.”
I turned to go, but Kelsana stepped into my path. “Whatever you’re planning to do, I’ll go with you.”
“No,” I said, smiling out at her. “You’ve found something here for yourself. Something important. Something that fits. Stay. Talk with Graceyn.”
“Velra, I can’t just—”
“I’ll be fine. Finding places of belonging is rarer than it should be. Thryne is a great fit for you, and your reactions and responses have made that clear. Embrace it.”
I gave her arm a squeeze and then I disappeared in a swirl of shadows.