Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 123190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123190 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 616(@200wpm)___ 493(@250wpm)___ 411(@300wpm)
I see her again when I return to the others. She’s wiping down tables and sweeping behind the bar, getting scolded by a tall, dark-haired fae male I might call attractive if it weren’t for the sneer on his face and the way he speaks to his young wife. No, this male is ugly on the inside, and his insides are showing.
Skylar digs her elbow into my side. “Would you quit staring?”
I drop my gaze back to my dinner, but in my periphery I’m aware of the male and the group of a dozen faeries gathered at a long table closer to the bar. They’re all dressed in the same uniform of brown pants and olive vest. Many have sideways crescent moons tattooed on their necks. The proprietor keeps circling back to their table and laughing with them.
“What do we know about that group?” I ask quietly. “The loud ones the proprietor seems partial to?”
“Enough to mind our own business,” Skylar says, not looking up from her bowl.
Remme chuckles and nods in agreement.
Kendrick flicks his gaze to the group then to Natan.
“I know,” Natan says. “I’m on it.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means we like to keep an eye on the people around us who could be trouble,” Remme says, his voice low, “but we’re smart enough not to let them know we’re doing it.”
The proprietor alternates between scolding his wife behind the bar and returning to the table with the rowdy males, filling their glasses with fresh ale.
“Would you please not stare?” Skylar says, elbowing me again.
“Sorry.” I drop my gaze to my stew, but I can’t do anything to contain the hate rolling off me. When he bought his wife, she was likely younger than I was when I was sold to Mordeus. She should’ve been allowed to be a child. Her father should’ve protected her. The world shouldn’t be such an ugly place that things like that happen at all—not to humans or faeries.
My ring feels warm against my breast, where I tucked it into my bustier before dinner. I feel it calling to me.
“You want to steer clear of the likes of them,” Remme says. “Trouble, through and through. I might not care about Faerie politics, but even I think this godsforsaken realm is better off with your sister on that throne than it was without her.”
“Careful,” Kendrick murmurs.
I glare at Remme. “You think? Of course it’s better.” I force myself to keep my voice low.
“Not if you ask those folks back there,” Skylar says, gesturing with her spoon toward the table of uniformed males.
Kendrick flinches and rubs his temples. “Thanks, Sky.”
She shrugs. “It’s just facts. I don’t see what the problem is.”
Remme takes a long pull from his dark glass of ale, then wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Problem is all that rage in her eyes,” he says, nodding to me.
Skylar chuckles. “You really think she’s gonna do something about it? About them? I’d like to see her try.”
Kendrick rubs his forehead. “Please stop.”
She winks at him. “I thought you liked it when I brought out the fight in your little girlfriend.”
I decide to ignore all three of them and turn to Natan. “Someone told me that group is leaving. Where would they be going?”
Natan looks to Kendrick.
“No,” I snap. “Look at me. You don’t need his permission. Tell me.”
Kendrick’s jaw ticks. “Go ahead.”
“We don’t know where they’re headed,” Natan says, his tone hushed. He pushes his glasses up his nose. “But I would guess they’re traveling around the court to gather recruits. They aren’t strong enough yet, but if they keep growing like they have, they’ll make a charge to remove your sister from the throne sooner rather than later.”
Anger and hatred burn in my blood. I knew there were pockets of Mordeus’s followers throughout the court, but I didn’t realize any of them planned to act. They are lucky to have my sister. They have no idea how much my family lost so that fate or destiny or Mab or whoever is in charge of this idiocy could get her there. That they not only don’t appreciate it but want to take it from her makes me want to tear them apart with my bare hands. I don’t even need the ring to feel my chest cooling and my heart frosting over.
“Easy, Slayer,” Kendrick says. “We can’t save the entire realm today. We have to start by finding the sword.”
What he means is we have to start by murdering the leader of the Magical Seven, and I still don’t know how I feel about that.
I’ve eaten only a few bites of my stew, but I can’t stomach any more. I push away from the table. “Excuse me. I think I’ll retire early.”
“You should eat,” Kendrick says, worried eyes scanning my face.