Page 63 of The Ruthless Fae King
Lucien looked impressed at my outburst. Maybe it was the tone in my voice but I believed he knew I would not return here without an army.
“So what’s the plan?” I asked.
Someone deeper down the hall cleared their throat and we all turned. It was hard to miss the dragon-folk, they were built like horses and this one was no different. The man before me, who I assumed was the dragon king, as I’d never seen him in human form, was a massive gentleman, as tall as Lucien, and as wide as two Luciens. He was stacked with muscle, his black hair braided into a ponytail at the back, similar to how Lucien wore it.
He stepped into the dining room, my mother and everyone moving out of the way so that he could do so, and then bowed lightly to me. “Good to see you doing better, my lady. I’m Drae Valdren, the dragon king.”
“Madelynn Windstrong,” I told him, and curtsied.
“So, I admit I was eavesdropping, and I have a plan on how to retaliate on the attempted kidnapping of your sister,” he declared. “It will win us an edge in the war and buy us time to get Axil Moon here.”
I didn’t care that he had been listening in and only wanted to hear about his plan. King Drae Valdren was a force to contend with. He once flew into Nightfall territory to kill Queen Zaphira’s son as retribution for murdering one of his people. If he was talking, I was listening.
Drae clapped Lucien on the back. “The winter king will build up a ten-foot wall of snow and ice at the border. This will buy time for Raife to get his healers in here.”
Lucien nodded. “I can do that easily.”
Drae then looked at me. “This also buys you and I time. I will fly you back to your people and you will convince them to join the war.”
I tipped my head high. It was a great plan. “Let’s leave at once!”
Drae chuckled at my eagerness. “I’ve sent for my wife. By the time she gets here, you and I should have returned, with backup on the way. While the fae army attacks at the border, it will draw Zaphira’s forces out.”
Lucien grinned. “And you fly over them and rain fire.”
Drae nodded. “Arwen can fly too. We can reduce their numbers considerably.”
“The Nightfall people have magic powers now,” I said. “What if you are both killed?”
Drae rubbed his chin in deep thought. “She’s got a point.” He then peered at Lucien. “If we die, freeze everything and avenge us.”
Good night! That was morbid.
Lucien chuckled. “You know I would.”
Kailani cleared her throat. “As a last resort, right? Because there are good people in Nightfall, people who hate Zaphira and just want to leave. She keeps them under curfew and forces them to join the army at a young age.”
We let that settle over the room. It was easy to want to wipe out an entire people over the actions of their leader, but it didn’t make it right.
“As a last resort, yes. Until then, I will rally the rest of our people and we will show Queen Zaphira she’s messed with the wrong fae,” I growled.
Lucien cleared his throat. “No offense, sugar plum, but we aren’t sure your powers are still working. I’d hate to send you off alone without knowing you can protect yourself.”
I’d completely forgotten about the blood. Just the thought of Lucien’s blood running through my body made me feel a little queasy. But there was no time to dwell on that.
“Then let’s see if my power is still intact, shall we?” I said to the room.
My mother had stayed quiet nearly this entire time, but now she was frowning. “What happened to your power?”
A few of us chuckled and I led everyone outside, explaining to my mom on the way what had happened with the blood donation. We all walked through the back garden area to a small open field. There was a thin sheet of snow on everything and it wascold. The trees had no leaves and it was the perfect place to practice.
Lucien, the dragon king, the elf king and queen, my mom, and Piper, were looking at me.
“No pressure,” I laughed nervously.
“I’m just glad you’re alive. Whether or not you are powerful anymore doesn’t matter,” Lucien said.
It was sweet, really, but I would be devastated. One thing I’d always felt confident about was my wind magic.
