Page 75 of The Ruthless Fae King
“An elixir!”
“I need her head on a spike!”
Lucien whistled and the room quieted. Everyone turned to him and he spoke calmly but directly. “Between Embergate and our lands, we have Zaphira surrounded,” Lucien said, pointing to the map. “But we need to get word to Axil. He’s reclusive, and only ever bothered with his own kind. I doubt he knows she’s been stealing his people’s power and that war is afoot.”
King Lightstone nodded. “He’s always been closer with you. Could you go to him, since your power isn’t working?”
The room was plunged into a frigid chill suddenly and our breath came out in a fog.
“Actually, it’s back full bore. I tried early this morning,” he said with a grin. I smiled at Lucien, incredibly happy for him.
Queen Arwen rubbed her hands up her arms. “Okay, no need to show off,” she teased.
“Sorry,” Lucien muttered, and the temperature raised again.
I felt such relief that his power was fully back I nearly collapsed into my seat. A thought struck me then. “I can go,” I blurted out. “The war has begun and Lucien is powerful. He needs to stay here and protect our people.”
“No way,” Lucien said quickly.
Kailani cleared her throat. “Actually… maybe we could do a girls’ trip kind of idea. Queen Arwen will fly Queen Madelynn and me. That way, you men can hold down the front while we are gone. We can bring back Axil and his army.”
A girls’ trip to find the wolf king? I quite liked that idea, and from the grin on Kailani’s face, she did too.
“With all due respect, my love,” King Lightstone looked at his wife, “I’m not sending you into Fallenmoore unprotected.”
Kailani scowled at her husband. “I don’t need a guard! I can steal a person’s life with one breath,” she snapped, and the elf king fell silent.
Whoa, I had heard she was powerful, but her magic was slightly unknown. It was all rumors. She brought back the dead, she sucked a person’s soul from their body, she could read your mind. Rumors circled over the past few weeks, making it all the way to Fall Court that she’d singlehandedly run off the Nightfall queen with the elvin army while her husband was out of town. I didn’t know how much of it was true though.
“So can I,” I told her, and she shot me a grin.
The dragon king opened his mouth to speak, and Arwen put up a hand to stop him. “Don’t even bother. I’m going. I’ll be back in two days’ time. The girls have a wet nurse. They will be fine.”
Drae’s mouth clamped shut and his jaw grit, but he said nothing.
“So it’s settled,” I said. “We will go and get Axil and bring his wolves back to the front and finish off Zaphira.”
The men all shared a look, one that said they wished they could speak alone but knew they couldn’t.
“Flying to Fallenmoore is safer than being here right now,” Lucien offered the other kings.
Drae let out a relenting sigh. “But when have you last heard from Axil?”
“He sent a letter last spring,” Lucien said. “It was generic: he was having issues with his brother, and would be taking a wife soon.”
“Do we even know if he would help?” the dragon king doubled down. “The wolves are so secluded. They don’t like to bother with outsiders’ problems.”
The elf king nodded. “But we now have proof Zaphira is taking his people’s power. That’s a wolf problem.”
Lucien cleared his throat. “Axil has never met our wives. What will make him believe they really come with our wishes and can act with our authority?”
The dragon and elf king both shared a mischievous grin, then Drae walked to the door. “Be right back,” he uttered mysteriously.
He returned a moment later holding a small box. It was metal and the corners were rusted. Drae brushed it off and held it up for Lucien to inspect.
Lucien’s entire face fell, and he went a little pale. “You dug it up,” he breathed, his voice full of emotion.
“I did,” Drae said, and brought it to the dining table.
