Page 8

* * *

“How many territories are there within the fae lands?” Telean prodded me over lunch a week later.

“Five,” I said. Now that I wasn’t continually heaving over the side of the ship, I’d spent the past few days eating and learning. It was incredibly evident that there were huge gaps in my education. The kinds of gaps that made my cheeks heat with how little I knew.

I was a barely literate village girl who now needed to understand everything there was to know about the rulers of this continent—and what they had to lose.

Unfortunately, most humans would never believe the truth. The Eprothan king, Sabium, was over four hundred years old. His real name was Regner—the man known as Sabium’s ancestor. Regner had used stolen magic to stay alive all this time, faking his own death and taking his crown over and over again each time he secretly killed the human boys he pretended were his sons.

“Who are the high fae who rule those territories?”

I dunked a piece of bread into my stew. I never knew how much I’d appreciate the simple act of eating until I stepped on to this ship. “Romydan, Thorn, Caliar, Sylvielle, and Verdion.” The fae only used first names.

“And who rules over all of those territories?”

I swallowed. “Conreth.” Lorian’s brother. And our only real hope for an alliance at this point in time.

“And his wife?”

“Emara.”

“Good.”

I was beginning to think clearly once more. And with that clarity came a healthy dose of fear. My friends and family were traveling down to the fae lands, but I had no doubt Regner would have deployed his iron guards to hunt them down.

Thanks to my aunt, I knew all about the iron guards.

Comprised of five hundred of the king’s most vicious, loyal men, the iron guards were chosen at birth and sent to an academy where they had any spark of compassion or humanity driven from them. They were soulless killers who’d been molded for situations just like this.

Lorian had said thousands of hybrids were already living at a camp within the fae borders, but it wasn’t a long-term solution. The hybrids deserved a home.

“You’re distracted,” Telean remarked.

“Do you know exactly where the hybrids from the castle are right now?” I wouldn’t be able to fully concentrate until I knew they were all as safe as possible—even if that meant they were in the fae lands.

Telean’s pause was the only indication she was surprised by the change in subject. But my aunt made an excellent spy. She spent most of her time sitting in various spots on the ship, eyes closed, face turned up to the sun, as if she was napping. I had no doubt she drifted off occasionally, but mostly, she was listening to those foolish enough to talk in her presence.

“Rythos and Galon both took their groups east through Eprotha, into the forest. They will be crossing into the fae lands near Crawyth.”

“And the others?” I asked.

“Marth and Cavis are bringing their groups through Gromalia. The other groups split up and left at various times.”

So that if one group were captured and killed, there was a chance some of the others would make it. My hands fisted, and I forced myself to focus. I’d gotten a mere glimpse of the groups before Lorian had hauled me away from the city gates. But I should’ve been there. I should be with them now.

“Where are my brothers? And Vicer and Asinia?”

She reached out and squeezed my hand. “With Marth.”

“In Gromalia.” Not quite as dangerous as Eprotha, but certainly not safe. Especially after Lorian had played the part of the Gromalian prince for so long.

“Yes. The Bloodthirsty Prince has contacts in the kingdom. Fae contacts.”

“You are the biggest target,” Telean said. “And the Bloodthirsty Prince has taken you by sea—something Regner wouldn’t have expected.”

I was beginning to hate how Telean called Lorian the Bloodthirsty Prince. But I couldn’t understand why. Perhaps it was merely the thought of what might have been—if Lorian and I had been different people.

“We need allies,” I said.