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‘We’re going to need more than twenty-four hours, in that case,’ he said, sitting up straight in the blink of an eye – suddenly all business again, and yet the way he spoke the words, so deliberately unhurried, turned even a discussion of travel into something unbearably sensual. ‘If you want to make it back here and also sleep for a few hours, that is.’

‘I was thinking we could fly straight on to the Crimson Court tomorrow.’ I cocked my head at him, fluttering my lashes. ‘But if you’re too impatient to get me into a bed to make the time for travelling, we could just as easily dive into the nearest army tent and—'

‘I’m rather sick of army tents, to tell you the truth,’ he dryly interrupted, offering me a hand as he rose nimbly to his feet. ‘Soeven though Iamadmittedly rather impatient to get you into … well, anything vaguely resembling a bed …’

I swatted at him.

‘… I’ll show some more of my inhuman self-restraint and get us out of here first,’ he finished, unperturbed, sending me a saintly smile as he continued to hold out his hand. ‘As long as you know I’ll make up for the delay later.’

Damn him and that suggestive little smirk; I almost gave in, the temptation to drop back into the grass and pull him into my arms a blaze beneath my skin. But the alves were still shouting in the background, far too close for comfort. The smell of blood was starting to creep even into this little hideaway, staining the water and the weeping willows. And if I was very honest …

I just wanted to go home.

‘Let’s go change clothes first,’ I said, pulling myself up by his hand, making a face at my grimy shirt. ‘And then I’m going to have a quick word with Agenor.’

Chapter 41

The sun was alreadysinking towards the sea when we flew back to the city about half an hour later, having found some clean clothes in the deserted army camp. Beneath us, the ruined fields and damaged streets were swarming with people; few of them paid attention to yet another fae soaring over, busy as they were with bandaging the wounded or making some first attempts to restore their houses to their former glory.

Alyra joined us as we swept towards the centre of the town, her talons a little bloody. The flashes I caught of her thoughts suggested she’d chased a satisfactory number of fae from their hiding places –that’s what you get with those big wings¸ her grimly pitying look said,far too visible.

I informed her of the plans as Creon began his slow descent. She grumbled a little about distance but bristled when I suggested she may want to catch a lift on our shoulders for part of the journey. What did I think she was, some weak little fledgling?

I didn’t bother to argue. There was no time, anyway; we had already reached the White Hall itself.

Someone had taken away the dead bodies from the façade of the building, although bloodstains still marred the otherwise pristine white walls. On the square where our hopeful human army had gathered mere days ago, large cookfires had now been erected, and flocks of magical people and awkward-looking humans mingled freely in what was at once a celebration, a vigil, and a public spectacle. I caught a glimpse of Edored in the distance, a jug of beer in his hand, shouting tall stories at a handful of wide-eyed human women. Nenya, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen.

Silence spread around us as we landed. Fae and humans alike hastily swallowed their conversations, watching us pass with bated breath – the new High Lady of the empire, and who knew when I’d start handing out the first merciless orders to the flesh-and-blood weapon by my side, like every sensible fae ruler would do?

I kindly smiled back at them, making my way up the White Hall’s steps.

Somehow, that only seemed to alarm them more.

There was no way to avoid the stares inside the building either, no way to ignore the palpable quiet that fell whenever we rounded a corner … and yet I found myself unable to care much, the eyes and whispers a mild annoyance rather than the burden they had once been. Let them see a symbol in my place, then. Let them wonder and speculate. I knew who I was and where I was going – I no longer had any phantom voices to please.

A liberation. Apparently, I hadn’t just broken the chains on the rest of the world this morning.

We reached the main hall and did not find either of my parents between the rows of broken and bleeding bodies. The only familiar face was Nenya, who came hurrying towards us the moment we stepped inside – looking more rosy-cheeked than I’d ever seen her, her eyes bright and feverish. There was a small trace of blood on her chin that hadn’t been there when I’d run into her and Edored earlier, and for a single nauseating moment I couldn’t help but wince. Had she been snacking on the injured to restore her strength?

But no – not Nenya, who had been the victim of so much worse in Bakaru’s cruel hands. Most likely, it was simply more of Edored’s blood.

‘There you are!’ She sounded uncharacteristically giddy. ‘Looking for Agenor and Rosalind, I suppose?’

It came out too gleeful, that question. Next to me, Creon slowly tilted his head at her, looking as suspicious as I felt – proud, stoic Nenya, of all people, was not the first person I’d expected to be buzzing with excitement about my parent’s whereabouts.

Odd.

Veryodd.

‘And if we were?’ I said cautiously.

She grinned, baring her fangs. Those, too, were still a little bloody. ‘They just left for the consuls’ living quarters with a request not to be disturbed. A few things they had to discuss in private, I believe.’

Gods help me. ‘The naked sort of private discussion, or—’

‘Oh, no.’ She considered that for a moment, then dryly added, ‘Not yet, at least. I won’t spoil the surprise for you.’

More and more ominous … but she didn’t give the impression she would elaborate, and Creon was already turning around beside me, ready to set course for the left wing of the building. Itook my leave of Nenya with a last suspicious look and followed him out of the hall, Alyra fluttering frantically behind me.