Page 56 of House of Embers (Royal Houses #5)

Chapter Forty-Seven

The Summons

When Aurelie burst through the door, Kerrigan was in a war council meeting.

Her head was spinning from all the numbers and troop movements and rider deployments and on and on and on.

She could make miracles happen on a battlefield, but she wasn’t meant for this.

Thank the gods Fordham was and he had a whole council of battle-hardened generals to lean on, because Kerrigan could not have been more ready for a distraction.

Aurelie still wore furs from her time in Erewa and riding through the winter chill far north.

She pushed back her hood and nodded at her mother, Celeste, who had jumped to her feet at Aurelie’s entrance.

There were tears in her eyes, as contact hadn’t been able to be made with Aurelie since she had left.

“Excuse me for interrupting, Your Majesty,” Aurelie said, bowing formally for Fordham.

He held a hand up. “No apologies needed, Lady Blanchard. We have been worried over you and your riders. Kerrigan reached out and we sent hawks, but we weren’t able to contact you. It is good to see you well. How fare your riders?”

“They are well,” she said quickly. “The hawks probably didn’t like the cold, and something is strange about the magic up there. It is raw and wild.”

Kerrigan shot Fordham a look. They knew all about the wildness of the Erewan territory.

“I could wait no longer for word from you. I had to come myself for this,” she said, removing a letter on crisp, cream parchment from her cloaks. She handed it over to Fordham. “It is of the most urgency.”

Fordham turned the parchment over, and Kerrigan glanced over his shoulder to see the seal was the color of green grass with a little cottage with smoke curling out of the chimney.

She had a sneaking suspicion who this was from.

He broke the wax and unfolded the letter.

In a swirling calligraphic script, the short note read:

His Royal Majesty King Fordham Ollivier of the line of Samil, descended of Mab—

Your presence is requested at my home.

I shall expect you forthwith.

Bring your heart.

—T

Everyone stared at Fordham in anticipation. His expression hadn’t changed, but his eyes were thunderstorms when he looked up at Kerrigan. “Everyone, leave the room.”

“Ford—”

“Not yet,” he said. He turned his expression to Aurelie. “Thank you. Please see your family and get some much-needed rest. I assume you flew straight through.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I will summon you when we have made a decision.”

Aurelie nodded. “As you wish.”

The rest of the war council rose from their seats and headed out of the room.

Audria stared at the card, confused. It was Noda who grasped her arm and dragged her out.

Wynter was out training the recruits with Viviana, or else she would have been sitting right there with her feet kicked up.

Viviana had been relentless with training since freezing in midair at the battle.

Kerrigan had hardly seen either of them since.

It was Dozan who remained in the shadows where he belonged.

“Dozan, you too,” Fordham said.

Dozan crossed his arms over his chest. “I believe I was the only one who spoke up about the last stupid thing you did. I think I’ll stay.”

Kerrigan shot him a glance. “Dozan…”

“Fine,” Fordham said. “Then take a seat. I hate you hovering.”

Dozan strode across the room, twirled a chair around next to Kerrigan, and straddled it. He leaned his arms across the back of the chair and tipped his head at the envelope. “What’s the letter?”

“A summons,” Kerrigan said.

“From the mother of the Fae,” Fordham added.

Dozan narrowed his eyes. “Like Titania ?”

“The one and only,” Kerrigan said.

“She’s real ?” Dozan asked skeptically.

“We’ve had an encounter with her before,” Fordham said.

“Why would she summon you now?”

Kerrigan shrugged. “I have no idea, but she asked for both of us.”

“We don’t have time for this,” Fordham said. “The Society forum is in a matter of days . If we wait, we’ll miss our opportunity for Bastian to be out of the mountain. Alura’s information was crystal clear.”

“We can’t ignore her,” Kerrigan said. She held her hands up when he looked at her suspiciously.

“And I don’t say that like I want to run away from the fight.

I’m here. I’ve been here since we…we put my father’s ashes in the crypt.

I’m going to face Bastian in his fake forum for peace.

” She swallowed hard. “But it would be reckless to ignore Titania.”

“Days,” Fordham repeated, turning away from them with a shake of his head. “We have days.”

“We can make it,” Kerrigan argued.

“I agree with Kerrigan,” Dozan said.

Fordham jerked around. “You were supposed to be the voice of reason.”

“If this is the strongest of all the Fae, you’re not ignoring her,” Dozan said. “Maybe she joins our side. Maybe she kills Bastian for us. Who knows?”

“She’s not on anyone’s side,” Fordham argued. “We had to go through trials the last time we saw her to get a boon. A summons…I don’t even know what that could mean.”

“Well, it’s not going to be rainbows and sunshine,” Kerrigan said. “But it’s going to be worse if we don’t go.”

Fordham pinched the bridge of his nose. “The timing is terrible.”

“We’re ready anyway,” Kerrigan said. She jangled her bracelet. “We can make it back in time.”

“We’ll fly,” Fordham said on a sigh. “I don’t want to use up your magic before we see her. She’s a wild card, and we have to be cautious. She could just as likely be on Bastian’s side.”

Kerrigan wrinkled her nose. “Don’t even put that energy out there.”

Dozan dusted his hands off. “Guess you can leave the war council in my hands.”

Fordham shot him a look and then laughed, a real belly-deep laugh. “Sure, Dozan. Take the war council.”

“Really?” Dozan asked skeptically.

“Let’s stop pretending like you aren’t going to be my brother-in-law by war’s end,” Fordham said as he held his hand out. Dozan eyed it and then put his hand in it. “You should probably ask her first though.”

“Who says I haven’t already?”

“Well then, do it with a ring,” Kerrigan said, pushing Dozan backward with a smile.

“Fuck off,” Dozan said, running a hand through his auburn hair. But he couldn’t deny the wild smile on his face. “Just don’t die. All right?”

“Noted,” Kerrigan said.

***

Aurelie led the way the next morning. The wind was bitingly cold when they finally landed in Erewan territory.

The three of them stomped through the ankle-deep snow to an enormous hidden cave system.

Mendy and the rest of her crew launched to their feet at the sight of Fordham.

They drew him into a hug and patted his back and said all the right formalities, including being surprised that Kerrigan still lived, which was fair.

“You’re all riders now?” Fordham said. “Aurelie filled me in.”

“We’ve already sent our largest contingent of dragons to the House of Shadows. We were going to follow them when Aurelie got that note. Then we thought you might need help up the mountain to see the witch.”

Fordham clasped her forearm. “Thank you, Mendy.”

“Warm fires,” Mendy told him.

With the pleasantries done, the Erewans handed out snowshoes and began the arduous climb up the mountain.

Aurelie stayed behind to tend the fires and wait for their return.

Thankfully, it wasn’t as bitterly cold as the last time Kerrigan had done this, but it was just as biting.

She didn’t know how they could live in this perpetually snowy climate. It was awful.

The final sheer cliff climb was the worst part, but they managed with some help from the Erewans, and then they were facing the entrance to Titania’s lands.

For years, the Erewans had believed that any who crossed the invisible boundary were lost forever to the witch of the mountain.

Only Fordham and Kerrigan had come out alive.

“Wish us luck,” Kerrigan said.

Mendy patted Kerrigan’s back. Kerrigan stumbled forward a step. “Only you two could make it out alive a second time.”

Fordham clasped Mendy’s arm, and then, as one, Kerrigan and Fordham turned to face the mother of the Fae.

They hadn’t discussed what they might find when they crossed the barrier that led to her hidden lands, but Kerrigan couldn’t help but ruminate on it.

The last time, they had been trapped in an old faerie tale—facing their fears, eating the cursed food, dancing until her feed bled, and resisting the temptation of her lover.

It was the trials that had led them to Titania, who had deemed them pure of heart and worthy of her boon.

What would they endure now with a summons from her?

Kerrigan didn’t know and braced herself for the worst as she took Fordham’s hand and stepped through the divide.

None of the trappings of their previous encounter were present on the other side of the barrier.

There was no castle or elaborate gardens or eternal fountain this time.

Just a long, winding dirt walkway that led through a bramble of woods to the front door of a small chateau with smoke curling up from a fireplace.

The cold winter didn’t break through Titania’s unending magic, and their giant, fur-lined cloaks were replaced with festive attire.

Fordham was in a black suit with a black cravat at his throat.

Pink still tinged his cheeks from the wind, but his hair was swept back off his face, and he looked radiant.

Kerrigan’s dress was a sparkly green gown that had live flowers in spring pink, lavender, and white threaded through the narrow sleeves, down the bodice, and across the large skirt. Her curly hair had been secured in a magnificent updo with errant white blossoms and live butterflies.

“Well, at least I look fantastic,” Kerrigan said, twirling in her gown.

“You always do.”

“Not the welcome I was expecting though.”

“I never know what to expect from her.” He gestured toward the dirt road. “Shall we?”

Kerrigan took his arm, and together they entered the wood. It felt almost immediately as if it swallowed them whole. There was no exit out of these woods, and there never had been. There was only the cottage before them and the witch who lived within.

They reached the end of the road, and Fordham knocked on the front door. Kerrigan jutted her chin out and squared her shoulders. She was prepared for whatever was coming. She could do this.

The door creaked open, but the room appeared to be empty. No beautiful, ethereal Fae sitting before the fire.

“Hello?” Fordham called, peeking his head inside.

No one answered.

“Should we?” she asked.

He shrugged. “We were invited.”

They crossed the threshold hesitantly, as if expecting the room to shift once more, but nothing happened. They just entered Titania’s empty abode.

“Titania?” Kerrigan all but whispered. “We got your letter.”

The cottage room was warm and cozy. The fire had clearly been tended. An embroidery hoop sat abandoned nearby. A tray of tarts was untouched. Tea still had steam swirling out of the top of a kettle. Someone had been here recently.

“Hello, darlings,” a voice said from the door.

Kerrigan whipped around to find Titania with a pile of firewood in her thin arms. Fordham hastened forward to take it out of her hands.

“Please allow me,” he said.

“That is very kind of you,” Titania said, offering him a smile.

Kerrigan felt faint at the look. Titania was otherworldly beautiful, as if she had been cast out of stars and made out of jewels. She was almost hard to look at, her smile so precious that tears nearly came to Kerrigan’s eyes at the sight.

Fordham placed the firewood in a rack next to the fireplace. He tended the fire almost absentmindedly, as if he too needed to get Titania’s smile out of his vision.

Titania dusted debris off her slender arms. She was in a simple dress, especially in comparison to what her magic had attired Kerrigan and Fordham in, but she didn’t need anything to showcase her beauty.

She just was . In every way. Her hair was the color of goldenrod, her irises a clear summer sky, her mouth the pouty red of a rose bloom, her skin as fair as fresh snow, her voice melodic and hypnotizing.

“Can you pour the tea, dear?” Titania said.

Kerrigan nodded. There were three cups. She hadn’t noticed that before. Titania had already known they were coming and would be here any moment. How had she known?

Titania sank into a seat as Kerrigan poured the tea for the three of them.

She passed her a cup and then poured tea into the other two.

She took one to Fordham and had the other in her hand when Titania motioned for them to sit.

There was another seat just large enough for two to sit in across from her.

“You received my letter,” Titania said pleasantly as she sipped her tea.

“We did,” Fordham said with a head bob. “It was most generous of you to invite us.”

“Would you like a tart?” Titania asked.

Kerrigan looked at the beautiful tarts. Each had a little rose cut out of the center, revealing the red filling beneath. She reached for one almost without her own free will, even though she knew eating or drinking from Titania had had disastrous effects last time.

Fordham placed a hand on her arm before she brought it to her lips. “Are these safe to eat?”

Titania laughed, a tinkling sound that made them both lean forward. “Why yes, of course. I made them myself.”

Kerrigan relaxed and bit into the pastry, which crumbled into her mouth with a burst of flavor. It was the most incredible thing she had ever tasted—buttery and strawberry with a hint of rose. Decadent and delicious.

“While we are honored—” Fordham began.

“It is an honor,” Kerrigan agreed.

“You wish to know why I summoned you here.”

“Yes,” they said together.

“I have come to right a wrong. There is debt between us,” Titania confessed. “I wish to rectify this.”

Kerrigan and Fordham exchanged a glance in confusion. What debt could they possibly be owed by the mother of the Fae?

“I wish to host your wedding.”