Page 38 of Ink Sworn (Greatdrakes #3 | The Fae Universe #24)

V alentine followed the warrior through the damp dirt tunnel. It was lit only by the torch that his guide was carrying, and Valentine tried not to think about being buried alive.

He could feel the magic all around him, twisting the paths, trying to confuse whoever was inside them.

It's just another glamor , his dragon said, and Valentine's eyes lit up with the beast's vision. He could see now that they were walking in a circular route, around and around again.

"I thought we were meant to be having a meeting with Midir, not playing bullshit games," Valentine said.

The warrior ahead laughed, and when he turned his head, Valentine saw that the glassiness in his eyes was gone, replaced by the same green glow as the king's.

"Midir, why are you toying about with puppets?"

"A simple test to see how closely you were paying attention," Midir said through the warrior's mouth before the green left his eyes, and it was back to looking like a stoned zombie .

What the fuck is he doing to his people? Valentine kept his curiosity and disgust from his expression. Yelena had tried to warn him about how Midir fucked with people’s heads, so why shouldn't that extend to everyone in his kingdom?

A door appeared in the earthen wall, and the warrior opened it with a brush of his hand.

The dirty tunnel vanished, and instead, they were standing in a hallway of polished stone and silver.

Intricately woven rugs covered the floors, and the walls were painted with scenes depicting Midir's heroic adventures.

Valentine tried not to snort in amusement.

He had an ego befitting an immortal, that was for sure.

Music filled the air, softly hypnotic melodies, but Valentine couldn't spot any musicians. Enchantments upon enchantments. Smoke and mirrors. He didn't comment on them but followed the warrior silently.

The few people they encountered in the halls had the same eerie expressions on their faces.

Where other fae kingdoms Valentine had been to had fae of different ages, none of Midir's people looked older than twenty.

It was as if they entered Midir's barrow and stopped aging altogether.

Or he made the clock turn back for them.

Valentine remembered the comment Midir had made about Taranis’s aging and the disgust on his face in the meeting when he saw it.

It was disconcerting, but he acted as if he didn't notice. He had to get to the king and keep him busy, and pointing out how creepy his living doll collection was wouldn't put Midir in an amicable mood.

They came to another pair of guarded doors, and when they opened, Valentine's eyes began to water at the light flooding the room.

The entire hall was made of crystal with silver pillars.

There were no paintings or tapestries. There were only the fractured light prisms burning all around him.

Valentine couldn't fathom just how big it was on either side.

Another trick or something else? He resented not knowing or having time to figure it out.

Midir sat on a silver throne, a tall tripod and basin beside him. There was no one else in the hall or any other furniture. It was cold and eerie in its beauty, and Valentine ignored the hair rising on the back of his neck.

Valentine walked to the dais, careful to keep a good space between him and Midir, and bowed.

The king turned his face from the basin he had been staring into and smiled at him. "So you are the one who killed Cathal. A task many warriors have tried and failed at."

Valentine mirrored his calm, amused smile. "He touched my mate. Tortured her. Mutilated her."

"And that made you angry, did it?" Midir asked, his green eyes looking him over.

"I don't like other people touching my things."

That made the king laugh. "I understand that completely."

"Is this where you try to kill me for killing your Cathal?" Valentine asked, tucking his hands into his pockets. His fingers toyed with the contents, waiting to see what the king would do.

"No. I think killing you would be a waste of good talent," Midir replied finally. "Cathal was growing complacent, and it got him killed by a stronger warrior. You have put me in need of a good general and spymaster, though."

"Then it feels like an opportune time to tell you that I absorbed his shape-shifting ability when I killed him.

I'm sure it will come in handy, especially tied in with my own natural abilities," Valentine replied.

He took out the melted token and flicked it at the king.

Midir caught it neatly with one hand. "You can have this back, too.

I don't have need of Afon's cast-offs. I don't suppose he is here? "

Midir tossed the silver into the air, and it disappeared. "Would you care if he were?"

"No. I am curious what you saw in a snivelling little prick like that. He's no warrior, and he has fucking terrible diplomatic skills. Did you turn him into one of your little puppets to get his obedience?" Valentine asked.

Midir chuckled. "I didn't need to. He came to me with his two friends after Taranis decided to make a fat common human his queen."

Valentine swallowed down his fury at the disrespect toward Quinn. He cleared his throat to hide his snarl.

"A king should be able to do as he wishes. Otherwise, what is the point in being king?"

"I agree with you entirely. It is why I want access to Ireland again. I don't know what gives Taranis and his family the right to police what is mine by right," Midir said, his eyes flashing with annoyance. "You say that you can fix my entryway back to Ireland?"

Valentine cut the pad of his thumb on the other small piece of silver he had in his pocket. "I can if it's what you want. Taranis wasn't lying when he said the human world has changed. It may no longer be as enjoyable for you. Humans tend to bite back a lot harder these days."

"Maybe the harder they bite, the more fun it would be," Midir replied, his perfect glamor slipping to reveal something sharp-toothed and predatory underneath.

"Well, if that's how you feel, you're really going to love my mate," Valentine said cheerily.

Midir opened his mouth to speak when a roar echoed from distant halls .

"What have you done?" the king snarled, standing to his feet.

"Me? I haven't done anything," Valentine said and pulled out the bloody piece of silver from his pocket.

"My mate, on the other hand? She's a genius and decided to make some improvements to your token design.

Doesn't sound like she's impressed I came to visit.

She's a little jealous of who I spend time with. "

The doors to the hall burst open as warriors were flung backward, their blood and viscera staining the perfect crystal and silver of the hall.

Yelena's magnificent, horned head shoved its way in behind them, and she sent a stream of ice over another group of warriors heading for Valentine. Midir bellowed in fury, and portals began to open all around them. Warriors poured in through them, their weapons raised.

Black and crimson threads of magic rose out of Valentine's arms, and he began to smile.