Page 53 of Raven Rebel (Sablewood #1)

Meara

H er muscles moved on instinct, leaning and diving and rising up swells of air currents.

Flying should have been terrifying, but Meara felt nothing but detached relief.

Her conscious mind moved slowly, turning over her next steps in pursuit of her goals.

There was no room for regret or worry about what-ifs.

She soared above a forest of orange and red, moving south until the trees fell away and dull marshland stretched below. In the distance, a gray fortress rose up at the base of a mountain. Somehow, she knew that was where she needed to go. Powering her wings, she accelerated and closed the distance.

She passed the walls, no longer bothered by the humans’ boundaries. Wheeling in a circle, her sharp eyes scanned the streets until she located a familiar walled courtyard lined with teeming garden beds. She tucked her wings in and dove, leveling out and fluttering to land between rows of herbs.

A woman appeared in the doorway, her brown hair loose around her shoulders.

Meara ruffled her feathers, puffing herself up, until smokey magic washed over her and she returned to her two-legged self.

For a suspended moment, she stared at her human mother, clutching at her chest, before Meara collapsed to her knees.

Dark hair spilling over her face, she gasped, digging her hand into the dirt below her, trying to come back to herself as her emotions came rushing back.

Her mother fell to the ground beside her, hauling her up and pulling her into a desperate hug.

She murmured Meara’s name over and over while stroking her hair.

When her limbs stopped shaking, Meara rose and hobbled into the kitchen.

The pungent scent of herbs and medicinal compounds overwhelmed her senses, but it felt like home.

“Dearest, I’m so happy to see you, but it is not a safe time for faeries in Dornadan. Many of my half-fae neighbors have left for the countryside until this conflict resolves.” She clutched Meara’s hand across the table.

Resting her forehead in her hand, Meara took a deep breath. “That’s why I am here. I’m so scared about what will happen, and I couldn’t leave you defenseless.”

“I wasn’t about to march in the front lines,” her mother said, a smile breaking through her concern.

Meara looked up, her violet-gray eyes serious. “They are terrifying in battle. I watched two fae males dispatch a dozen human raiders. It was effortless. They were unarmed, and it didn’t matter, they took the swords from their hands and slaughtered them. ”

Her mother rubbed her chin, staring past Meara as she thought the situation through. “That’s concerning.”

“What were they thinking declaring war?”

“I don’t know.”

Frowning, Meara leaned forward and caught her mother’s gaze. “Some of the fae want to march on Dornadan and take it for themselves. I can’t let that happen.”

Worry lines creasing her face, her mother nodded. “I will have to tell King Eldric. Maybe knowing can help.”

“I’ll tell him,” Meara said.

“No!” She stiffened, eyes widening. “You are the enemy now.”

Shaking her head, Meara argued, “I’ll make him understand I am on your side. I know Rydan. He will vouch for me.”

Her mother pressed her lips together in a line. “Where is your sister?”

Meara closed her eyes for a moment, regret threatening to overtake her. “She’s at the Summer Court. She does not feel the way I do. I don’t think she will return.”

Her mother ran her thumb over Meara’s wrist. “Perhaps that is best.”

With a hood pulled up over her head to hide her inhuman traits, Meara moved through the crowd toward the king’s keep.

Her hair hung down her back in a braid, keeping the iridescent black strands from drawing attention.

She moved past the entrance and headed east. In the light of day, she could see stables everywhere, but she kept going until she found the royal stables that Rydan favored.

Groomsmen rushed around, but she raised her chin as if she belonged and strode forward with a confidence she did not feel.

Her audacity paid off when she spied dark locs in a stall with a stunning roan horse.

Leaning against the gate, she chewed the inside of her cheek and waited.

Rydan ran his hand down the creature’s neck and murmured softly to it.

Finally, he turned, his brow furrowing when he saw her. “Lady Meara?”

She waved her hand to quiet him. “Please, I need to speak with you! And I would prefer if I didn’t get discovered and arrested before I can explain.”

Rydan nodded thoughtfully. “Alright, my lady. So what is the explanation of being in your enemy’s kingdom, in the king’s stable?”

Scowling, she opened her mouth and paused. She had not thought much further than reaching Rydan and getting his attention. “I want to help. I’m scared of how strong the fae are, and I don’t want to see your people die. I want to protect my mother.”

“Your mother,” he repeated. “And you aren’t a spy sent to sabotage us?”

“A spy? Are you serious?” Meara exclaimed.

“Prove it.”

“How am I supposed to do that? How can someone prove what they are not?” Her voice rose in pitch until she looked back at his face and realized he was teasing her. “You know, this seems like a serious matter.”

Rydan shook his head, flipping his hair over his shoulder. “Your mother is here, and you were only with the fae for a few weeks. I’m surprised you didn’t come sooner.”

“Why?”

“It’s what I would have done. ”

She studied him for a moment, seeing genuine honesty in his warm brown eyes. “I want to help. What can I do?”

“Come speak with the king and my brothers. We could use whatever information you can share. None of our allies have come through for us in recent weeks.”

“Will the king treat me as an enemy?” she asked.

“Most likely, so we will have to convince him,” Rydan reassured her. “Once we explain, he will understand.”

Meara hesitated, gathering her courage. “Let’s go.”

Rydan led her across the courtyard and into a door to the side of the formal entrance. They climbed stairs and hurried through dreary gray passages until he paused before wide double doors of the deepest oak.

“Stay calm. If he reacts badly, I will deal with it. But if you start wielding magic or pull out a weapon or something else equally as foolish, then he may never calm down and listen.”

“Understood.” She kept her hand from straying to her pocket and the small borrowed blade hidden there.

He nodded and took a deep breath before tugging the door open and leading her inside.

King Eldric reclined in a chair at the end of a long table.

Maps and scraps of paper scattered the surface in front of him.

Emeric perched on a chair beside him, while Eladin sat nearer to them with his feet up on the polished table and a book in his lap.

“My king,” Rydan said, bowing. Meara mimicked his movement, her fingers clutching the edge of her hood to keep it in place.

“Son?” Eldric dropped the papers in his hand onto the map in front of him and looked up at them. “Who are you bringing into our private meeting room? ”

Rydan folded his hands behind his back and paced the length of the table. Meara scurried after him. Eladin’s eyes widened in shock when he recognized her, but he said nothing.

Eldric frowned at Rydan, who cleared his throat and explained, “Father, do you remember how the apothecary had two daughters who were staying in the Autumn Court temporarily?”

“That sounds familiar,” Eldric said, scratching at his beard. “They were fae?”

“Yes, though they did not know it. They grew up human. They are still loyal to humans and Meara returned to Dornadan to be with her mother.”

“A faerie came here?” Eldric asked, his voice booming as he looked her over. No guards were in the room, but Meara was sure some would arrive quickly. She tensed and held her ground. She had to trust Rydan.

“She is loyal to Dornadan and she wants to help us,” he said.

“That seems unlikely,” Eldric said, his mouth twisting into a severe frown.

“Sire,” Meara said, hoping her interruption wasn’t too great an offense.

“My goal is to protect my mother and prevent the unnecessary loss of life that I fear is coming. I’ve seen the fae fight and it is…

” She paused, carefully selecting her words.

“Terrifying. I cannot stand by while your citizens are massacred. Let me help.”

“You think I do not know of how the fae fight?” Eldric growled, slamming his fist down. His chest heaved as he calmed himself. “Sit and answer my questions so we may judge your sincerity and usefulness.”

“Of course.” Meara lowered herself into a nearby chair and held onto the arms, her knuckles locking up.

He crossed his arms, his bulging muscles shaded with dark hair. “So you are a traitor to your people?”

She bit the inside of her cheek, forcing the calm she did not feel.

“As far as I am concerned, I have only been a faerie for less than a season, and it was something forced upon me. My entire life up to this point was as a human. Besides, even if that was not the case, is it so hard to believe that I would have compassion? My mother lives here. I am worried the fae will decimate your army and then take your kingdom simply because they can and you’ve angered them. ”

Emeric’s frown deepened. “You think so lowly of us?”

“How have your raids gone? What do your warriors report back?” She didn’t mean to be cruel, but there was no room for egos when people were set to be slaughtered.

“You have knowledge of the fae’s plans to take our lands and conquer our people?” Eldric asked.

“It is not what the high king has stated, but I have heard some lords and ladies advocate for it. I do not know the fae well. I have had only small glimpses into their politics. Certainly not enough to make an accurate prediction. But would you take that risk?”

The anger on Eldric’s face drained away, leaving him looking haggard and tired. He sank into the seat and rested his chin on his fist. “Angering Argyro was not something I wanted to do.”

“Then why declare war?”

Clenching his fists, Emeric explained, “It was not our choice. We are locked into a treaty with Liosliath. Without Elysia, we have few options. If she had simply rejected the betrothal and gone back to Liosliath, we would be free of these constraints. But Liosliath will seize our kingdom if we do not join them in marching upon the fae lands. ”

“They would have our army anyway and the war would continue,” Eldric said dryly.

“What if something were to happen to Queen Malacia? Could the treaty be broken then?” Meara asked quietly.

“It would have to be at the hands of the fae forces.”

“So there is no way out. We have to face them in battle,” Emeric said darkly. “Malacia made sure of it. She’s got us by the balls.”

“I want to help,” Meara said.

“What can you even do?” Eldric’s tone was dismissive. It was obvious he saw no value in her presence.

She would not accept the lie that she was useless. Even without her magic, she had power, but now that she had access to shadow craft, she was formidable. With a slow exhale, she gathered up the threads of darkness in the room and spun them around the table.

Eladin jolted at the sight, cringing at the feeling of fear that came along with Meara’s ability. Eldric turned at her, brows furrowed. “What is this?” he demanded.

“My magic.”

“And you would use it against the fae?” Eladin asked, speaking up for the first time.

Meara fixed him with a stare. “To protect people from dying needlessly? Absolutely.”