Page 20 of The Beginning (Covert Moon, #1)
Eamonn
The Fae Realm
* * *
T he afternoon light streaming through the narrow window had shifted, casting different shadows across the stone floor in patterns that marked time more clearly than any clock.
How long had I been sitting here, replaying every moment of the disaster?
It felt like hours, though it couldn't have been more than one since Devlyn had left.
The clatter of boots in the corridor outside cut through my brooding thoughts. Multiple sets, moving in perfect military synchronization. My stomach clenched. Two guards returning—never a good sign. If this was just the commander coming back, why bring backup?
Each footfall echoed off the stone walls like a drumbeat marking time until judgment.
I found myself holding my breath, straining to catch any fragment of conversation between them, but they moved in complete, disciplined silence.
That quiet felt infinitely more ominous than shouting would have been.
The boots stopped directly outside the door.
The rattle of the doorknob seemed unnaturally loud.
When the door swung open, Commander Devlyn entered without so much as a glance in my direction.
He walked straight to his desk with the measured stride of a man who'd already made his decision, settling into his chair before finally fixing me with that penetrating stare I'd learned to dread.
Right behind him came another fae, taller than the commander and closer to my own height.
He wore a dark uniform I didn't recognize—not the familiar colors of the King's Guard, but something sleeker, more austere.
No polished leather, no ceremonial cape, just plain, efficient cloth that spoke of a different kind of authority entirely.
And somehow, that made everything infinitely worse.
I got to my feet, standing at attention though my knees felt unsteady. The formal posture was second nature after years of training, but today it felt like playing dress-up in someone else's life.
The stranger moved toward the commander's desk, then turned to face me, stopping at Devlyn's side to clasp his hands behind him. His movements were precise, economical, like someone who'd learned not to waste energy on unnecessary gestures.
I forced myself to study his dress uniform. Against the stark white walls, it looked even stranger—not black, but a dark inky blue so deep it seemed designed to swallow light completely. An impressive block of medals shone at his breast, revealing a career of honors I could only dream of.
The man himself was unlike any fae I'd encountered in court or guard service.
Deep lines carved paths around his eyes, the kind that came from squinting into darkness or scanning distant horizons for threats.
His hair, though still thick, was shot through with silver threads that caught the afternoon light.
He radiated a bone-deep weariness that seemed to emanate from his very core, as if he'd been carrying invisible weights for so long he'd forgotten what it felt like to stand without them.
There was something haunting about his complete stillness—the economy of movement that spoke of a man who'd learned to conserve energy for battles that truly mattered.
Who the hell was this?
In all my time at court, all my training with various units, I'd never seen a fae like him or that particular uniform. Was he my interrogator? My executioner? Some specialist who dealt with traitors?
"Eamonn, this is Captain Connar Rathmusen. Our newly retired Captain of the Watchers."
I nodded at the Captain. "I'm sorry, sir, I'm not familiar with that unit. What are the Watchers?"
"We're charged with protecting the borders of the Veil between the Realms, most specifically at the border of the Human Realm."
"The Human Realm?" I blurted. "Why do we need protection from humans? Everyone knows they're primitive creatures, barely worthy of our attention."
Connar's lips lifted on one side, but it wasn't quite a smile.
More like the expression of someone who'd heard such beliefs before.
"You couldn't be more wrong. We have a group of fae who do nothing but monitor the border at the Human Realm.
They're not savages, although I understand why they have that reputation.
They're fascinating—and dangerous in many ways, and because of that, we monitor their activities near the Veil. "
I opened my mouth, then closed it again. I didn't believe him. What did humans have to offer anyone? But I knew no good came of arguing with a superior, so I nodded and tried to look interested.
This conversation wasn't telling me what was going to happen to me. I started to feel impatience break through the fear that had dominated me since entering this office. The emotion was almost welcome after the numbness of dread.
"I'm not understanding, sir. Does this have something to do with Gavin and Lady Annaliese? Have they crossed into the Human Realm?" The words tumbled out faster than intended, desperation creeping into my voice despite my efforts to stay calm.
Devlyn sighed. He exchanged a look with Connar. "I've spoken with the king. He didn't give Gavin any other orders outside of the ones provided to you both. You were to escort the lady to the waiting carriage. She was to be put into the carriage and sent off to Lord Marius. That was it."
The words were like a death knell.
"There are some questions I need to ask you, Eamonn."
"Of course, sir. I'm at your service."
"What did Gavin share with you about his plans for today?"
"Sir?"
"His plans. What did you know about his intention to run away with Lady Annaliese?"
"Sir! I never! How can you ask this?" The protest burst out before I could stop it. I had done what I was supposed to do. How could they fault me for that?
The commander stood, banging his hand on the desk.
The sound was like a thunderclap, making me flinch despite myself.
"Eamonn! Don't play the fool! Your orders were to, without fail, without distraction, get that girl to her carriage on her way to Marius!
You didn't! You allowed yourself to be caught up!
How can I know that such a diversion might not have been planned by you and your partner? "
The force of his anger surprised me. This wasn't disappointment or frustration. This was white-hot fury, focused entirely on me. The man who'd been my mentor was looking at me like his worst enemy.
A different realization came over me. The pieces were falling into place, forming a picture I didn't want to see. "What are you suggesting, sir?"
"I'm suggesting that you're in collusion with Gavin! Were you not aware, as Gavin's closest friend, that he and Lady Annaliese professed to have affection for one another? To be in love?" There was sarcasm in his voice as he spoke the last words, like the very idea of love was ridiculous and naive.
I blinked, stunned. The words were like ice on my spine, washing away every other thought. "No," I answered honestly. "I had no idea that Gavin had feelings for Lady Annaliese! He never said anything to me! If I'd known, I would've come to you immediately!"
But hadn't Gavin told me he was in love? I seemed to recall?—
A huff from Devlyn brought me back to the present.
Gavin had lied to me. In so many ways.
The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound. My best friend, the person I trusted more than anyone, had been carrying on some secret romance and hadn't told me. Worse, he'd used me, let me walk into this disaster completely blind.
What had Gavin been thinking? A courtier? A lady of noble birth? Complete insanity.
Whatever they'd been expecting me to say, that wasn't it. I saw them exchange another glance, but I couldn't decipher the message that passed between them. There was surprise there, and something I could only hope was reassessment.
I could feel my anger growing, spreading like wildfire.
This wasn't right. "Are you proposing, sir, that I colluded with Gavin to leave with Lady Annaliese, and that for some unknown reason I left myself here to take the blame for his actions?
" As I spoke the words, fury rose like wind before a storm, swirling within me.
Years of friendship, of shared dreams and ambitions, of watching each other's backs—all of it meant nothing to him when it came to whatever he felt for that woman.
"I'm suggesting, and the king agrees with me," Devlyn said with great emphasis, each word carefully enunciated, "that we cannot yet know for sure if you and Gavin have conspired to undermine him.
However, the king's a kind and reasonable man.
He wishes to allow for the possibility that you may indeed have been unaware of what was going on.
Therefore, he offers you a second chance. "
A second chance. The words should've been hopeful, but the way he said them made my stomach clench. When kings offered second chances, they usually came with a cost that made you wonder if you'd been better off with the first judgment.
"What would that be, sir?" I nearly ground my teeth trying to keep the anger from spilling out onto both men. My jaw ached from the effort.
"Connar will retire as Captain of the Watchers of the Veil. You'll take his place, and if—and I do mean if, Eamonn—you serve well, there may be a chance for you to return to the King's Guards. At some point."
The words pelted me like stones.
"I beg your pardon, sir. Am I being demoted? For something I had no part in? For something I had no knowledge of?"
Normally, becoming a captain would be wonderful. But the way Connar looked, and the fact that Devlyn considered this a second chance?
This wasn't a promotion. This was exile.
Connar spoke up, his words quiet yet powerful. "Who was the man attempting to harass the servant girl?"
The question came out of nowhere, shifting the entire direction of the conversation. "It was no one I knew, but I'm not familiar with all members of the court."