Page 19 of Faerie Hunted

My footsteps felt bogged down by cement. We made it through the main castle gates and into absolute chaos.

Voices lifted in fear and anger rang out from the space adjacent to the main throne room. Although stone-faced guards manned the door, including Captain Hezarwick, they all looked distinctly ill at ease.

Mike took a moment to compose himself before his grip tightened even further on my hand, hard enough to crack my knuckles, and then he pushed through the door before anyone announced him, his personal retinue behind us.

If I expected a pause in conversation, I was mistaken. No one took a breath to show any sort of reaction to the arrival of the prince. And to my further surprise, Queen Laina wasn’t in attendance.

The worry among the attendees thickened the air into something palpable.

I shouldn't be here.

The premier commandeered the head of the long polished table, with the rest of the attendees gathered around him. They stood as Mike approached, and I flinched at the way the temperature in the room dropped to frosty indifference.

“You’re sitting in my father’s seat,” Mike pointed out.

Conversation dropped to a dull roar.

Foxfall visibly bristled at Mike’s tone. He stood a hair shorter than the rest of the gathered courtiers, wearing a robe of spun silk the color of spring violets.

A row of black-beetle buttons held the two sides together and he tugged the lapels straighter. His eyes were wide set and too far apart for him to claim any of the fae’s normal beauty.

“As I’m sure you are no doubt aware, the king is unable to put in an appearance, thus the reason for our meeting today.”

Cosmo flicked his gaze over me, promptly dismissed me, and flashed his sharp teeth at Mike in a smile.

Dead eyes, I realized at once. Cosmo Foxfall might have the power to back up his position as second in command but he had dead eyes and they gave nothing away, which spelled disaster.

Mike wanted my opinion? My senses screamed to get the hell out of here and fast.

“Yes, I am aware of my father’s condition.” Mike stood to attention. “He’s in a coma, fully unmakeable.”

The two of them squared off silently against each other before Cosmo bowed his head and ducked to the side, automatically shifting the others down a seat to allow Mike the chair.

Rather than sitting, Mike remained standing with me at his side.

I should not be here!

Several sets of eyes remained fastened on me and I fought against the urge to sink down and disappear under the table. I gave a soft tug against Mike but he refused to let go of my hand.

“While we’re on the subject of the king, I will enlighten the rest of the room to the facts.” Mike curled his free hand into a fist. He paused until a full lull spread through the space. “We aren’t sure what the device did to harm him and we won’t likely know until he wakes up on his own and tells us. Our best doctors are unable to rouse him from his coma.”

“Oh?” Cosmo’s smile sharpened. “Haven’t you heard, Prince Michael? We have discovered exactly what sort of device made its way back through the wards of this castle.”

Mike went straight, stiff. “Why am I only hearing about this now?”

Cosmo’s tone had the small hairs at the back of my neck rising to attention, and without Noren there for protection, my own wolf began to wake.

Her hackles rose, bristling at the energy in the room. Something was going on here beneath the surface.

What did Cosmo really know and how in the world had he figured things out?

Why hadn’t he come to Mike straight away with the news?

“The device the witch used is our very own missing artifact, theAugundae Imperium.” Cosmo paused for dramatic effect. “It disappeared during transport from the Fae Academy for Halflings in the mortal realm.”

“I’m not sure what you’re implying, Foxfall…” Mike trailed off. He glared at the premier.

“I’ve made the executive decision to destroy the device. We’ve seen clearly the sort of devastation it causes in the wrong hands.” Cosmo studied his nails, his lips pursed. “Our own monarch was subject to untold horror at the hands of the device. It was too unstable to be left in one piece.”

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