Page 69 of Kiss of Smoke

I supposed I could see the reason behind her anger. She’d just lost a very valuable man, and now her sister possessed the equivalent of two full-fledged Left Hands and two trainees for that spot.

But, maybe if she were ever less possessive and willing to keep her hands to herself, we’d help her out.

Not that I was jumping to do that. Queen Titania needed all the support she could get right now, with her court far more heavily damaged than her sister’s, and the loss of her only heir.

Dad was just doling out the next round of cards when a cold breeze swept them all off the table and sent them flying across the room in a scatter.

“Briallen!” Ashera said, clutching an enormous book. Jack released her and came over to me, bending down to kiss my temple.

“Hi, Auntie. Have a seat and play for a while.” I got up and hugged her, but Auntie Ash pulled me onto the couch next to her.

She flicked her long, dark braid over her shoulder as she laid the book on her lap.

“I’ve just finished with it this morning,” she said, running her hands over the embossed cover. It was the book of the family tree she’d given me to study months ago, when I was supposed to be living a ruse as Briar Thorntree.

I held my breath as she opened the cover, flipping through the pages that covered the main ‘trunk’ of the family, and came to the current residents of the House of Thorns.

A lump grew in my throat as I took in the new pages.

There was a thorny branch of ink that wound across two pages, with Noctifer’s name written in beautiful script. Then it branched outwards, and the thorns became smaller, giving way to apple blossoms limned in gold ink.

My name was written there,Briallen Appletree, and beneath it in small, swirling letters:Lady of the House of Thorns. Golden petals rained down the page in a gentle fall.

“It’s beautiful, Auntie,” I croaked, blinking a little too hard. “Thank you.”

“I petitioned the Unseelie Court,” she said, holding my hand. “You are now listed as a noble member of this House, with all the privileges entitled to it.”

I’d long since come to terms with and grown comfortable with the fact that I was a Lesser Fae, but it was such a huge favor for her to have done for me, I couldn’t help but throw my arms around her.

"Which means half of the House is yours,” Aunt Ash added. “Whenever you’re ready to visit Annwyn again.”

I wasn’t sure when that would be, but I knew I could take my time.

After all, all of my family was right here.

Another week passed,and the training grew more intense.

But as happily as I was fitting into our new life, there was one more thing I needed to come to terms with.

I’d gone through Robin’s files until I found what I was looking for: the report written on the Unstained Souls, which was so long it took up nearly an entire filing cabinet drawer all by itself.

It didn’t take me that long to flip to the conclusion, the death of the Ghosthand Killer.

That was where the file, previously packed with information, became much thinner. Robin had reported accurately on everything—up to the places where he hadn’t been.

He wasn’t the sort to fill the report with conjecture, so it was very sparse on details, but one thing he made absolutely clear: the Ghosthand was dead.

I was the only person who would be able to fill in the report from there on out. He hadn’t asked me to do it; he knew I was still dealing with what had happened that day.

I found a map within the file that marked the exact location of the grove.

It was now off-limits to almost all Fae except the Garda, who had sealed the tunnel leading to it, but I could easily make my way there through the forest bordering Mothwing Falls.

I took my bike early one evening while everyone was working, with absolutely no fear whatsoever. Fae were outdoors at night all the time these days.

There was a moment of déjà vu as I went speeding down through the Falls on my glittery pink bike, but then I turned off the beaten path, into a park where I hadn’t spent much time before.

I locked up my bike and walked into the trees, where the canopy was so dense they were cast in perpetual shadow.

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