Page 33 of A Kingdom of Lies

Although my desires had shifted, there was no point making Duncan know that. If he got wind I didn’t want his help anymore, it could affect our plans of escape.

Duncan’s eyes widened for a moment, quiet whilst he allowed my truth to settle in. “What does an Icethorn fey require an army for?”

So, you do not know who I am. What I am. Good,I thought, imagining my power flowing from my hands and turning his flesh to deathly, hard ice.When the time comes, I will show you.

“To kill a king.”

Duncan blanched, skin leeching of colour. “Treacherous words do not befit you–”

“Not the human king. Afeyking,” I quickly interrupted, revelling in the way his face melted to shock.

“So you come running to the people who’d love the chance to help, except you do realise what you are, don’t you?”

I swallowed, my throat dry as stone. “I do. But I got the sense that I’d only be joining a plan that thisHandalready has arranged. And if that’s the case then I would gladly aid him in his attempts.”

“You know nothing of the war he prepares for.” Duncan turned from the bed, stalking towards the main door of the room. The dark clothing he wore enunciated the V-shaped sculpture of his back. Duncan was tall and reedy, however I knew that beneath his clothes he likely housed a multitude of muscle. He certainly moved as though he carried the weight of strength across his body.

“Then tell me,” I called after him, swinging my legs over the bed and coming to a stand. “What does the Hand want? He wants fey blood, I know that. But why?”

Duncan looked over his shoulder, emerald eyes full of judgement. I’d never experienced the overwhelming urge to read the inner thoughts of a person until now. There was fear in his gaze, mixed with a disgust as his lip curled. I first blamed myself for his reaction, but I couldn’t shake the feeling it was the topic of conversation that displeased him.

“Let us go for a walk, shall we?” Duncan pushed open the door, which had clearly been left unlocked since he had entered. It unsettled me that I still didn’t know how long he had been watching me for. Either way, I was still alive. That had to count for something.

“Not really in the mood for a walk. I’m content staying here.”

“Don’t you trust me?” Duncan pouted, clearly amused by the idea.

“Are you taking the piss out of me?” I bristled, heckles raising down my back. “Of course I don’t trust you, General Rackley.”

“Good, you shouldn’t. And I don’t trust you either, so we are on common ground. However, know this, if I had wanted you dead I would’ve finished the job a hundred ways whilst you slept. Believe it or not, you are likely safer with me than any of my fellow Hunters.”

“You sound sure?” I mused.

“Considering I’ve heard the things they would like to do with you, yes I am. Now, follow me and you shall find out exactly that the Hand prepares for. What you will be used for once we reach Lockinge, unless you’re successful in your petition. Otherwise, you’ll be headed down to the Below with the rest of them.”

I straightened at that. “The Below?”

Duncan smiled from ear to ear. “I hear it’s lovely. Big open space beneath Lockinge castle. I could send word ahead and make sure a nice corner of the prison is made comfortable for you.”

“You’re talking in riddles,” I snapped, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. “What do you mean the rest of them?”

“Fey,” Duncan said, beckoning me. “The Hand’s favoured fey. Hundreds of them, I’d wager.”

He must’ve read the shock on my face because he finished with a twisted comment. “Not the army you were expecting, was it?”

No, I thought.It wasn’t.

Gyah had said to listen and get information, I just didn’t expect I’d have found out what had become of all the missing fey taken by Hunters. In my mind, I imagined them harvested for blood and discarded. Turned out I was wrong. But until I got more information, I decided to keep it to myself. Knowledge was only powerful when it was true. For all I knew, Duncan could’ve been luring me because maybe he sensed my change of desires.

It certainly worked.

I would’ve expected Duncan to leash me with iron as we ventured through the endless corridors of Finstock. Instead, he allowed me to walk freely, likely because he knew I wouldn’t try and escape, and also that I understood the threat of Hunters that filled the fortress like ants across rotting food.

“I’ll permit you four questions,” he said, words echoing up stone corridors, scaring bats out from the alcoves above us.

I skipped a step, not wanting to fall behind for fear a Hunter would snatch me from the shadows. Night had fallen on Finstock, which meant I had been asleep for alongtime. Outside the narrow-slitted windows all I could see was the dark sky and the dancing tongues of mist which clung to the empty courtyard.

“What?”

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