Page 23 of Hidden Kingdoms

“Yes, across the Kingdom,” I said, leaving no room for argument. I had no need to explain myself.

If I wanted it done it would be, and black salt could give those without the protection of a strong ward a little extra boost. Therewas a slight throb on my cheekbone from where our new guest had punched me, and I forced myself not to run my fingers over the skin.

How long had it been since someone had dared to raise a hand to me?

“Agron won’t be happy with that, my Lord,” he warned, slimy mouth disgusting me with every move it made, his hands fiddling with a button on his cuff.

I didn’t like Vasper and he knew it. Sure that the snivelling act displayed opposite was a front; I was waiting for the day he slipped up. I was also sure he had managed to kill his grandfather to claim his seat which was a shame, because I had liked old man Edevane. There was no proof, but watching his thin, stick-like fingers pluck at the blue threads at his wrist, I was certain it hadn’t been with his own two hands.

“Do you think I care what one miserable goblin thinks? People are being taken from their homes, Amourem’s broken, children orphaned...”

Kaius’ silver daggers flashed as he spun them. There was another side to the disappearances, one he had taken a personal interest in.

People disappearing with no explanation meant traffickers had realised that if they moved fast enough to the raided towns, they could abduct those who hadn’t been taken, and they would be classed as one of the lost. Even better for them were the children with nowhere to go. It was sickening how they were able to profit from such a thing, but hardly surprising given the nature of who they were. As a result, the skin trade was booming.

At one point they had attempted to imitate the raid themselves but even when they gave it their all they couldn’t quite replicate the destruction The Darkness was capable of, and too many times their operations had been caught.

Now they waited on the side-lines like vultures ready to pluck the vulnerable away in their carcass stained talons.

Kaius had been the one to figure out what was happening after one of his nights in the seedier parts of Firenze. His unit now spent a huge amount of time tracking down those responsible. Spending hours of quality time in the dungeons with anyone who even had a sliver of information.

I’d never known a single soul who didn’t purge their entire life secrets once he was done with them, and he always returned with the same wild smile on his face no matter the blood that splattered him, or the dark words I knew would spill from their lips.

There was a reason he wasn’t sent from this table and no matter how many times he joked about it, it wasn’t because of his good looks.

“Perhaps the King—” Vasper started, his pathetic eyes darting to where Kaius was spinning a dagger balanced on his finger.

“The King is not here—I am.” I spoke with deadly calm, watching as he shrank into himself. Like fuck was this worm going to question me.

“Are the profits of a stock shop more important to you than protecting the Fae in this kingdom?” I continued as Vasper’s head bowed, his oily black hair shining red from the flames that lined the wall, his eyes fixed onto a point of the table.

I let my gaze roam over the rest of the men in the room, the ones who were keeping their thoughts to themselves. I knew with absolute certainty that some of them did indeed believe profits were worth the cost of Fae lives if it lined their pockets at the end.

They lingered on the occupant of the last taken seat, to the young man with the handsome face and light brown hair, the easy smile and relaxed manner. Lord Oswin was a distant son ofa son of a son, through the Fier branch of Incaendium’s Royal Line. His home far into the craggy Eastern Reaches, the colour of his hair proof that somewhere they had married outside of the pre-approved list of high-powered families. Yet here he was, somehow having inherited his seat. He kept his mouth shut, but I knew he sat there quietly soaking everything in.

“No, my Lord,” Vasper murmured, eyes still down.

The dried blood that crusted my wrist cracked slightly as I flexed my hand, sending a pulse of irritation straight to my soul at the memory of that black beast’s jaws closing over my arm. The rasp of Kaius’ dagger being placed into his belt pulled my focus back to the table. Pushing the lingering annoyance that was threatening to worm its way past my carefully shored defences, I didn’t want to dwell on how easily it had done so.

“Has the Arasauk been sent out?” Kaius’ voice commanded the space, his eyes fixed on the General, who to his credit held the contact.

“They were travelled over by the Commander as soon as we received the news. They will follow protocol until you can get there,” he replied as Kaius nodded once in acceptance.

Until you can get there.

Because we had been gone, on a pointless exercise to find a way out of this mess.

“Good,” he said, a wicked smile filling his face and his eyes slid over the other men in the room, many of whom shrank slightly under his gaze.

Kaius was convinced there was someone in this room feeding the traffickers intel, yet it seemed impossible to find out who. He was having fun conducting his research though, the whispers from the guards who manned the dungeons confirmed as much.

He would be stepping back through the ward the moment this meeting was called to an end, despite what we had just facedout there. Arasauk was his team and if they were needed, then so was he.

11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

ELODIE

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