Page 51 of Hidden Kingdoms

“General Fieval now has the full report for what happened in Delevore. There are four missing cases. Everyone else has beenaccounted for, alive or otherwise,” Heul announced, not wanting to be here any more than I did.

“How big was the village?” I asked.

Hortense’s fingers tapped at the keys, pulling up the numbers. “Four thousand, three hundred and forty-nine inhabitants. Well forty-five now.”

“Four’s not bad,” Amos replied, and I wanted to burn his fat face off.

Lyssa murmured her agreement beside me, and I suppressed a shudder. It was about the numbers for them. Not the real Fae they represented.

Four.

Four lost souls. Four more meals for The Darkness to do whatever the fuck it did with them.

“Four is enough.” My voice was rough with the anger that was still playing with me, the heat under my skin only slightly less uncomfortable than it had been when I’d been ready to torch the place.

“The disturbance was concentrated over the south-eastern section. From our findings there is nothing there of any interest.To anyone. Our preliminary finds, and witness accounts, indicate that thiswasThe Darkness. We are just waiting on whatever digging Arasauk managed to do, whether they found some clues, a connection to other attack sites that we’ve missed,” Heul reported.

Delevore was small. A place of little consequence to the kingdom so what could possibly have been there to attract The Darkness’ attention?

“Do we know of anything that connects them?”

“Nothing yet,’ he said, scrubbing a hand over the blond beard that covered his chin.

“The Colonel will be here shortly to give his account.” I couldn’t tell him what the Arasauk had found, I hadn’t seenKaius since he left the last meeting we attended, and we’d hardly had time to chit-chat in the moments I had seen him. I’d been too busy preparing to conflagrate my little white-haired problem.

I knew every detail would be given to Hortense to analyse and soon a thick folder of information would be stacked on top of the others. Crucial for analytics, but of no real help.

Turning to Lyssa, I asked, “The black salt, has it been ordered?”

“Yes, my Prince,” she answered in that strange hissing voice of hers. I wasn’t sure if she thought it was sexy—but for me, it set my teeth on edge. “I went with Vasper to ensure Agron created little fuss.”

Just as well, Vasper was a drip and Agron was a belligerent old goblin. But with Lyssa there he would more than likely do as he’s told.

“I need it delivered by tonight.” I doubted it would strike in the same place twice, but I needed to be seen as doing something.Anything.

Her sharp teeth were on full display as she smiled at me. “Of course my Prince.”

My knee almost began bouncing as I sat waiting for the door to open and Kaius to step through with the information we were waiting for. I shut that shit down immediately.

I couldn’t show any weakness. Not to mention it would give Lyssa an excuse to run her claws over me and that I couldn’t deal with right now. I could still feel her phantom touch and was glad we weren’t alone—and both her hands were above the table.

I wasn’t sure how long I had been there. Only distantly listening to the discussion of tariffs and importation bullshit Agron had tried to insist upon—an exhaustion from my earlier outburst taking too much from me—when the door finally opened and Kaius walked back in. His face gave nothing away,that ease with which he walked through life was there for them all to see.

He was just as good as me at wearing a mask.

21

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ELODIE

Ihad been back in my little grey box for barely thirty minutes when the knock came, and with it the tall lady carrying another tray. Scheduled food now the only constant in my life. This morning’s one had been removed while I was out, the fireplace kindled to blazing, and the jug of water refilled; I used one of the cups for the flower Kaius had grown.

It was on the chest of drawers, sitting pretty beside the old stack of books which, while the Faerytales were a charming read, the rest were not attention grabbers. But that’s what had given me the idea I was about to put into action.

“Wait.” Food delivered, she was already turning to leave, her flaming finger almost touching the door to close me in. “Would it be possible to get some more books? There’s not much to do locked in here.” Channelling my inner Poppy I smiled at her, hoping it was warm enough for her to take pity on a poor unfortunate prisoner.

“Books?” Her eyes narrowed slightly, and I was sure the game was up as I nodded and she left, leaving me to watch as I was locked in. I glanced at the handle and pressed my ear to the wood. Nothing.

---