Page 19 of Claimed By the Fae Lord

Nox led us to the front of the massive oak doors of Snowfall, peering up at the darkened windows. "There's no light within."

Aeryn's face lifted, searching the many windows across the front.

Nox frowned. "Where is everyone?"

"It's the middle of the night. Perhaps they're all in bed," Aeryn suggested.

Nox shook his head. "There would still be light from somewhere."

His gaze landed on me. "Liam, take your guards and search the grounds. Check the stables and see to the animals first. The rest of you, come with me."

Lorne moved closer to Nox, speaking low. Nox huffed but took his mate's hand and backed away from the doors.

The king had no business searching the house, not when it hadn't been cleared. Who knew what was inside.

Satisfied Nox and Aeryn would stay out, I motioned for five of the soldiers who'd accompanied us to follow me.

We made our way to the stables in silence. The usual sounds of horses nickering and snorting in their stalls were absent.

I pulled open the large wooden doors. Hanging on the hook just inside was a lantern. I took it down and flicked a small spark of magic to light it.

Lifting it, I stepped further inside, looking up and down the row.

Empty. The stables were completely empty.

I exchanged a glance with the soldiers.

"These were full when Saxon came," I said aloud, more to myself than anyone else.

"Search quickly," I ordered. "I don't want to be here any longer than necessary. Report anything suspicious."

Silently, we moved through the building finding nothing. I didn't anticipate finding evidence of a plot to overthrow the king, but the missing animals bothered me enough to be thorough. I had a feeling we were going to find more than just an empty stable.

We left the structure to search the grounds, moving through the courtyard and the gardens beyond. Due to the cold temperatures and constant snow here, the estate didn't have much in the way of blooming flowers, but it did have a variety of winter greenery.

As I got closer, I noticed an odd coloring mixed in with the dusting of snow atop the shrubbery. A chill ran down my spine.

"Sir, what is that?" Zeke, the youngest soldier of the group, asked.

"Ashes," I answered, turning to the rest of the group. "Find where these came from."

"The stables," Zeke said, eyes still on the bushes.

"What about them?"

"The ashes fly on the wind, which comes from that direction," he pointed. "From the direction of the stables."

My eyes followed his finger, thinking. "You three move south of the stables, the rest north with me."

On silent feet, we rapidly covered ground, finding nothing between us and the empty structure we'd already cleared. Once we were beyond it, we spread further apart.

About fifty yards beyond the stables, the trace of an acrid scent caught my nose. My steps quickened involuntarily.

I followed the smell over a small hill, halting at what was below. An enormous fire pit had been dug, at least twenty yards in diameter, and was now covered in a layer of ash and snow. The air grew thick with an unspoken warning.

Whistling, I raised my fist and signaled the others to hold. With trepidation, I continued forward.

The closer I got, the more the feeling intensified. I had an unspeakable understanding that whatever lay below was something I did not want to discover.

---