Page 50 of The Shadow Path
“They were insulting you, so you started a riot?” Winnie said. “Dafydd, you must see?—”
“As a complete coincidence, the Cymric throne is delighted to announce a redevelopment project on the east side of the Cye Bourne and the Night Bridge neighborhood,” the king said, interrupting her. “In honor of King Harold’s coronation. Consider it a gift from Cymru to Anglia. We’ll even build a guard station there to oversee the market.” Dafydd nodded toward Winnie. “Though of course we shall expect the Kingsguard to offer their soldiers to staff the outpost.”
Winnie opened her mouth, then closed it. “I will convey your…giftto King Harold,” she finally said, then turned to the guards behind her and nodded at them. “You may go. I have a matter to discuss with the Cymric king and do not have need of you,” she told her lieutenant. “Wait for me in the courtyard.”
“Yes, Captain.” The lieutenant nodded at Dafydd before swiftly departing the hall.
After they were gone and Winnie was alone with Dafydd, Carys, and the two dragons, she pulled out a chair and sat down. “Seriously, Your Highness?”
“Winnie, it’s not my fault that Carys needed to use the fae gate near the market. That neighborhood is lawless, and Edgar should have dealt with it years ago.”
Mared crossed her arms. “We did you a favor, driving off the worst of that lot.”
“My cousin has been king for less thantwo weeks,” Winnie said. “You think he’s had time to deal with the troll markets and all the other things his father overlooked?”
Dafydd turned to Carys. “Winnie is an old friend and a trusted advisor of the new king. She spent time in our court as a child.”
“Why do you think I’m such a good archer?” Winnie smiled at Carys.
“I can speak freely then?” Carys asked.
“Of course.” Winnie nodded. “What do you have to say?”
“I was taken from the banquet to the troll market by the Crow Mother.” She wasn’t sure Winnie knew who that was. “She’s a fae sorceress, and I owed her a debt.”
“I know her by reputation.” Winnie frowned. “She’s a powerful creature. How did you come to owe her—” Winnie held up a hand. “You know what? I don’t want to know.”
“Wise,” Cadell muttered.
“The Crow Mother mentioned something to me at the banquet that the king should know about.” Carys was relieved that she could speak to someone about what Branwen had told her at the banquet. “Before she took me, she looked at Queen Orla and said: ‘The queen will bring me her offering, and then everything will fall into place.’ I don’t know what she was talking about, but I have a feeling that Orla is not a friend.”
“An offering.” Winnie glanced at Dafydd. “Do you have any idea what she was referring to?”
“None.” Dafydd’s brow furrowed. “What could Orla offer the Crow Mother that she hasn’t given already? After decades of union with Cian, Orla’s more fae than human.”
And also the mother of a fae child, but Carys didn’t know if Dafydd had shared the knowledge of Regan’s origins with anyone outside of those who’d witnessed Regan’s death, which was only Carys, Dafydd, Duncan, and Lachlan.
Dafydd turned to Carys. “Wehavebeen in contact with Harold about the maps that Seren drew before she was killed. About the land bridge that Regan appeared to be building between Éire and Briton.”
Winnie nodded. “I even went with Anwyn when she surveyed the islands. So far, no new land masses have appeared.”
“That means nothing,” Cadell said. “Cian is the power behind Orla’s throne, and fae plan in centuries, not years. Seren’s murder could have been the first step in their plans.”
“Harold knows what really happened to your Shadowkin,” Winnie said. “We also know that publicly, Queen Orla has claimed that Seren’s killer was working on her own. Even though it was her own daughter.”
“It’s possible that Regan’s death meant the death of whatever Orla was planning,” Dafydd said. “That has been our hope.”
“But an offering to the Crow Mother?” Winnie pursed her lips. “I agree with the dragon. It sounds like they’re still plotting.”
“If Orla and Cian had no idea what Regan was up to with Seren, I’ll eat a haggis in one sitting,” Carys said. “She knew. And Regan also had allies in the Anglian court; she said as much to me when she thought I was going to die.”
Winnie scowled. “I’m not saying you’re wrong, but the problem is, Harold was not on good terms with his father. King Edgar was enamored with Orla. Always. And he was closer to the high fae than Harold would like. As Orla has aged—even though she doesn’t look it—Cian has taken more and more power.”
“So Harold agrees with us?” Carys glanced at Cadell. “He thinks Queen Orla is plotting something with the fae?”
Dafydd nodded. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted you here for the coronation. Winnie has been our liaison with Harold. She and Lachlan have been speaking with me about the plans they fear Orla is making. It’s the other reason Eamer didn’t come with me. Her mother is powerful, and she doesn’t want to be used as a pawn. We both felt she was safer in Cymru.”
“So we all suspect Orla and Cian are planning something, but no one has any idea what it is?” Carys looked at Cadell. “You guys have spies, right?”
