Page 66 of The Shadow Path
“They can’t control us,” Godrik said. “And we tend to settle arguments with tactics they find distasteful.”
Laura looked around the room. “Which are?”
“Trial by combat is popular when we have conflicts.”
Lachlan said, “Yet historically, most fae kings or queens were chosen via challenge, so I’ve always found that ironic.”
Godrik humphed. “Blood prices are acceptable among our own if someone is injured or killed.” He shrugged. “We keep to the old laws. But that’s only among ourselves. With other races, we abide by the king’s law.”
North Wolves love war.A unicorn had told Carys that once, but to her, it sounded more like the wolves of Briton kept to an older code that was definitely brutal but she couldn’t classify as warlike. Not exactly.
“So the fae hate the wolves and the wolves hate the fae,” Laura said. “And the humans?”
“The Anglian throne has always allied with the North Wolves,” Godrik said. “We conquered Anglia together and staked out our territories. We have always supported the Anglian throne and always will. But Edgar was…” Godrik’s expression looked like he’d smelled something nasty.
Winnie jumped in. “My uncle was less allied to the wolves than his mother was. He was fascinated by Queen Orla and had quietly campaigned to marry one of her daughters.” She nodded at Carys. “Your aunt actually. He wanted the connection to Orla and Cian, but Eamer preferred Dafydd.”
“Any hard feelings there?” Carys asked.
“Not really,” Winnie said. “It wasn’t a matter of affection. And it didn’t matter to Edgar—he still increased the number of fae courtiers in his council and started handing out favors to Orla and Cian’s people.”
Lachlan said, “My father and I believe that Orla saw an opportunity with Edgar. And as he grew older, she became more determined to cement fae influence in Anglia. And from the Éiren perspective, therearebetter trade routes to the continent via Anglia, especially now that the Frisians have spells that control the leviathans in the Channel.”
“She was building a land bridge,” Carys said. “Between Éire and the rest of Briton.”
“She was,” Winnie said. “But Seren discovered what she was doing.”
“So they killed her.” Lachlan’s voice was rough. He glanced at Carys. “Or Regan did. Maybe Orla and Cian have decided that reviving the old gates is easier than a land bridge.”
“But why?” Carys asked. “What does Queen Orla want? Money? Territory? Just pure power?”
“The fae draw their power from the land,” Lachlan said. “If they control more land, they have more power.”
“I know I’m not an expert here,” Laura said. “But as someone who is trained in elemental magic and is new here, I can tell you that this place” —she held her hands out— “Anglia. London. Everything in the magic around here feels very… off.”
Godrik frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You’re magical creatures, but you live here.” Laura looked at Cadell and Godrik. “If this imbalance has been happening for a while, you might not have sensed it. But the magic here is restless. It’s…” Her entire body shivered. “It’s very hard to explain, but there is a lot of tension. Almost like a fault line before an earthquake if that makes sense.”
“I believe you,” Godrik said, “but what does that mean for us? For the wolves?” He glanced at Winnie, then at Lachlan. “For all of Briton?”
“Briton doesn’t have earthquakes.” Duncan, who’d been silent for most of the conversation, finally spoke. “But now Orla and Cian are reaching for more power. The magic is unsettled. The thrones are in play.” He looked at Carys, then at Lachlan. “I’m just saying that there is more than one kind of earthquake, and there might be one brewing in Anglia.”
“We have to figure out what Orla wants,” Carys said. “And what this offering to the Crow Mother might be.”
Godrik and Winniecouldn’t stay all afternoon, not without tongues wagging, so they departed only an hour after the meeting had started.
Duncan grumbled something about finding Angus before he left the library, and Cadell and Laura went to gather some of the wood and herbs she would need to perform magic, leaving Carys alone with Lachlan in the cozy library where a fire was burning and Carys was surrounded by books.
She crossed her legs in the massive chair and stared at the fire.
“You’re in your happy place,” Lachlan said.
Carys blinked. “My happy place?”
Lachlan looked around the room. “Fire. Books. Comfortable chair. If I grabbed some tea and a blanket, you’d never leave.”
She smiled. “You know me.”
