Page 74 of Queen of Thorns
I continue until I am standing in the doorway just before a storage room. There are mead barrels and crates stacked in the corners. The light is a dim yellow, leaving much of the room still in shadow.
“Unless we stop it,” someone says.
“There is no stopping it,” Luscious says. “She is the last Shadowspell.”
The room hushes.
“Truly the last?”
Luscious nods gravelly. “The wraith confirmed it. With the news of her father’s death, there is only her and deserters who have adopted other elements.”
Wraith?
A female standing in the back of the room with crossed arms takes a step forward. “We always have the option of bringing those fae back and reclaiming the bloodline for the Shadow realm.”
“Those are the royals who have betrayed us. You’d make them the ruler over us all?”
I frown. I hadn’t considered that. Are there those of the Shadowspell line remaining? Just with other elements controlling their magic?
Maybe this game would never end.
“But the magic would be weakened, perhaps irreversibly so,” Luscious says with a heavy sigh. “And it would take time. It is not a feasible choice.”
The female quirks an eyebrow. “I’m only saying, we always have another option. We don’t even need a Shadowspell. We only need a powerful Shadow fae to refuel the magic.”
“We don’t have any of those either,” Luscious says. “We can explore those more desperate options if it comes to that. But for now, we will stick with Caelynn and see what can be done.”
“Is she to be trusted, though? I’ve heard rumors of her role in the High Court.”
“I don’t yet know,” Luscious says slowly. “She is certainly close to the new High Prince. I will admit, it seemed that he is more smitten with her than the other way around. But she holds her emotions behind a shield, so it is hard to say. It is possible she is controlled entirely by the High Court. It is also possible she is loyal to the Shadow Court, with the High Court in her pocket.”
“You think she could control the High Prince?”
“She did seem to have a strong hold on him. But he left recently. It all remains to be seen.”
“So, what will we do until then?”
“We’ll find something on her,” the female in the back says. “A secret she doesn’t want anyone to know.”
Luscious purses his lips. “The girl certainly has demons—literal and non. We could find something to hold over her and go from there.” He nods sharply like that’s the end of the conversation. “The Crystal Court attack was a success,” he says, continuing the meeting, apparently.
“Are we to plan another?” a voice asks in the small crowd sitting among the mead barrels.
“No, not yet. The courts are angry with us. It won’t be safe to act so soon after the last.” Luscious crosses his arms and leans back in his chair. His expression is smug and confident. Distinctive from the indifferent annoyance he carries in meetings with me. He likes his power. “I believe that is why they planted our new queen.”
“To root us out? You must be very careful, Luscious.”
“I will be. She doesn’t trust me, but she will not find out about this group. I will ensure it.”
I quirk a brow and allow a smile to spread across my face. I resist the urge to show myself here and now.
“Rumors of her return are everywhere,” a wrinkled fae male says. “They say she’s the queen who was promised. They say she’s the savior of the Shadow Court.”
“She has brought us ruling court allies. People are talking about us returning to the High Court’s favor,” the standing female says.
Luscious shakes his head. “We will not allow it.”
I blink back my surprise.He doesn’t want those things?
