Page 74 of The Silver Spider
She didn’t flinch away. This wasn’t her fault, but itwasa tragedy. Persia and Cin had never even known their sister. And Iona…Serephone couldn’t go there. “There’s plenty of blame to go around, fae Lord,” she whispered, a strange, wet heat in her eyes.
“When she dies,” Dawnthorne said softly, “so too will you draw your last breath.”
“Don’t be melodramatic,” Maddugh said sharply, striding forward. “I can heal her. Give her to me.”
Dawnthorne snarled. “What can adragondo that a fae cannot?”
“He healed Cin when she was dying from a gunshot wound,” Serephone said, scrambling to her feet with sudden hope. “She’s got like a minute left, maybe you should cooperate.”
She knew she’d pay for her terseness later. Her harsh words hid the ashes in her heart, though, and Dawnthorne needed to snap out of the grief descending on him. They had no time.
Maddugh knelt, Kailigh coming to his side and resting a hand on his shoulder. He placed his hands over Anissa’s wound. “Daughter’s sister,” he said gently. “Not tonight.”
Serephone watched the glow traveling through Maddugh’s skin and pooling into his hands. She didn’t know how much time passed, but slowly the blood stopped running, and the gurgling sound of Anissa’s faint breathing cleared.
Maddugh pulled away, voice dry and scratchy. “I’ve done enough to keep her alive. You’ll need a physician for the rest, and she shouldn’t move around for a few days.”
The fae Lord looked at Maddugh, but said nothing. Serephone didn’t understand Dawnthorne’s white-lipped rage. He lifted Anissa in his arms, rose, and strode away, several men falling in to escort him.
Lord Evervaine approached. “It appears your Lord is otherwise occupied, so I will act in his stead.” He gestured. “Until Aethan says otherwise, confine them all to their rooms.”
No one disagreed with him. He was the only Lord present. She didn’t know what a Queen’s Eye was, either, but it had sounded like a rank to be obeyed. Her mouth tasted like blood, and she realized she’d bitten her cheek in the tension, and though in normal circumstances she would have been angry at being grounded for something that wasn’t her fault—plus she was a damn adult—the sight of her motionless sister sparked anxiety. The same anxiety she would feel for Persia or Cinvarra.
“She’ll be fine,” Kailigh murmured, her hand on Serephone's back rubbing small circles. “She looks so much like Cinvarra,” her mother added, voice bemused.
Yuruth approached, the gray, gargoyle fae at his side. “We will escort you to your quarters,” he said.
Serephone nodded and they all left. Amnan and Maddugh walked behind the women, their solid presence comforting for Serephone and Kai, but perhaps not so comforting for the fae, who kept looking at the men. Yuruth showed Kailigh and Maddugh to their room across the hall from Serephone and Amnan. Their parents took a cursory look and joined them in Serephone's room, the fae excusing themselves with the promise of meals to be sent up soon.
Maddugh sat in the corner armchair and stared at his son. “I would wallop you, but you look like you’ve had a shitty few days.”
Amnan glanced at Serephone, and shrugged. “Hasn’t been so bad.”
Kailigh sat on the bed. “Has your father spoken to you?” she asked Serephone.
“He said Dawnthorne wasn’t involved with Ruthus. Something about going rogue.”
Kailigh snorted. “Lawre…Etienne…was never big on the truth. I thought it was cute when I was young.”
“You thought lying was cute.”
Her mother sighed. “You would have had to have been there. He hasn’t aged a day.”
“He looks like a frip,” Maddugh growled. “I thought you had good taste, but now I know better.”
Kailigh glanced at her husband, brow rising. “Heispretty, but I prefer a more rugged type now that I’m older.”
Serephone watched with amusement. Poor Maddugh couldn’t decide whether to be mad at the ‘pretty’ or pleased that he was ruggedly handsome. Men.
Maddugh eyed his wife a moment then spoke to Amnan. “Nahasha will send an emissary in the morning if we do not send word.”
“An emissary?”
“Well, a squad perhaps, in dragon form, threatening to burn down the grounds if we are not released.”
“They might have tightened their shielding since I came.”
“I’m sure Nahasha is cleverer than a fae.”
“Considering we are both of fae blood, I’m not sure how I feel about all the sneering,” Kailigh murmured as Serephone sat next to her mother.
“We’re honorary dragons in their minds.”
“Damn straight,” Amnan said.
