Page 40 of Realm of Wind and Vines
“Gremar.”
I suppress an annoyed scoff. Gremar Fireclaw is the leader of the Red Dragon Clan, which is responsible for managing the Seelie Court, and he has always gone about his duties in a brutal and merciless way. I’m not exactly his biggest fan.
Draven lets out a mocking chuckle. “Oh I’m sure he’s feeling very pleased with himself now.”
“He sure is.” She clenches and unclenches her hands around her mug for a few seconds. Then she adds, “There is something else I have to tell you.”
“What?”
She looks up to meet his gaze head on. “The Icehearts are searching for the Gold Clan.”
My eyebrows shoot up. Gold Clan? There is a Gold Clan?
Opposite me, Draven gives Diana a dubious frown. “The Gold Clan is a myth.”
“No, they’re not,” Orion cuts in, speaking for the first time in hours.
We all turn to blink at him in surprise. He just leans back in his seat and sweeps his gaze over all of us before lifting his shoulders in a casual shrug.
“They’re the ones who put up the wards around my court,” he explains.
My mouth drops open. “What?”
He nods.
“Wait, so the Gold Clan… has shield magic?” I ask, my mind spinning.
The ability to raise wards and magical shields is incredibly rare. I’ve always wondered who raised the wards around the Unseelie Court all those millennia ago. Since they’re so massive, it would’ve required far more power than one single fae should be able to produce. But since there was no other explanation for it, I’ve just assumed that there must have been a ridiculously powerful fae born in the Unseelie Court thousands of years ago.
“Yes,” Orion confirms. He lets out something between an amused huff and a scoff. “To this day, it remains the single most expensive bargain we have ever made.” His intelligent eyes shift to Draven, and a knowing smile curves his lips. “But it has been so worth it.”
Draven just rolls his eyes at him.
“Where are they now?” Isera asks, her eyes on the Unseelie King. “Do you know?”
He shakes his head. “Couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to, love.”
She starts slightly at the term of endearment, but Orion has already picked up his glass of wine and is taking a casual sip.
“Anyway, I just had to warn you about that,” Diana continues. “From what I’ve been told, they have Lavendera working on it.”
My gaze snaps back to her at the mention of Lavendera’s name. Then I have to grip the table hard to keep from gasping as a sudden thought strikes me. Was that why she was trying to get into the Green Clan’s mountain? Draven said that they are the history keepers. If anyone knows what happened to the Gold Clan, it’s them.
I flex my hand. We really need to talk to them.
But at least they refused to open the doors for Lavendera too, so the Icehearts don’t possess that knowledge either.
“Look, I really must be getting back to work now,” Diana announces, and gives Draven a pointed look. “I was in the middle of something when you suddenly strolled into my woods and demanded that we talk.”
He arches an eyebrow back at her. “I didn’tdemand.”
“Youonlydemand and give orders. It’s what makes you… you.” She lets out a short chuckle. “Anyway, you’re welcome to stay the night. But don’t cause trouble.”
“Your people are the ones who attacked us,” he points out.
“Fair.” She shrugs. “I’ve let everyone know that we’re on the same side now, so that shouldn’t happen again.”
“Shouldn’t.”
