Page 128 of Owned By the Fae
Isbeth raises a brow. ‘If anyone had the motivation to find it after he was exiled, it would be him so that he could create his army and return.’ She snorts. ‘Come back to take over and do things the way he thought they should have been done.’ She looks at our puzzled countenances. ‘We were a dying race, remember. He thought his ideas would help us. Save us. But after he betrayed us, there was nothing that could be done but make him leave.’
I give a small nod, and to my surprise, tears come to Isbeth’s eyes.
‘I never thought I’d ever have the honor of seeing a Harbinger,’ she says in awe, dabbing at her cheeks.
She swallows hard and attempts to pull herself together. ‘What Varrik has done is a horrible crime. The Black Lake is a sacred place, the resting place of the first of us. He should never have gone there, let alone stolen from it.’
The Harbinger, still trying to make sense of its returning memories, perks up.
‘Is that what the Harbinger is?’ I ask.
She nods. ‘The Harbingers were the protectors of the Fae. Some stories say the protectors of the humans too, tasked by Gaila herself at the beginning.
Brakil shakes his head ruefully.
‘After all this time,’ he murmurs. ‘A Harbinger returns … in the body of a human.’ He raises his brows and shakes his head. ‘These are indeed strange times we live in.’
‘What of Varrik?’ Isbeth asks.
‘We know he was trying to come here, but I don’t think he was intending for it to be soon,’ I say and see the others nodding.‘His hand was forced by some of his most trusted Skilled when they turned on him.’
‘His original plan may have been to use his Skilled to fight his way back into the Underhill, but ...’ Dane looks at me.
‘He decided to wait.’ I finish lamely, not wanting to say anymore.
‘Why?’
‘Because I wouldn’t do what he told me to anymore. He knew I wouldn’t help him.’
Brakil frowns. ‘So what was his plan instead? Go back and try to get another Harbinger?’
I stare at the table. ‘Not quite.’
‘Brakil,’ Isbeth mutters and shakes her head. ‘Is Varrik alive?’
‘We don’t know. His keep was coming down around us. As soon as the Breach opened, we ran through and found ourselves here,’ Kal says. ‘We never saw if he was killed or made it to the Light Realm.’
Isbeth and Brakil share another look and the female stands. ‘The rest of the Council needs to be convened at once. We thought the worst of his crimes were behind us, but this … it’s worse than I ever imagined, especially if it was all to find his way back here. He wants to control the Underhill. He would crown himself our king. We need to stop him before he finds a way.’
‘Why didn’t Varrik use me to get here instead of wasting his time trying to find a map to the Light Realm?’ I ask.
Isbeth shrugs. ‘He likely had no idea the Harbinger could open the Breach. The specifics of their power were lost to time. We only know about them now because of old texts that surfaced in the Light Realms. They were found after Varrik was gone. He wouldn’t know that you could open a bridge here, or no doubt he would have come long ago.’
‘Right. We need to get the fae out of that fold. I want everything ready by tomorrow morning.’
‘Wait,’ I say. ‘Tomorrow will be too late. The Dark Realms seeks Varrik to destroy him for what he’s done. It knows where the fold is now, and if it finds its way in before we can evacuate, everyone still inside will die.’
Isbeth turns to her male counterpart. ‘Can it be done?’
He nods. ‘I’ll begin now. Harbinger, you’ll need to open the Breach and come through to?—
‘Her name is Lia,’ Dane says sharply, standing up to tower over the councilor. ‘Not Harbinger. And she won’t be going through the Breach again.’
Brakil scoffs. ‘It is the Harbinger’s purpose,’ he begins, ‘to ensure the safet?—’
‘Our human mate is with child,’ Dane states, staring at Brakil coldly. ‘She’s already traveled the Breach once. She will not be doing it again until after the babe is born.’
I blink in surprise at Dane, and when he looks at me, he gives me an encouraging smile. ‘Lia?’
