“And the other?” She already knew the answer.
“The O’Sheas.” She smiled. “There was a time when they ruled Iskalt that the queen and king were great friends of ours. Eldur and Iskalt had an unbreakable bond.”
She swallowed, barely able to breathe. “What happened to them?” She knew Griffin and Loch’s parents died when they were boys. How old had Griff said he was? Two?
Fiona put the book away, a sad set to her shoulders. “They came to visit Queen Faolan. It was a grand visit with balls and banquets. When they left, the future looked so bright. I remember it as if it were yesterday. The rumor was they had a mission for Queen Faolan, but the queen and king of Iskalt never made it home.”
“They died?” she whispered.
Fiona nodded. “Their bodies were found near the border of Fargelsi. Within months, the king’s brother took the throne and sent Lochlan and Griff to be raised in foreign courts. Most people think it was a show of good faith to keep Eldur from attacking to reclaim the throne for Lochlan. But when her greatest friends died, our queen seemed to have lost her taste for war.”
Tears hung in Brea’s lashes. “I need to go.”
Fiona called a goodbye, but Brea barely heard her as she rushed out in the blazing Eldur heat.
Sweat dripped into her eyes, but she kept going, barely registering that she’d left the Eldur beans behind. She clutched the humantale book under her arm and rushed through the busy streets, wishing she wasn’t so far from the palace.
All she wanted to do was collapse onto her bed and hide in her room. Because she now knew without a doubt that Lochlan’s parents were dead because of her.
2
Brea
“Lady Brea, rushing back to the palace already? It’s hardly mid-day.”
Brea paused at the sound of her name, blinking at the exotic woman dressed in free-flowing silks outside the magic shop. That’s what Brea called it anyway.
“Mrs. Moran. I’m sorry, I’ve got to get back early.”
“Come by later today. I have some new herbs to show you. They arrived today from the fire plains. I can teach you all about their mystical properties.”
For a moment, Brea was tempted to join her. She was fascinated with Mrs. Moran’s apothecary shop. Everything she stocked held magic of one kind or another. It wasn’t the kind of magic she was supposed to be learning, but it was definitely more interesting considering Brea hadn’t felt her magic in weeks. Something had her blocked, and she wasn’t sure how to move past it. No one seemed too concerned about it so she went along with it.
“I’ll try,” Brea called over her shoulder.
“Go have a nap, dear, you look a bit peaky. And have a cup of that tea I gave you yesterday. It will help you rest.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Moran.” Brea picked up her pace. Some of her favorite shops were closer to the palace, but they knew her as Lady Brea there. She much preferred the anonymity she had at the marketplace across the river in the lower city. It was like a different world down there. The merchants in this part of the city catered to the nobility and wouldn’t dream of calling her or anyone else a ‘richie’, at least not to her face.
By the time Brea reached the bridge entrance to the palace, sweat poured down her back, and she was anxious for a cool, quiet afternoon in her grotto. She might actually take that nap if her mind would quit running in an endless loop of worry and regret.
Shouts and commotion interrupted her thoughts. Sneaking into the courtyard wasn’t going to work this time. Both queens and half the palace swarmed the entrance, shouting and issuing orders. Soldiers and horses stood by while a distinguished looking man gave a report to the queen.
“Brea, darling.” Tierney spotted her before she could creep up the stairs. “There you are.”
“I was just exploring some of the shops.” She inched closer to the woman who called herself one of her mothers. “Have you had news of Alona?” Brea eyed the distraught Queen Faolan, still unable to fathom her as the woman who gave birth to her. Both queens were wonderful people, but with Alona’s disappearance and now no news from Lochlan and Finn, they were distracted. Most of Brea’s interactions with her mothers were awkward in the extreme, none of them knowing quite how to act around each other. Brea tended to avoid them.
“We’ve had a disturbing report.” Tierney put her arm around Brea. She was the more touchy-feely mom. “One of our scouts found the remnants of a battle. All of Lochlan’s men were slaughtered.”
Brea took in a sharp breath. “Loch and Finn too?” It surprised her how much it hurt to ask the question. Lochlan was a self-righteous pain in her butt and Finn was more of a stranger than a true friend—not like Myles had been. But that they both might be dead had her feeling all sorts of terror she hadn’t expected. Like she couldn’t possibly face this life in the fae realm without them.
“No, thank the heavens. There was no trace of them, so we must move forward hoping they made it to safety.”
“But?” Brea braced for the bad news.
“It’s been more than a week since the battle. Lochlan would have sent for help if he was able.”
“So, they might not have made it?” She couldn’t imagine Lochlan in any situation where he didn’t come out on top.
“We can only hope news of their whereabouts will reach us soon.” Tierney’s eyes followed her wife’s movements as Faolan issued orders. “But it is possible they’ve been taken back to Iskalt.”
“His uncle will kill him.” Brea’s hand went to her throat.
“It’s not likely Callum O’Shea would kill one of the last of his clan.” Tierney squeezed her shoulder. “The O’Sheas have remarkable magic that is too precious to snuff out over something as petty as a throne.”
Brea didn’t think Callum O’Shea would agree with the Eldur Queen Consort.
“He is like a son to Faolan. To us both, really. He grew up right here with Alona.”
“Lochlan is tough and resourceful. He can take care of himself and Finn.” But Brea worried about Finn. If they got separated or were injured, would either of them have enough sense to come back home, or would they be stubborn and pigheaded and insist on looking for each other?
“Brea.” Faolan gave her a curt nod as she approached. “Good. You’re home. Do try to stay close to the palace, darling. We don’t want to lose you too.” Her words were kind and motherly, but she was utterly absent, just saying the things she thought she needed to say.
Awkward silence hung between them, and Brea just wanted to escape.
“Er—how will you look for them?” she asked.
“We’ve sent several scouts to scour the area surrounding the battle scene.” Faolan stood, wringing her hands, refusing to look at Brea. She did that a lot. And sometimes when she did meet Brea’s eyes, she could see the disappointment there. Disappointment that she wasn’t Alona. “All we can do now is wait and hope they haven’t fallen into Callum’s hands.”
“Please let me know as soon as you hear any news.” Brea stepped away from the queens, feeling the awkward much more than usual. “I’m just going back to my room now.”