“At least we know something happens to him on the new moon.”
Carrick flashed Zaid a menacing smile. “If the gods will ever show me any favor, I hope it’s a future where I plunge an iron sword into his black heart.”
“That is my hope as well,” Zaid murmured.
Carrick glanced around again, spied Finley’s whip, and hurried over to it. As he picked it up from the ground, he noticed a smudge of black fae blood on the iron-covered fall.
He hoped it hurt when it had sliced into Pyke.
Coiling the whip, Carrick moved back to Zaid. “Let’s go to the castle.”
Without direction, Zaid put a hand on Carrick’s shoulder. While Zaid could bend distance, he’d never been to the castle in Faere and needed Carrick’s navigation.
“Should we leave a message for Maddox?” Zaid inquired before they left.
Carrick shook his head. “He’ll find us.”
And with that, he envisioned Nimeyah’s castle and bent distance, dropping them on the top step before the huge double doors. Rebsha greeted them after the use of the large knocker.
“Carrick,” he said with mild surprise. “And…”
Rebsha’s gaze went briefly to Zaid, his shock that Carrick had brought a daemon into Faere evident.
“This is Zaid,” Carrick replied smoothly. “A very close and trusted friend.”
Rebsha nodded. “And I assume you’re here to see Nimeyah?”
“Actually, we’d like to see Pyke.”
“He’s not here,” Rebsha said as he backed away from the door to invite Carrick and Zaid in with a sweep of his hand. “He’s not been here at the castle in quite a while, actually.”
Carrick nodded in understanding, but there was some doubt as to whether Rebsha was telling the truth. One theory Carrick had been mulling over was that Pyke perhaps wanted the Blood Stone for his mother and the good of all Faere.
Carrick wasn’t going to leave this realm until he knew if that were true or not.
“Take me to Nimeyah,” he demanded.
“Of course,” Rebsha replied and led the way into the throne room.
Same as the last time Carrick was here, it was devoid of any furniture other than a raised dais that held four thrones for the royal family. Currently, only the top-tiered one was occupied by Nimeyah, and she was in discussion with three Light Fae before her.
Her gaze flicked up briefly to take in Carrick and Zaid before she returned to her conversation. Rebsha stood quietly just inside the doorway, hands clasped before him. The message was clear. They were not to approach while she was conducting business, which Carrick was almost positive had to do with some party she’d be throwing. Politics, war, and other such concerns were nonexistent in Faere.
Carrick shifted about impatiently, the minutes ticking away until he could find and rescue Finley. It was the highest thing on his priority list, but he had to verify Nimeyah wasn’t involved.
Whatever the answers he’d be given, he wasn’t going to ask subtly.
Luckily for Nimeyah, she wrapped up her meeting sooner rather than later, as Carrick’s patience was at an all-time low. The Light Fae left the room, giving a wide berth to the demi-god, who was putting off some seriously intimidating vibes.
Rebsha backed out of the room, then closed the doors behind him. Nimeyah did not rise from her chair but beckoned Carrick forward. Zaid stayed where he was.
“Carrick,” Nimeyah crooned with a welcoming smile, but he could hear it in her voice. The slight hint of unease that he was here, which meant that she might know something about Pyke and Finley. “How lovely to see you?”
As Carrick walked her way, Nimeyah’s gaze went to Zaid, her mouth tightening. She held deep prejudice against daemons, as did most of the Light Fae royals and nobles.
When she brought her eyes back to Carrick, she made a sound of disapproval. “You know I don’t like daemons in Faere. They’re not allowed here.”
Carrick had reached the bottom of the dais, and rather than bow or offer a polite courtesy, he replied, “I don’t give a fuck what you do and don’t like or allow. Where is your son?”
“How dare you—” Nimeyah started to say, but that was all she got out before Carrick shot toward her.
In a blur of speed, he had his hand around her throat and her body up from the throne as her words were choked off.
It was unheard of to attempt any contact with a royal fae, but Carrick wasn’t going to abide by rules. To all, it was a death sentence if someone tried to harm one.
He’d like to see her or any other Light Fae try.
The door to the throne room burst open and Rebsha appeared, iron sword drawn as he took the situation in. How he knew his queen was in danger, Carrick couldn’t fathom, unless his ear was pressed to the door, but no matter.
He wasn’t a concern.
With Nimeyah securely held by her throat, Carrick extended his other arm back toward Rebsha. With no effort at all, Carrick magically pulled the sword from his hand, where it burst into flames and fell away into disappearing sparks.
Rebsha wasn’t daunted. He conjured another sword, but Carrick growled, “I’d stay right where you are, Rebsha. I’m only here for a talk with your queen. As long as I get the truth, she’ll remain unharmed. However, if she lies, you might want to get her husband to let him know he’s now the ruler of Faere.”
A growl of displeasure rumbled in the large fae’s chest, and while he did not lower his sword, he didn’t move an inch either.
Carrick turned his attention back to Nimeyah. “Where is Pyke?” he asked again.
Nimeyah’s eyes flashed with fury. She wasn’t scared or intimidated, but she also knew Carrick wasn’t bluffing. “I don’t know,” she rasped against the hand squeezing her throat. “I haven’t seen him in almost a month.”
With careful consideration, Carrick determined that was most likely the truth, but that wasn’t all the information he wanted.
Dipping his head closer to the queen, he murmured, “He wants the Blood Stone. Why?”
Nimeyah jerked in surprise, and it caused Carrick to loosen his grip slightly. “The Blood Stone? But when you were here last and we talked about it, we agreed it was just a myth.”
“I never agreed to that,” Carrick muttered, releasing his hold completely. Nimeyah sank into her chair, rubbing her neck. “I was able to procure the Blood Stone. Somehow, he thought Finley had it and kidnapped her. I want to know why. Does he intend to do something with it?”
“I swear it to you, Carrick.” Nimeyah’s expression was about as earnest as he’d ever seen. “I have no clue what you’re talking about. You know my son spends a lot of time outside of Faere. He’s sometimes gone for years, and we don’t have the closest bond.”
“Do you have a way of reaching him?” Carrick pressed.
“No,” she replied without hesitation. “I mean… I could put feelers out through some of my people who travel between realms. But he could be anywhere.”
Carrick didn’t bother asking if Deandra would know where he was. He planned on having that conversation with her when he got back to Seattle.
Backing off the dais, Carrick gave Nimeyah a pointed look. “If he shows up here, you send Rebsha to me immediately to let me know.”