The King waited a moment. “I will not be stepping down as King as I have a new Hunter.”
Sulia’s eyes widened. There were a few gasps as people tried to work out who would take such a precarious job. Apparently only one person was dumb and desperate enough. Her.
“The Lady of the Hunt will be Taryn merch Arlea merch Cerela.”
If Felan hadn’t told her beforehand, she’d have died on the spot. As it was, she had to force the smile and hope no one could hear the rapid patter of her heart. She was deep in the race for the throne now, enmeshed in Annwyn politics. How had that happened to her, a fairy raised in the mortal world?
Sulia glared at her, no doubt thinking she slept her way to the top—which couldn’t be further from the truth—and in the process proven herself to be aligned with the King and Felan, not the Queen as Sulia had thought.
A silver sword was produced and Gwyn laid it in her hands. “Do you swear to uphold the security of Annwyn at all times?”
She swallowed; this was Verden’s sword. She needed to see him. Did he have any idea what was going down in Annwyn?
“I do.” Her words came out clear and sure, which wasn’t what she was feeling. She didn’t know what to do with a sword. Sulia looked like she wanted to drive it straight through Taryn’s heart. Another enemy. Would she live long enough to see Verden again?
“Do you swear loyalty to me?”
She wanted to look at Felan but she didn’t. She kept her gaze on Gwyn. “I do.”
He released the sword, and people clapped, some more enthusiastically than others. Some looked like they were about to choke.
The King lifted one hand and silence fell again. “The Queen will no longer be attending Court. She is confined to her rooms for committing treason.”
If Taryn being named Hunter had caused a shiver of whispers, this brought the house down. Noise erupted like battle was about to break out. The whole time Gwyn stood there calm and emotionless. He glanced once at his son, and Felan bowed his head as if he knew what was coming. Taryn saw the look in the Prince’s eye and all she could feel was sorrow for him. Forced to take the throne before he was ready, unsure of who would sit by his side, and aching for a lost love.
The King waited for the noise died down. “I name Felan ap Gwyn ap Nudd as my heir, to take the throne in two mortal weeks.”
Felan held his head high, looking every part the willing Prince, but she knew he must be dying inside. Two weeks to find a woman to sit beside him for an eternity. Then she realized she would only be Hunter for two weeks.
“I will hand the crown over without bloodshed. There will be no war.” He paused and looked at all of the Lords and Ladies. “No war. No winter. Not again.”
Every single person lowered their heads. Out of respect or to hide their betrayal?
Felan stepped forward. “Today brings no joy to me.” He bowed to his father. “Thank you for agreeing to step down. In the next two weeks, I will be looking to appoint a Guardian of the Veil and a Hunter. My Queen is waiting safely in the mortal world.” He smiled like he truly had her—even Taryn almost believed the lie. “Any act against her will be considered an act of treason and I shall take all measures to quash it and the leaders. This will be a bloodless change.” He echoed his father’s words.
But bloodless didn’t mean painless. There were some who didn’t look thrilled by the idea. Yet none spoke out, not here—they wouldn’t dare. Tonight there would be new deals made and plots constructed. Sulia would be busy.
The King walked off the dais and Felan and Taryn followed. Her heart was beating loud in her chest, but no one stopped her. No one said anything even though they all watched.
“Follow.” Gwyn walked toward his private rooms, ones he would have once shared with Eyra. He sent the shadow servants away and then shut the door. “Sit, both of you.”
Taryn sat on the nearest seat. She didn’t want to piss the King off anymore. He wasn’t just tightly wound today; he had started to crack.
When he turned, his expression was unreadable. “I trust you are better, Taryn?”
She nodded, her tongue like sandpaper.
“How big was the lie, son? Have you even chosen a woman to be your Queen?”
“I will be ready.”
“You’d better be. We don’t have the luxury of love.” The King looked at Taryn. “You should have told me you loved Verden.”
“Would it have made a difference?”
The King nodded. “I am not as cruel as my wife.”
“Yet you left him in the mortal world.”
“I had no choice. I have to keep control. Any sign of weakness and there will be uprising. As a Grey, he is safe from the power shift.” Gwyn paced with his hands behind his back. “And there is still the matter of our deal. I will keep my word. If your father agrees to swallow his pride and be a shadow servant, I will grant full pardon instead.”
That was all she’d ever wanted. “Yes, thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. I know how large your father’s pride is. I think that’s why he was your friend.” Gwyn glanced at Felan.
Felan nodded. “However, I can’t let them return.”
“What?” Taryn stood then quickly sat back down when the King glared at her.
“I told you, your father serves me. If he returns to Annwyn, you must to take his place there when I am King. I need my son protected in the mortal world.”
She’d get to live in the mortal world again, this time as a Brownie for the changeling she already knew. It seemed too good to be true. “What’s the catch?”
Felan turned his palms up. “No catch.”
“And Verden?” If she had to take her parents’ place in the changeling’s house, how could she be with Verden?
Felan gave her a look that made her feel like she was ten paces behind the conversation. “I will make my deals with him in private.”
Chapter 22
It was dusk by the time Verden had walked down to the lake. He’d been led there by the wild fae. Not that he could say he’d seen them, but he’d felt them around him, seen the light of a will-o-wisp flitting in the trees, and with nothing better to do, he’d followed.
The two bows and the quiver of remaining arrows were slung over his shoulder. Even if he had inspected the weapons, he’d have never realized they were poisoned. There was nothing to see, nothing to smell—no taint at all if they’d been dipped in nothing more harmful than water. Which is exactly what the Queen must have arranged. Since she couldn’t fabricate a charge to have Taryn thrown in the river, she’d brought the river to Taryn.
Clever.
Not that it helped him now. By now the Court would know he was banished. Had Felan kept his word and made sure Taryn was well? Or had the river’s poison claimed her? The thought hurt as if he were the one being slowly poisoned. He wasn’t being poisoned, but he was cut off from the magic that sustained all fairies. Him. Banished. Not something he’d ever considered. But then he’d never expected to fall in love either.
Moonlight shimmered off the lake. Small ripples formed in the breeze, and yet even here, death waited. The wild fae that had guided him here drew away from the water lapping at the shore. Even in the dark he saw why. The edge of the lake was littered with dead fish and deer. How long until every body of water was tainted?
He turned away, not sure where he was going.
“I can’t do anything.” His voice echoed in the night. Did Gwyn know what he was doing anymore? Did he care about the damage?
Wild fae hovered at the edges, as if pleading with him to do something, anything. They wouldn’t take human form and talk to him unless they had to. He wished they would, so he’d have someone to talk to. While he craved the peace, spending forever here waiting for Taryn to step through the doorway would send him mad.