Blight

  “And Brendan’s already made inquiries from most of the obvious choices,” Grim said.

  “Even the hedge-witch doesn’t know,” Realtín said scornfully. “And according to her, she knows more than any of us about everything.”

  “I’ve met old and powerful beings,” I said, thinking hard. “The Watcher guarded the way between the Black Marshes and the Hauntings. He said he was neither human nor fae, but he’s safeguarding a path that leads to the Fade. If he’s linked to the Fade, then maybe he knows more than we do.”

  “You would cross the Black Marshes again?” Realtín asked in disbelief.

  “The Watcher took us another way that led into a forest beyond the marshlands. If we could find it again, we could reach the Watcher.”

  “You can’t leave,” Fiadh said. “There’s just no way. You haven’t even taken part in the official ceremony yet. It’s too risky.”

  Would I always be so closely tied to the Chaos Court? “That doesn’t mean we can’t make plans. We need to work together with the other courts to stop this plague on the land before it’s too late. There might be another way.”

  “The First Tree,” Grey Eyes said. “If it still exists.”

  That tree had been the source of the weapon I'd used to kill Deorad. “The First Tree can cleanse the darkness. I don’t know how, and I don’t know why, but it’s a possibility. And if anyone knows where to find this tree, it’s the Guardian of the Forest. I mean, he’s practically a tree himself.”

  “Nobody has seen this guardian in a long time,” Fiadh said.

  “I saw him,” I said. “He traded me directions for one of Brighid’s flowers.”

  “Well, it would be a start.” Fiadh gave me a pointed look. “We just need to get through the ceremony first.”

  “How can you be so sure it will even work?” Vix asked.

  “It works,” Rumble said.

  I nodded at the Miacha. “Do you have the weapon on you?”

  Grey Eyes looked at the others before nodding.

  “Let’s show them what it does.”

  She handed me the small wooden stick, whose pointy end had sunk into Deorad’s flesh. Even holding the weapon caused a magical reaction. I squeezed the object then held it out for everyone to see. It absorbed the taint from my hand, the blackness swirling along the wood until it disappeared.

  And from the corner, Setanta watched a bland little stick do the same thing to me that Scarlet did to him. He caught my eye and nodded, and I knew he would keep Scarlet’s secret for a little while longer.

  ***

  My bedroom was getting crowded. Grim and Realtín refused to stay anywhere else, and I was glad to have them close, even if I suspected they thought ill of me because of Sadler. I couldn’t remember the last time I had slept alone, and I was sure I would start thinking about all of the future’s terrifying possibilities if I did.

  When the others had fallen asleep, Grim and Realtín sat on my bed and spoke with me into the early hours of the morning—unofficial gossip like the kind we used to indulge in so long ago.

  “Brendan came back in shock,” Realtín said gleefully. “You messed up everyone’s plans, Cara. He never expected you to kill Sadler.”

  “I didn’t either, to be honest. I thought they would kill me on the spot. But the closer we got to the castle, the more sure I was that I had to do something.”

  “Anya said they called you Queen Badb,” Grim said.

  “They still do sometimes. And crows are always around the place.” I didn't mention that I had been feeding them.

  “Where’s Bekind hiding?” Realtín asked. “Didn’t she come here with you?”

  “Oh, she’s somewhere.” I waved a hand, unconcerned. Bekind roamed like a real cat. “Probably avoiding the dogs. How is Anya?”

  “Upset,” Grim said. “She’s coming to the ceremony even if the rest of us won’t. Brendan refused to allow her to come with us, and she’s in a rage because of it.”

  “Stupid pixie,” Realtín said, but there was an affectionate tone to her words. “She doesn’t see he’s doing it for Arlen. Our king is a secret matchmaker these days.”

  “I’m sorry I left her behind,” I admitted. “Scarlet misses her. I’ve missed… everyone who isn’t here.”

  “Did you really threaten Drake’s life?” Realtín pinched the backs of my hands. “Some believe Brendan made that up to look less… pathetic.”

  I covered my burning cheeks with my hands. “I did, but you should have heard him. All that time he was talking about killing Sadler and all of the Darksiders, and then he offered to let him live in exchange for his crown. Sadler was delighted with himself, thinking he could advise Drake from the sidelines. I couldn’t stand the idea of it.”

  “Or the idea of Drake being more powerful than Brendan,” Realtín said, bursting into a fit of giggles.

  “That, too, smartarse,” I said.

  “Brendan has always been worried about your preference for Drake,” she said, snorting. “But Brendan’s too stupid to see the truth: you love him.”

  “Oh, grow up!”

  She cackled. “Some of us have long memories. I remember how worried you were about Brendan during the Provings. I remember how you gave him strength.” She pursed her lips and made kissing sounds.

  “Grim, lock her away before I banish her from the Darkside.”

  He smiled while she stretched out on the bed, her light shining a honey-coloured gold, a shade I hadn’t seen her use before. “Not even you would try to convince me that you went into the afterlife for a man you don’t love,” she said.

  I flicked her to the end of the bed. That just made her laugh harder.

  “You don’t get to torment me, shithead sprite,” I said. “You weren’t there. You didn’t see Sadler’s face or hear Drake’s voice. It just didn’t seem fair. Brendan was supposed to be the king, and then the half-human solitary fae who never had anything suddenly took the majority of the land from him? I didn’t trust Drake. I think his people have been lying about a lot of things.”

  “That doesn’t mean they do it on Drake’s behalf,” Grim said.

  “Well, they’re all suffering for it now,” Realtín remarked.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  Realtín sat up. “You haven’t heard?” She frowned at Grim. “You haven’t told her?”

  “Told me what? Grim?”

  “She just means it weakened their positions.” Grim sighed. “When Drake and Sorcha returned, Donella had almost ousted them from their thrones already. Many of their court members are more loyal to Nella than their own king. The banshees are unhappy, and there is no sign of an heir. Drake's failure embarrassed the Silver Court, and the rumours about you have only made it worse.”

  “Ugh. I don’t know how Donella and I can be related. Did he finally kick out Donella or what?”

  “She’s merely out of favour,” Grim said.

  “Drake’s too chicken to send the leanan sídhe away in case she takes half his subjects with her,” Realtín said, her tone turning nasty. “His only hope now is a baby.”

  I swallowed hard. If Drake had another child, he’d never care about being a father to Scarlet. And the mirror had shown death in childbirth for his wife. “Wait. Why is Brendan suffering now?”

  Grim hesitated. “Before his death, the lineage consultant made arrangements for potential brides to visit Brendan. One family in particular is newly risen and has put pressure on Brendan. They’ll offer loyalty and soldiers upon a marriage, but if there is none, they have made it clear they will turn to his rival instead.”

  Grim’s earlier uneasiness made sense now. “That’s who has the old books we need, isn’t it?”

  Grim looked apologetic. “I didn’t want to tell you in case it came to nothing.”

  “I’m a big girl, Grim. I can handle it when grownups do grownup things. Is that it? Brendan’s people want him to marry into this family?” I refused to ask what Brendan wanted to do—not after
Realtín’s teasing.

  “They want him to be strong,” Grim said. “The Green Court as a whole is unhappy and scared by the spread of the Darkside. They fear you will claim them as your own, or worse, that you will side with the Silver Court and push Brendan out of power.”

  “I wouldn’t do that,” I said. “That’s not what I want.”

  “You are an enigma to them. They can’t understand how this happened. ‘She must be ambitious,’ they say, ‘to have gained so much in so little time.’”

  “That was pretty much Brendan’s line the last time I saw him,” I said wryly. “Does everyone forget that I was kidnapped and forced into a marriage I didn’t want? How can that be considered ambitious?”

  “When they worry, the fae have short memories. They forget what you have done for the realm. They forget you returned their king to them, while others remember that they blame you for Drake’s presence in the first place. There were altercations between the two courts on the journey home.”

  “Drake’s soldiers are too arrogant,” Realtín said with a yawn. “And Brendan’s soldiers felt hard done by. So, they kicked up a fuss on the way.”

  Worry darkened Grim’s expression. “So you see, we are a realm divided in every sense of the word.”

  “The way the Darkside is spreading and the chance that the dead army will come back are pretty big issues,” I said. “Why are they worried about politics?”

  “The system of rule is built on politics,” he said.

  Bored, Realtín settled on my shoulder and began to doze off.

  “Then the kings aren’t friendly with each other or me right now,” I said slowly. “Yet they’re both coming to my ceremony.”

  “As an emissary, I would reassure you, but as a friend, my advice is to surround yourself with soldiers on that day,” Grim said. “Brendan and Drake’s issues could spill out into your court.”

  “And get my people hurt,” I said fiercely.

  Grim smiled. “Your people. Are you happy here?”

  “It’s the first place I’ve ever felt like I had a chance at belonging in.” I made a face. “Half of the people hate my guts right now, but I can’t imagine going home after experiencing all of this. I just can’t.”

  “And now you’re a queen in your own right. You have the power to make important decisions that affect your personal life. How does that change things between you and Drake?”

  “I never had Drake,” I said softly. “He was never mine, and now he belongs to someone else. I’m not going to be anyone’s second choice.” And a lump formed in my throat as I remembered Brendan saying those exact same words to me. “So,” I said as brightly as I could manage, “what do you reckon my chances are of getting the kings to work together?”

  Grim smiled. “If anyone can do it, it will be you.”

  Chapter Six

  Líle arrived looking as though she had just wandered through a swamp. I was in the meeting room when she was shown in, dishevelled and exhausted.

  “All we need now is for Anya to show up,” I joked as I hugged her in welcome. “You’re late, by the way. I thought you weren’t coming.”

  “I chose a bad path.” She shrugged off her muddy cloak and dumped it on the floor. “A landslide made the way impossible.”

  “A landslide? Is that normal?”

  “No.” She sank into a chair. “It’s not a good sign, Cara.”

  I asked Rumble to send for food and Grim.

  Líle yawned and ran her hands through her hair. “I’m exhausted. I walked for miles out of my way to see the extent of the damage. It’s too close for comfort.”

  “Grim wants to check out the surrounding lands to see what’s going on. Maybe you could direct him to the landslide?”

  “I’ll do better than that. I’ll take him myself.”

  I plopped into the seat next to her. “Well, rest up first.”

  “Where’s Scarlet?” she asked.

  “Asleep. Don’t worry. She’s with Vix and Rat and Orlaith. And the dogs.”

  “Well, I don’t trust Vix, and I don’t know the others.”

  “Orlaith was one of Reynard’s old soldiers.”

  She snorted. “Yet another I don’t trust.”

  “She switched sides for me.”

  “That doesn’t mean I trust her. Wait—what dogs?”

  “Drake sent me a pair of cú sídhe.”

  “He did not.”

  “They’re just pups.” I shrugged. “I didn’t know it was that big of a deal.”

  “What did Brendan send?”

  “Wine, I think.”

  “Uh-oh. He’s going to freak out.”

  I laughed. “He’s not that childish.”

  “You don’t understand. It’s a sign of how close the courts are. Drake’s gift makes a kind of claim on you.”

  I rubbed my arms, uncomfortable. I didn’t need to be claimed by anyone. The door opened, and Rumble returned. Bekind slipped inside on all fours.

  “There you are,” I said. “Did you get lost or something?”

  Her meow sounded slightly snarky.

  The food arrived, and Grim and Realtín showed up shortly afterward. The dogs ran into the room with them. Bekind let out an inhuman yowl and leapt onto my shoulder. The dogs sniffed at the chair in curiosity. In her panic, Bekind shifted into her human form, kneeing me in the face in the process.

  Realtín’s giggles filled the air.

  “Oh, ew,” I said, getting away from Bekind.

  “It was an accident,” she exclaimed. Líle rolled her eyes and threw her muddy cloak at Bekind then moved to the table to join Grim so they could eat together.

  I ushered the now-whining pups away from the chair until Bekind slid into the seat, her legs gathered to her chest and the cloak wrapped around her.

  “You had to get them,” she said, breathing heavily. “Two of them.”

  “They were a gift,” I protested.

  “A gift who’ll forever try to eat me. Do you know how painful that is when you’re immortal?”

  I sat next to her. “I’m not going to let them eat you, Bek.”

  “They’ll grow. They won’t be cute forever. And you can’t boss around a cú sidhe. They’re going to be like two Dubhs except more vicious.”

  Realtín perched on the black pup’s back. “Oh, yes. So very scary.”

  I exchanged a weary glance with Líle.

  “We don’t mix,” Bekind said.

  “Yeah, well, maybe it’ll be worth it to have them around if it means I get to talk to you on occasion. What’s going on with you?”

  Bekind snorted, keeping her wary gaze on the pups, who seemed to have forgotten about her. “I spy with my little cat eye.”

  “You don’t have to spy anymore,” I said.

  “If you believe a queen doesn’t need spies, then you’re even more ridiculous than you sound.”

  “You should have spies,” Grim said, looking up from his meal.

  I shrank back into my seat. “Why can’t things be easy?”

  “Nothing worth having is easy,” Líle said with her mouth full. “Your grandfather is amusing, by the way. He told me all sorts of embarrassing stories about your childhood. You were a very odd child. Are all human children so strange?”

  “Yes, we’re all oddballs.” I released a heavy sigh. “Okay, then. Tell me why I need spies in my own home.”

  “It’s not your home,” Bekind scoffed. “It’s your job. And the person in charge can’t please everyone, especially when it comes to these kinds of people.”

  “These kinds? That’s a bit judgy.”

  “It’s not a judgement—it’s a statement of fact. The people here are steeped in tradition. Brendan may have a somewhat modern way of thinking, but most of the upper echelon does not. And when you please one person, you stand a good chance of making another an enemy for life.”

  “Great,” I said. “I’m filled with confidence. And I’m supposed to do what—maintain a mediocre level of ha
ppiness amongst the entire court by following outdated rules?”

  “If you want to play it safe.” She grinned. “But when have you ever done that?”

  “At least try to play it safe,” Grim said plaintively.

  “Who have I pissed off so far? Besides Brendan.”

  Grim choked on his food. “I wouldn’t call him pissed off, as such.”

  Realtín giggled loudly. “He destroyed his bedroom when he returned. Refused to attend court for three days until Arlen told him to snap out of it.”

  “Arlen said that?” I blew out a whistle. “What happened then?”

  “Enough gossiping,” Bekind said crossly. “We were discussing something important here.”

  “Were we?” I sighed again at the glare on her face. “Fine. Who have I insulted then?”

  “Supporters of Fiadh’s husband, for one.”

  “They left with him, I thought. Glic was gone before I even arrived.”

  “Not all of them left. Rafe has been an annoyance. Nobody’s even heard of his family.” She screwed up her nose. “I don’t think he even has a family. Marron’s a child of Deorad, for heaven’s sake. Levin’s ugly enough to give children nightmares, and have you heard that horrific sound he calls a laugh? In human terms, Thistle’s basically a big hippie and—”

  I couldn’t stop the giggle that erupted from my throat.

  Bekind waggled a finger. “You’re listening to the cooks and gardeners before the old-bloods. The class system is being systematically destroyed. You’re driving the nobles insane.”

  “Oh, who cares?”

  “You should care,” Grim said. “They’re the problem in any court. But they're influential and powerful. You’ll need them as allies if you want to succeed.”

  “They need my favour, too,” I protested.

  “The ceremony hasn’t happened yet.” Líle sounded serious. “There’s time for it all to go wrong. You’ll be regent, Cara. That’ll last as long as they don’t believe somebody else can control Scarlet’s interests in your place.”

  “I’m her mother.”

  “And you betrayed both kings,” she said softly. “How the kings behave at the ceremony will be telling, and all will be watching. If it becomes apparent that you’ve lost your strongest allies, then all may be lost.”