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The issue is that they should be contained in Shyga, not roaming my forest. Not calling for my human. And as Shyga’s guard, Tynan should’ve been the first one to inform me of this matter. If he hasn’t noticed, that means he’s been drinking again, and that’s an issue.
I already deal with one alcoholic—Fern.
Two is two too many.
Kenisius gives me a sheepish look. “It’s odd that it showed up shortly after little human did. That it calls for her.”
“I’m well aware.” Another reason I find the situation concerning. Especially considering Kenisius went to Dovenak—to her village in Lyson—and secretly gathered whatever information he could on her. “And we’re certain the only people in her life who’ve died were human?”
She certainly smells human.
Kenisius nods. “Like I told you, her parents died when she was young. In a house fire. And her fellow Tradeling—the older woman, Charlotta Kimmen, according to the death certificate—died in a self-defense accident. In other words, the wife of their owner killed her. Makes sense why the little human ran.”
My stomach roils at the thought of the man who dared hurt Alessia. I’ve been itching to drag him to the woods, hang him alive by his innards and watch the trees terrorize him. The only reason I haven’t is because that’s Alessia’s vengeance, not mine. I refuse to steal her opportunity at revenge. She deserves to be the one to cut him down, to watch the life fade out of his eyes.
If she wants it.
“None of them were fae,” Kenisius repeats. “To my knowledge, she didn’t encounter any fae before us.”
Then whose spirit could possibly be calling for her?
Kenisius interrupts my thoughts before I can dive too deep into the mystery. “One more thing.”
I groan. “What now?”
“The human queen finally sent further correspondence. She’s not playing nice anymore. She demands you reinstate the treaty.”
“Of course she does.”
Yet it’s her people who broke it. Her people she’s lying to.
He clears his throat. “She found out about—” he holds up a hand and waves it around. “Stumpy.”
“I knew I should’ve cut his tongue out,” I mutter.
“If I had known you were going to get so impassioned by the bloodlust, I would’ve stayed in fae-form and done it for you.”
He pats me on the shoulder and I nod. Kenisius’s loyalty is commendable.
The human queen’s demand is gobshite.
Her little messenger technically stepped into my realm—he was fair game. But of course she wants the treaty reinstated.
I have more important issues than the safeguard she wants implemented to make her people feel safe about living near the Gleam.
Yeah, Kenisius stole letters between Lord Edvin and Queen Wyetta when he paid Alessia’s old village a visit. And as always, the exchanged words revealed the exact reason why I hate humans. They’re more concerned with money, power, and ego, than they are making an actual effort to mend the ripped edges between our realm.
Perhaps when I’m done solving my issues, I’ll pay the human queen a visit, too, and make demands of my own. Ones revolving around her despicable Trade. Or better, perhaps I’ll present a reminder of why her people fear mine so much. After all, there’s no treaty to protect them. I can use my magic in Dovenak.
If I can keep this quiet enough, the faerie queen won’t need to know what’s going on between the realms. Considering it’s my court that backs up to the Gleam and Dovenak, and my family—the Iorworths—who initially instilled the treaty generations ago, it should be my problem to deal with anyway.
No need to involve our queen. Honestly, she’s more of a relic than anything, using her immense power as a last resort when absolutely needed. I’ve never even seen the woman. Only communicated with her through her wind-whisperer.
I smirk at the thought. Yeah, visiting the human queen myself sounds good. I might not be as powerful as our queen, but I’m more powerful than the humans. I’ll do it. Once I’m not up to my innards in conflict.
twenty-two
Screaming His Name
