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Pullo stepped around me toward the raised platform. Redvyr’s giant black Meer-wolf rumbled a growl. Pullo slowed his steps and lay the fine short-sword made of black steel on the dais.
His attention wasn’t on me or on the gift, however. It was on Una. I’d expected this. No wraith king had ever taken any fae other than our own kind as a mizrah or a mate.
“What an interesting visitor you bring into my home, Goll.”
It didn’t surprise or offend me that he refused to use my title. Though it was a fact the wraith king held power over all trade in and out of Northgall with the wider civilized world of fae, the beast and shadow fae didn’t recognize my authority over Northgall. Not the lands they lived in at least. And perhaps, I didn’t hold authority over them. But that didn’t mean they weren’t prospering from the gains I’d made for Northgall in their stead.
Even now, I could see there were bright, silky fabrics adorning some of the beast fae females. Those were silks traded between Hellamir and Belladum in the Borderlands. I’d managed to create a line of trust between us and some of the more willing captains of trade in Hellamir while in hiding, long before I’d recently ended the war.
It was also another reason that Hellamir remained untouched during the long war with Lumeria. But while the beast fae might benefit in silks and ale, or even Mevian wine, Lord Redvyr would never admit they needed us. Or wanted the help of our kind.
“This is my mizrah, Una Hartstone of Issos.”
Murmurs and gasps erupted from the females behind the warriors.
Redvyr grinned, his long canines making him look more feral than fae. He stood swiftly, which had my warriors sliding swords from scabbards, blades zinging into the air.
“Easy, wraithlings,” said Redvyr with raised palms, his hands large enough to wrap a fae skull and strong enough to crush it.
Soryn cursed at the insult, calling us wraithlings as if we were small children. We weren’t small at all. But the fact was that beast fae were made taller, wider, thicker. They were the largest of faekind.
Redvyr marched toward the steps. His Meer-wolf stood, too, but his master raised a hand to the giant hound. It grunted and settled back onto its haunches, ever vigilant, its silver eyes watching us.
The beast lord lifted the short-sword and unsheathed the blade, noting the wide expanse and polished finish with serrated edging on one side. He grunted then slid the blade back into the scabbard and stepped down, walking toward us in long, easy strides.
I kept my body slightly in front of Una, knowing he wanted a closer look. Still, I needed to warn him so that it was clear. “The only reason I’m allowing you to come this close is because I can explode you into cinders if you make any threat against her.”
Redvyr stopped a few feet in front of us, grinning yet again as he asked, “Why would I want to hurt a pretty little moon fae like her?” He crossed his arms and looked his fill, his brow pursing and his tail sliding side to side behind him in a slow, sinuous path. “Black wings,” he marveled.
Una still had both her hands clutching my forearm, her body pressed to my side. The fact that she clung to me for safety eased my anxiety about having a giant beast fae standing this close. Redvyr was indeed a massive creature, bigger and wider than any of his own fae males. Or mine.
Redvyr inhaled deeply, his fanged grin widening as he winked at me. “Seems you’ve been busy, Goll.”
I gave my head a sharp shake to warn him off that subject. Una looked up at me in confusion, but I wasn’t ready to have this conversation. Redvyr chuckled, apparently getting my point.
“Seems your chief has a taste for the light fae, too,” commented Soryn, thankfully dragging everyone’s attention away, including Una.
I followed his gaze to Bezaliel, who was standing to one side of the dais, a wood fae female with long dark hair and a rounded belly at his side. He had his own arm possessively about her shoulders.
Redvyr’s tail flicked with agitation. “Soon we’ll be mounting dryads and siring twiggy trees, I imagine.”
“Red,” scolded Bezaliel, his arm pulling his mate closer, his frown deepening.
Redvyr huffed out a breath. “Enough niceties, Goll. Why have you come?”
“My lord.” Una stepped around me, though I kept a firm grip on one side of her waist. “I have asked Goll to bring me here.”
“Have you, my lady?” His expression shifted to amusement, his voice softer. “How can I be of service to the lovely new mizrah of Näkt Mir?”
Fucking hells, he was flirting with her. He liked my mizrah. How could he not?
Even worse, he was making her blush. I clamped my jaw tight, keeping my promise to Una. Last night, I’d told her Redvyr was an ornery, arrogant bastard who likely wouldn’t help us. She was convinced she could get him to help us.
And by Vix, she was right. He looked as if he were about to kneel at her feet, and she hadn’t said more than a few words.
She clasped her hands demurely before her in a beseeching gesture. “I apologize for us making this journey into your home without warning, but it is of dire importance that we find something very special that I know is here in your realm.”
“And what might that be, my lady?”
