Page 24 of Fae Farewells

“How would it affect me?” Sloane inquired, sitting up straighter. “I was already able to mimic Vaughn’s power?”

“That may be the case, but you couldn’t use glamor to trick a fae. Our magic differs from that of a mage…”

“Then what did we do to defeat Anahein?” Barbie wondered aloud.

“A bastardized version of fae and mage magic that only you can mix?” Palmer guessed. “We’re not sure what you did.”

Vaughn was lost in thought, but he murmured, “You could fool the fae on Earth, but we can’t lie to the land here.”

“We can now,” Valano corrected. “Some of them, anyway. The Winter people have weakened more over the last few years. Those outside of the current queen’s favorites suffer more than just loss of magic.”

“Why?” Stone pushed, propping his elbows on his knees as he listened.

“She moved her palace closer to the Summer territory to strengthen herself,” Vaughn answered. “But the Winter people don’t thrive in that kind of heat. She’s slowly killing them.”

“She moved an entire palace?” I couldn’t keep the skepticism out of my voice.

A stunned silence followed my question.

Valano pursed his lips. “No. She built a new one.”

“She forced the Winter people to build her a new palace before my father was taken,” Vaughn elaborated. “Then she played the grieving mate to hurry them along.”

“Because she never wanted to lead those people; she just wanted the power…” Sloane surmised.

“Right,” Valano agreed. “And because of that, the Winter people fear her. Some have fled, others can’t. They’re stuck here until they die, or she does.”

“That’s the plan,” our mate admitted.

The old king chuckled, and I suddenly understood why Barbie had such an issue with Baylor and me being too much alike. It was fucking weird to hear Vaughn’s voice come from another mouth.

“You’re going to kill her?” he wheezed. “How? Death won’t come with a simple blade to the heart.”

“I know. Obsidian and lompus. I’ve got it.”

She rolled her eyes as she dug through her backpack, mumbling about the asshole biting her. It was safe to say that it was Helios, but I wouldn’t ask. After laying her obsidian daggers in Palmer’s lap, she opened her hand to show us the vials that Sam had given her.

The mage cut his eyes to me, then the sharp blades on his thighs, and I struggled to not laugh.

Valano nodded. “You have to remember that she doesn’t care about rules. Not here in the neutral lands or within the kingdom. It doesn’t matter that she enforces the rules she sets… She won’t abide by them.”

“I’m aware,” she assured the old king. “From what I’ve gathered, she’s a hateful, vindictive cunt. I’m here to let her know she’s not the biggest bitch in the realm anymore.”

Sarge smiled. “Good. She needs a thorough check.”

“Did you hear that?” Novak suddenly asked, standing from his seat.

“No,” Palmer drawled as Stone gave the clipped response of, “Yes.”

“People are coming,” the vampire mentally acknowledged.

“They’re here for me.” Vaughn stood up. “Sarge, take Levi and Zyus inside. We don’t need them to see you yet.”

Novak stuck his arm out. “What are you doing?”

Barbie frowned, her features unhappy as frustration and resignation swept through our bond. “He’s going to let them take him.”

“And you’re going to stand there while they do it,” Vaughn reminded us—her. “You cannot kill these guards. They’re only doing their jobs. Don’t jump yet, Princess. They don’t deserve your wrath.”