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They’ll have to learn to fend for themselves against looters. If they can stay alive long enough to learn how to fight they should have a solid chance at survival, considering most of the looters are human. As for the feral creatures roaming Tartarus… there’s no telling what kind of damage they’ll inflict upon the lost fae. It takes an experienced fighter to take on the creatures that have been locked within the borders of the Wychwood Forest for hundreds of years… and none of these people seem to have a clue what they’re doing.
Adeena has been so busy the last two days I’ve barely seen her. Izan informed me she sent word to Hali, Soren, and Weylin, inviting them to Fire Court for a meeting that I am now on my way to. I already know how the meeting will go because I tried having the very same meeting with them months ago, and they weren’t receptive to my ideas. No one wants to use their resources to clean up Tartarus without a reward, and Adeena has nothing to offer.
I’m the last to walk into my office, and I’m surprised to find everyone seated at the conference table, chatting and laughing like old friends. Hali and Adeena seem cozier than normal, and it almost makes me uncomfortable to see them together.
Perhaps that’s because I don’t believe my friendship with Hali can be salvaged… not after her poor response to my pleas for help aiding Tartarus. She turned her head just as quickly as the other two had, and it still disgusts me. I already feel sorry for Adeena. She’s going to be lost for words when they deny her requests in the same way they did mine, smashing her newfound dream of ruling Tartarus. If anything, they’ll laugh in her face when she asks.
I’ll be here to comfort her, though. I’ll be here to remind her how safe Fire Court is.
“Hali,” I nod, my voice stale as I acknowledge her, taking my seat at the head of the table.
“Dreyden,” she says quietly.
Sheknowswe’re not on good terms. I made it clear I wasn’t happy with her when I stormed out of our last meeting. She hadn’t even tried to come after me or fix things. She abandoned my requests because, as Alaric would put it, it didn’t fit her “agenda.”
Adeena clasps her hands together, somehow still holding onto the same enthusiasm she has expressed for the last two days.
It’s exhausting.
She passes around some papers she worked on all morning, making copy after copy for each of the court rulers. I glance down at it, and I see that it’s a detailed outline of her plans for Tartarus… plans far more extensive than I was expecting.
Adeena clears her throat before beginning, and everyone watches her as she captivates their interest. “I’ve asked you all here because I have plans to leave Fire Court with the twelve thousand lost fae released to me by the gods. We’ve quickly outgrown Fire Court, and there is no place for this many fae anywhere within Archai. We’ll head to Tartarus, and once we’re there I fully intend on taking over as the new ruler. As you all know, no one has stepped into a ruling position since the fall of Tartarus months ago.” Her voice is stable and smooth as she speaks, commanding the attention of the court rulers. “We need to discuss the possibility of Tartarus joining the Archai courts. Four courts would become five. Land, wind, water, fire, and…”
“Sky,” Hali breathes with a wild excitement in her eyes.
Adeena smiles at her as though they’ve been friends forever, making me nearly roll my eyes. “Yes,” she nods. “Sky Court.”
“You’d need your own legion,” Weylin chimes in. “How will you keep your people protected in such a feral land?”
Already having an answer prepared, Adeena doesn’t miss a beat. “I’ve already begun sending word across Tartarus to round up recruits. There is a sign-up form in the legion campground for the lost fae to use if they’re interested. We’ve already gathered seven hundred names, and the list is quickly growing. These peoplewantto go. They don’t feel welcome here, and they’re ready to start a new life, which is why we need to get them into Tartarus safely as soon as possible.”
“How will you get them there? Surely Dreyden can’t portal that many at once,” Soren says, glancing between me and Adeena.
“I can’t,” I shake my head. “The plan is for the Fire Court legion to escort them through the Wychwood Forest. I don’t see how the forest could be any more hazardous than Tartarus currently is, but we’ll take them all the way to the village of Northford. I have contacts there already preparing for our arrival.”
Yesterday I compiled messages for Alaric, letting him know we would be on our way there with twelve thousand people. I’m sure he’s not happy about it, but I don’t know what else to do. This will make Adeena the happiest until she realizes how horrible Tartarus is, then she’ll come running home to me in Fire Court and never want to leave again. The lost fae will be out of my court, and they’ll have to figure out how to make Tartarus, or Sky Court, livable again.
The three other court rulers sit quietly with their eyes glued to the plan written out before them, reading over the words carefully. Adeena silently watches them, waiting for their response. She’s fidgeting in her chair a little bit, and I can’t tell she’s nervous. Who wouldn’t be?
She managed to gather all four of the Archai court rulers into one room with a one-day notice. It’s nearly unheard of.
A few minutes pass without a word. Weylin twiddles with his chin while he reads, contemplating his options.
Hali gently sets the paper down and then turns to Adeena. “Your plan includes using Archai court teams to take control of the loose creatures.Ifwe spare the resources, we expect them to be used properly.”
My jaw nearly hits the floor.
Spare the resources?
Is she seriously considering this? After I spent months begging for help, she’sactuallythinking about sending a team of fighters into Tartarus to round up the loose creatures.
Weylin nods, “I agree. It’s about time we get Tartarus…SkyCourt,” he corrects. “Under control. If each court sends in a team we should be able to secure the creatures within the month. The border will need to be maintained to make this effort worthwhile, but I don’t have a problem sending in a team or two, especially if it means we gain an alliance with you, Adeena.”
“I’m in,” Hali announces, slapping her hand down on the conference table. “It’d be nice to have another high lady to keep these high lords in line.”
I lean forward, barely breathing as I watch them. I’m struggling to even form words at this point.
“I am as well,” Weylin beams. “You proved your worth and loyalty in the war with Tartarus, and that’s more than enough for me. You died for us all. We oweyou.”
