A Throne of Feathers and Bone: Honey and Ice Series, Book 2 by St Clare Kelly & Mayer Shannon

Author:St Clare, Kelly & Mayer, Shannon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hijinks Ink Publishing
Published: 2021-09-27T00:00:00+00:00

16

In the light of dawn, I dragged in a ragged breath. Though Faolan had returned to his chamber to sleep, his words hung in the air of my room.

In an instant, Kallik.

If we weren’t in opposite courts and embroiled in this insanity, then we’d be together. Did that make me feel joyful or bitter to the extreme?

I was leaning toward the latter, which was the reason I’d tossed and turned all night instead of catching up on much-needed sleep.

I groaned. “Why me?”

A knock boomed at the door, and Lan burst through from the adjourning room, dagger drawn. He glanced at me and away, and I nearly groaned at the remembrance of my reaction—or non-reaction—last night.

He’d given me the reassurance that I’d asked for. And I’d been shocked into silence. After giving me a very generous opening to respond, he’d left.

Great one, Kallik. Real smooth.

The knock sounded again, and Lan crossed the room, yanking open the door.

“What?” he snapped.

“Rubezahl requests the presence of Kallik of House Royal.”

I’d already thrown off the bed covers, so I quickly fastened on my chest sheath, sliding my weapon home. I strode to the doorway. “Has something happened?”

The wild fae didn’t answer and, with a cursory glance at Lan, I followed the guy down the hall.

Faolan was fast behind me as we strode down the hall, and then the stairs, and left the castle. Soft light washed the streets of the sanctuary, and only a few outcasts graced the market stalls at this time of day.

“What does Rubezahl want?” Lan called ahead to the wild fae.

The fae glanced back and shrugged. “I do not ask questions of Rubezahl. I merely obey his orders.”

Wild fae, huh? “He told you where to take us, clearly.”

“Yes.”

I waited. “And that is?”

The wild fae ducked down a smaller lane and, ignoring Lan’s growl, I continued after him until we stopped before a wall—ten feet high or thereabouts. It was made of split doors and tables and covered in wire.

More concerning were the screams, groans, and shouted profanities echoing from inside.

The wild fae whispered something to the guards at the gate, and a small door was cracked open to allow us entrance.

It was a stockyard, was my first thought. Hundreds of horse stalls, but the gates had been replaced by bars.

Horror swept through me the moment I realized what—who—was being kept in those stalls. Fae. Or some semblance of them. They’d definitely been fae once upon a time. Now . . .

Limp hair was plastered against graying skin.

Missing teeth. Bleeding gums. Empty eyes.

I took a half step back and bumped into Lan, chest rising and falling. “These are the mad fae.”

The wild fae cut me a look. “The maddest of them, yes.”

I watched a woman clad in rags shake at the bars. Smoke curled from her skin, but she didn’t scream. Instead, she seemed transfixed by the way the iron confines damaged and hurt her. My voice cracked. “Is there nothing more that can be done?”

“It’s like they’re transforming,” Lan whispered hoarsely,

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