Reign and Ruin (The Faie King's Mortal Book 3) by Devon Atwood

Author:Devon Atwood [Atwood, Devon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Cottage Hill Publishing
Published: 2023-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Please try to remember that your sister asked you to stay away,” Evander reminded me as we followed a silent, blue-scaled sentry through dark cave hallways.

“He could be forcing her,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Ronan can’t lie.”

I nearly snarled in frustration. Yes, Emma looked healthy and well, and it didn’t appear that Ronan was hurting her. In fact, he had expended a lot of energy to keep her safe when I had nearly drowned her. But Emma’s eyes told a silent story she longed to confide in me. For that alone, I would gladly dismember the selkie prince. And yet still, we needed his tears to transport us to Cressida Peak, so I was left with little choice but to play along. “I’ll behave,” I promised grudgingly.

We started up a rough-hewn staircase made of swirling gray and black stone, and I smelled the banquet even before we entered the dining hall. The room curved in an oval shape with a balcony arcing across the far side. Columns braced an intricate balustrade that overlooked a breathtaking view of the setting sun over the glassy sea beyond. But even though the rounded room was more enormous than our throne room in Ironvale, there was no table. Instead, Faie lounged on cushions and chairs while servants milled through the room with wide planks of food balanced on their arms.

Ronan sat in the largest chair in the room, one leg thrown over a plush, maroon arm, and his head resting against the high back. His muscular, tall body sprawled out in the ornate chair looked almost absurd. I was more used to seeing him on a dragon or riding the water. A servant, dressed in the same tight-fitted, silver uniform as the others, approached Ronan with a bow and offered a board of food. Ronan took a bite-sized piece of the dish, popped it in his mouth, and the servant moved on.

I looked over at Evander, but he seemed unfazed by the strange dinner customs of the sea Faie. Instead, he advanced across the room, weaving his way through laughing selkies and glittering, many-hued Faie covered in scales, sealskin, and gauzy gowns. I followed close behind, trying not to stare at the beautiful Faie scattered throughout the space. Some of them had enormous, round eyes with thick lashes and others had no eyes at all and looked more fish than human. One of them looked suspiciously like an adaro, the eyeless, soul-sucking monsters that had featured in my nightmares lately.

Sunset spilled onto the white marble floors, tainting them red and orange as the vista behind Ronan darkened to a purple horizon. Ronan gave us a broad smile and motioned for us to sit on the similarly shaped white armchairs on either side of him. The Faie occupying them, including Liri, I noticed, gracefully vacated the chairs for our use. Liri gave me a cold glare, sipping a red drink from a delicate glass flute.

Emma was nowhere to be seen.

I sat in the armchair to Ronan’s right, and he leaned his chin on his hand, tilting toward me.

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