An Echo of Fire by Amber Lynn Natusch

Author:Amber Lynn Natusch [Natusch, Amber Lynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Amber Lynn Natusch
Published: 2023-09-13T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

HEMMING

I shouldn’t have been surprised by the size of the dining room—everything else in Kaplyn’s home was lavish and gaudy—yet somehow, when I walked through the massive double doors with Ariel at my side, I found myself in awe, staring from the polished wooden floors to the mural on the ceiling depicting the fall of The Three. It was so real that I wondered if I’d soon find three naked women on the floor.

“This way, please,” a young male server said, ushering me toward my seat across from Ariel. Enough room had been left on either side of our places to allow for our wings. I was thankful for that space when I looked over to find Shayfer headed for the seat to Ariel’s right.

“You look stunning this evening,” he said to her, waiting for the servant to pull his chair out. Once seated, he leaned in and kissed Ariel on the cheek for the second time that evening. I looked down at the silver knife in my place setting and wondered how much damage I could inflict with it before someone stopped me.

Not coming to dinner fully armed was an oversight I wouldn’t repeat.

“You say that to all the ladies in the house,” she replied with a playful laugh. “Is that how you manage to get them into bed with you?”

“Them and half of the men, too,” he replied with a wink. “But they don’t play hard to get as well as you do.”

“Hard or impossible?”

“Nothing is impossible, Ariel dear.” The heavy weight of his gaze on her bare skin had me gripping my chair so hard the wood groaned in protest.

“I fear you may find that you’re wrong about that,” she said, arranging her wings around her chair.

“We shall see,” was his only response.

Kaplyn sat at the head of the table, with Kade at the opposite end. Fae lords began to join us, taking seats around the table. Our dinner would serve as both a meal and a tactical meeting. Though the goal might have changed, military intervention would still be required if Kade were to have his rule restored and the peace between the fae and Nychterídes were to be upheld.

As wine was poured, Kaplyn stood and addressed the room.

“Again, I thank you all for coming. As you can see, Ariel has returned unharmed, and for this I am extremely grateful, but I am still in need of your assistance. You will want to hear me out on this matter,” he said, his host voice lowering to one of business and strategy—one that made me realize why Kade and he were allies. “Our peace is in jeopardy. An attempt on the life of General Kade has been made.”

A collective gasp broke out among the fae lords. Ariel looked at me with fear in her eyes. I wanted to reach across the table and take her hand in mine, but it was not the place for that, and I knew it. As if reading my thoughts, she straightened her back and lifted her chin, every bit the warrior her father had trained her to be.

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