Splintered Fate: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Urban Fantasy Novel (Splintered Magic Book 3) by Jilleen Dolbeare

Author:Jilleen Dolbeare [Dolbeare, Jilleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ice Raven Publications
Published: 2023-04-13T16:00:00+00:00

The next day was the day that Sorcha was going to deploy the bugs. Dana had gifted me with another, just in case. She’d told me to activate it with Mr. Mittens’s true name, Xrsrphn. I could deactivate it with Splintercat. Since I rarely said either of those words, they were good ones for me to use. I practiced with Mr. Mittens to make sure I pronounced his name correctly.

I’ve also given the spymaster Sofia’s name, so he can search for any mention of her, Mr. Mittens announced to me.

“There’s a spymaster?” I choked out.

Of course, your grandfather is a high Fae lord, and must look out for his own interests. The spymaster requires an image as well, when you have time, stop by and give him your last mental picture.

“Didn’t you give him one?”

Hmpf. He said that mine was inadequate.

I could see that. I doubted cats saw the same as us two-leggeds. I smiled at him. “I will stop by, if you show me where.”

Then, we all went about our usual tasks, our minds distracted with the worry that the bugs wouldn’t work, or maybe worse, would. How would we convince the king without suspicion? Without letting the scary Phoenix know? Those were worries that distracted me through queen class. I watched but had zero opportunity or need to launch my bug.

I was surprised at the end of my day—I expected to return to my grandfather’s—when I was instead brought to the king and into a large dining chamber. There was a long table and seated at it were many courtiers. My lungs seized for a moment when I realized I had to perform without embarrassing anyone and without getting myself or my grandfather imprisoned—or worse—for treason.

I was announced and seated at the opposite end of the table from the king. That was a relief until I realized all eyes could watch me. Then I nearly melted the makeup off my face with flop sweat.

The only thing keeping my hair from following in a river of saltwater was its elaborate braids and all the pins. The sweat ran freely down my back, however, to make everything more comfortable. I made it through the serving of the first course without error. I kept up inane and meaningless small talk to those next to me. Finally, the nervous sweat stopped, and I made the mistake of thinking that I could handle it.

That’s when the fun began.

The grand doors into the chamber opened as they had to allow me to enter earlier, and my grandfather was escorted in and seated to the king’s left. He was followed shortly by the man I now knew as the Phoenix.

I gasped quietly and hid it with a delicate cough. I didn’t know why my grandfather was here, and judging from his ruddy complexion, he wasn’t happy about it. The Phoenix had on his court face—one that said he was pleasant and slightly amused. He took his seat on the king’s right. I blinked.

My heart sped up, and my mouth went dry.

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