Chapter 51

Once I discovered what Simeon was up to, I’d drag him back to Avery and Darrius. He had always sympathized with the Unseelie since he didn’t witness their atrocities like Darrius and I. Was he going to find out who had sent the assassins after Avery?

I wanted to tell him not to bother. Had to be the dark Fae court. They’d wanted their lineage on the throne from even before Avery’s mother had been born. It was them who had tried to overthrow the ruling Seelie monarchs for centuries.

And Avery had tempted fate by inviting them for peace talks and a banquet.

For someone who had fought and killed Fae, she’d taken her new position as one of us in stride. Trying to make our kingdoms better by being willing for peace. But there was none to be had among traitors and monsters. The dark Fae stood for everything we were against.

Their imaginations brought forth hideous creatures who thrived in the shadows.

I wrapped my arms tighter around me, cursing under my breath that I hadn’t thought ahead enough to grab a cloak. Instead, I wove a bit of magic around me, locking in my body heat and taking out some of the chill.

Still, the wind had gotten so much colder in the last few steps like I’d walked into a freezer.

I trailed after Simeon’s footprints, glowing against the snow, and then froze. Snow? It was still late autumn in Simeon’s territory and the castle. How was the ground now covered in several inches of snow?

Spinning in a circle, I tried to get my barring.

Somehow, we’d walked through mine and Darrius’ barrier in a matter of seconds.

Magic.

Which I hadn’t known that Simeon could shadowwalk. It was a skill that some said was Unseelie.

I shook my head. When I had tied my magic to his footprints, it must have bound me to his steps and taken me on the same exact pathway. Like I’d piggybacked onto his spell.

So, the rascal was up to something all right. I spun back to the trail and hissed when it felt like my side split open again.

Another step and the world swirled around me like one of the human’s amusement park rides. Everything was dark as night and I couldn’t see a blasted thing despite my Fae eyesight.

Blindly, I waved my hands out in front of me.

“Simeon,” I called.

Had he discovered I followed him and put me in this trap? Fucking brilliant, but still a bastard thing to do. But I didn’t have time for games though with my cousin sneaking off without telling anyone where he was going. And the fact he was headed toward our enemy made me feel like I’d been punched in the gut. How could he put himself in danger like this?

Though the fact that I left Avery with Darrius sat heavy on my chest. He’d protect her with his life, and I had hoped Simeon was only taking a brisk walk to clear his head. Now I wondered what in the hell had gotten into my cousin to bring him out this far away from the castle. What secrets was he hiding?

My gut tightened.

Cold wrapped around me and each inhale stung my lungs. For a few more steps, I waved my hands around to find a way out of this darkness.

“Enough of this, Simeon. Let me out.” My throat swelled nearly shut.

An eerie shrieking to my right answered and didn’t sound like my cousin nor was friendly at all. Then another wailing answered the first, followed by another until I was surrounded by the shrill cries.

The noise pierced my skull and I fell to my knees, clutching my head.

Pain like my mind was being ripped apart stripped of any thought of countering with magic.

I yelled until my voice was raw. Willing to do anything to make the pain go away.