A Crown of Cursed Hearts (Kingdom of Blighted Thorns #3)

31. Tempest

31

TEMPEST

G asps rang out.

I recoiled on the sofa. “Hold her.” My strangled call echoed in the room.

Before anyone could act, Vexxion’s threads snapped around Airia, pinning her in place.

“Wait,” she cried. Her flinty gaze met mine. “Let me go. Please.”

Did I dare trust her? It couldn’t be a coincidence that everyone I’d worked with in Bledmire’s aerie was allied with someone high in Ivenrail’s court.

Someone betrayed you. Madrood’s words rang in my mind. Had Airia sent me to Prager?

“Are you reporting to him?” Brodine roared to his feet. “Have you been spying on us all this time and telling him everything?” He looked down at me. “We need to hold her, question her. Find out what she’s told him. He could be coming for us already.”

“I suspect he’s watching us in some way already with or without Airia spying,” I said. “Sit down, Brodine. You’re blocking my view. She’s not going anywhere. Vexxion’s holding her with his threads.”

Grumbling, he dropped down on the sofa again, glaring at Airia.

“Vera can foretell the future,” I said. “She’s not the only fae with this ability. I’m sure the king has fae working with him who report everything they see.” I turned to Vexxion. “Does the king have many spies?”

“Their numbers continue to dwindle, strangely enough.” His grim smile rose. “A few have taken walks and didn’t return.”

I loved how vicious he could be. And how kind. He’d sacrificed himself for years to protect others, but that was only one of his facets I loved. He was complex and insightful, and oh, so conniving. I’d need his sharp edge if I was going to survive.

“What does that mean?” Brodine asked.

“Nothing,” I said, my gaze sweeping across my friends before landing on Airia. Tears welled in her eyes and trickled down her face, and I could see she was not only awaiting our judgment, but that she expected we’d condemn her.

“Release her,” I said softly.

When his threads slipped away, she sagged, stumbling down into a chair and placing her face in her palms. Lifting her head, she swiped away the tears.

“I can prove I’m loyal,” she said.

“How?” Reyla got up and started pacing. “He’s either on his way here or he’s waiting nearby already with a huge, flying dreg army. The moment they find their way through our wards, he’ll attack. We’re not ready to take on a force like that. We need time to prepare.”

“He’s not out there,” Vera said in a sing-song voice. “Not yet. Though you’re correct that he’s gathering a huge force of flying dregs. The king is using power to craft as many as he can, some from the very wasteland as was rumored. There’s no stopping that. The Lieges, as nasty as they were, were the only barrier between us and them, and there aren’t many left. Kerune will attack, but we only have a short time to get ready.” Her eyes cleared, and she looked around at all of us while we stared at her. “It’s so rare for me to have a vision now. I’m old. Probably too old to be taking on something like this, but I’m here for you all. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure good triumphs over that evil fiend entrenched in the Bledmire throne.”

“What’s Kerune’s plan?” Brodine snarled at Airia. “Tell us.”

“He’s never confided in me.” Her pleading gaze met mine. “I know what you’re thinking. Will. Prenton. They were manipulated into trying to hurt you, but I’m not like them.” She rose to her feet and though her body wavered, her gaze remained strong. “I can prove it.” Reaching up to the nape of her neck, she twisted something.

A collar like the ones I’d placed around Brodine and Reyla’s neck slid away from her skin.

She lifted her chin, and her steely gaze traveled around the room, locking on each of us in turn before falling on Vexxion. “You’re not the only one who can make deals with Lieges. ”

The room exploded, everyone shouting at the same time, most of them directing their fury at Airia.

She quietly slipped the collar back into place and sat, clearly awaiting our judgment.

Maybe she wasn’t my betrayer, though removing Kerune’s collar didn’t prove much other than that he couldn’t trace her here and she wasn’t subject to his whims.

“What Liege?” I asked when the uproar died off.

“I imagine the same one who dealt with him.” Airia nudged her shoulder Vexxion’s way. “The Liege only had one, or I would’ve bargained for more. There are so many of us out there, and we’re scared, though not so scared that we’re not willing to fight back. I’m not spying.” Her glare shot Brodine’s way. “Torture me if you want. I’m sure Vexxion’s threads can make me talk, but all you’ll learn is that I saw a chance to escape that nightmare, and I took it. Do you think my lord wouldn’t have used me to harm you, Tempest? I was waiting for him to demand I do it. When I saw the Liege, and I overheard . . .”

Vexxion’s threads snapped toward her again. “You overheard what?” Death lurked in his voice.

“I like to take walks. There are paths all around Bledmire, and I . . . Well, I guess that part doesn’t matter. Sometimes, on a free day, I used to take a nap in a meadow. I swear, I didn’t hear much.” Her panic-stricken gaze met Vexxion’s. His threads had not yet retreated. They snapped around her like lightning. “I heard you talking to the Liege. That was not long after you and Tempest arrived at Bledmire. I should’ve told you I was there, but I was afraid. I can see you’re not the horrifying person everyone thinks you are.”

“You don’t know me,” Vexxion said with that edge in his voice that told the world to beware. He only had to look at someone like he was staring at her now to make them tremble.

“I’ve seen how you look at Tempest. I could see you cared about her back at the castle.” She broke his stare to look at me. “I like you. I think we could be friends. I wanted to look out for you. You were with the controller, the man everyone in Bledmire feared with good reason. If he was hurting you, I was going to do something about it. I spied on him back then, for sure. But I haven’t been spying for Kerune. Never. I hate him. If you think the controller’s reputation is bad, give Kerune a chance.” She sighed. “I snooped at Bledmire, but only to protect you, Tempest. And what I saw . . .” She closed her eyes but only briefly. “I’m sorry you don’t remember, Vexxion, because the love you felt for her stunned me. I don’t think there’s much like it in this world, and you need to hold onto something like that. Find it again. It’s in you. I sense it. I’m no better than anyone else when it comes to magic, but I’ll do all I can to make sure you love her again.”

Vexxion’s threads dropped away, sliding back inside him. “I believe her.”

Vera rose and walked over to stand in front of Airia. “I’ve learned not to trust many. Would you allow me to touch you?”

Gazing up at her, Airia nodded.

Vera cupped the other woman’s face and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she backed away from Airia, retaking her seat. “She’s telling the truth. She eliminated her collar a week or more ago, and she’s had no communication with Kerune in a long time.”

I hadn’t needed the confirmation, but everyone else did.

If she hadn’t betrayed me, who did? Could it be someone else lurking in Lydel’s shadows?

A chill swept through the room, and I suddenly had the feeling that things were going to dramatically change and not for the better.

I needed to claim my court’s core quickly and use the power to awaken my army.

If I didn’t, I sensed it would soon be too late.