Queen of Night

34. The Wolf's Courage

    Marcelle held Vi's arm tightly. She sheathed her dagger. A small gash marred Vi's neck. Royse was being held by guards. He struggled in their grasp, trying to reach his daughter.

    "Marcelle, what have you done?" Novak demanded.

    "Restrain them all," Marcelle ordered. She smoothed her dark brown hair back and straightened her clothes. Guards quickly cuffed Royse, Novak, and Talay.

    "Well, this could be going better," Asena grumbled. "Now what?"

    "I don't know." Iyan jerked against her iron cuffs. They weren't hurting her, but her wrists were itchy and covered in red marks, the reaction Sybella had warned her of.

    "Governor, they're here." The butler poked his head through the door.

    "Is that any way to announce the arrival of royalty?" Iyan groaned, recognizing the voice. The door flew open and Emeric and Ezlyn strode in. Ezlyn's blood red lips curled into a smile as she spied Iyan. "I see you found our wayward pet. Well done."

    "Who are they?" Talay's voice shook as she watched the Day Faeries.

    "I am King Emeric of the Day Faeries. This is my wife." Iyan spied an annoyed look flash through Ezlyn's eyes. "Have you thought about our offer?" Emeric asked.

    "I have." Marcelle lifted her chin proudly. "My people will serve you, as long as you hold up your end of the bargain."

    "Bargain? What bargain?" Novak demanded.

    "My nephew brought the King and Queen here a few weeks ago and explained their plan. He told me that if we help them wipe out the Night Faeries, the Day Faeries will leave the human lands alone," Marcelle explained.

    "And you listened to them?" Iyan shouted. "Did you know about the Soleones already?"

    "Yes. Part of our bargain was that no more humans would be taken."

    "Will the Soleones be turned back?" Talay asked.

    "No," Ezlyn chuckled. "We will keep the ones we have. Our deal was that we would not kidnap anymore humans. We never agreed to return the ones we already had."

    "You have two days to prepare your forces. I will send my generals to collect them," Emeric said. He faced Iyan, narrowing his eyes. "She will come with us. Her sister, too."

    "Your Majesties," Marcelle bowed low. "Take this child and her father as well, as a show of our goodwill. You've been most gracious to us."

    "No! Marcelle, what are you doing?" Talay protested.

    Novak clasped his hands into a fist. He whirled, his hands crunching into a guard's nose. The guard fell and Novak snatched the sword from his belt. He drove it through another guard's neck, pinning him to a wall.

    Iyan and Asena leaped into action. Iyan snapped her wings open, slamming a few guards away. Asena grabbed a discarded sword and tackled a guard. Sybella began to chant. Her eyes glowed briefly, before Iyan's cuffs fell off. She heard several other cuffs thump to the floor as well.

    Vi screamed as Ezlyn made a grab for her. Iyan picked up a sword and jumped in between the girl and the Queen. She angled her blade towards Ezlyn's heart, one wing covering Vi.

    "You may have some immunity to iron," Iyan growled, "but I can guarantee your heart is still vulnerable. I should run you through right now for what you did to Torin."

    "Indeed, you should. Why aren't you?" Ezlyn took a step closer. The tip of Iyan's blade pressed against her skin. "What are you planning?"

    "It seems a new bargain needs to be made," Marcelle rasped. Iyan glanced at her. Novak had a blade held up against her throat.