The Lonely Ones

Chapter Forty-Three: Honest Admissions

Artemis drags his feet back to his room, clutching the sword all the while. Wren waits outside the door. He stiffens when Artemis grows near, eyes drifting to the sword in his grasp. Their eyes meet. Wren's lips twist into a snarl, but he doesn't appear surprised.

"I should have figured she would be here," Wren whispers under his breath.

"Queen Ignit? Do you know her?" Artemis replies.

Wren scoffs. His gaze darkens. "Unfortunately, I do... she's the one who put me to sleep, which is a tale I would rather not retell. There are more important matters to discuss, like what she wants and what she gave you."

Artemis nods at his door. "Is Maggie inside?"

"Yes."

"Unharmed."

Wren rolls his eyes and grumbles, "Yes."

Artemis contemplates the very crazy idea of telling Maggie the truth about Wren. But then he recalls the traumatic experience with the bog witch from their childhood. Maggie likely won't handle the truth well. Better to wait until another time, preferably far from the king and a fae queen, to tell her.

"They want me to kill the High King with this." Artemis holds up the sword to show it, but doesn't get close to Wren with it. Wren actually backs up as if the sword had already burned him.

"An iron sword would harm him, but not kill him," Wren argues. His shoulders stiffen to be so straight they could hold up a mountain.

"This one is special, supposedly. Queen Ignit forged it herself in the fires of... wherever she's from."

"The Ashen Plains?" Wren whispers while shifting his weight from one foot to the other. He goes quiet for a short moment, then nods solemnly. "That could potentially work, if you were able to get close to him."

"They claimed he has grown weary, that there's proof of him falling into a long slumber centuries ago, and he's about to do the same now. Have you ever heard of such a thing?"

Wren shakes his head. "No, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. The rotten bastard never lets anyone know his weakness. It's true he has been acting out of sorts--" Wren abruptly stops. His eyes widen, then darken into blistering crystals.

"What did she say? Ignit. Tell me exactly what her plan is," Wren growls while chancing a step forward to grasp Artemis' shoulders. He swiftly lowers the blade to keep it as far from Wren as he can.

"Uh, I'm to return to Eidenswill and wait for a sign, which will be given after the High King falls asleep. She will send someone who can show me the safest route to Thornhill and I'm to slay him while he sleeps so that she may rule as Queen over both the Grim Woods and the Ashen Plains."

Wren's snarl twists into an animalistic growl, eyes flashing nearly pure white. The hall grows eerily cold and he lets out a sinister laugh.

"You know better than anyone, Artemis, that fae always make sure everything works out better for them. It shouldn't surprise you to learn a very specific rule when it comes to the High King." Wren steps closer to whisper harshly into his ear, "The one who slays the High King becomes the High King."

Artemis swallows hard. Wren retreats, nearly storming down the hall before Artemis grasps his wrist. Wren doesn't face him when he asks, "Where are you going?"

"To teach Ignit a lesson."

"Do you honestly think that will solve things? The king will still expect me to go through with the plan--"

"Then I'll kill him too."

"And have both the humans and Ignit's warriors after us? Are you going to drag Maggie and I around the world until the end of our days?"