The Darkling Lord: Court of the Banished book 1 (Annwyn Series 4) (18 page)

Darah let the child try.

The mother gasped.

Peri howled in frustration, tears streaming down her face.

“She can’t hurt me. I have no soul. I’m fairy.” Darah looked at the mother. “I’m going to take Peri out, we’ll be back in an hour and she’ll be back to normal. Maybe we can have some birthday cake when we get back? It’s your birthday today isn’t it Peri?” Without looking up from the child Darah gave instructions. “Penn, can you arrange that?”

Penn nodded. The mother looked at Darah like she was crazy then she looked around the room trying to see who Darah had spoken to.

“There are other fairies here that you can’t see. You have to trust me on that. Don’t trust them and don’t make any promises to them.” She looked at Weylin. “No one is to interfere with the human woman.”

Most nodded. Weylin curled his lips in disgust. Darah hoped that they’d listen and obey, and that Penn had as much pull as he seemed to.

The woman shivered and sat down. “One hour?”

“One hour. I’ll bring her back. I promise.”

Peri reached for her mother.

Several of the Greys made murmurs and nodded their heads. Fairies always kept their word. Darah hoped she found a soul for Peri. That meant finding someone for the child to kill. Her stomach turned at the idea, but she had to do this. What would Henry have done? What had he said about choosing souls?

How could she decided who should live and who should die?

This was a taste of Henry went through every year, every time he was injured. For a moment she wanted to back out and leave the child with the crying mother. By morning one of them would be dead. She couldn’t do that either. Henry wouldn’t want that, even though he said that living as a darkling was hard.

He hadn’t been exaggerating.

Darah started walking toward the door. Peri called for her mother the only person nearby with a soul, but she didn’t have the strength to fight Darah’s embrace.

There was no warmth in the autumn sun. The sky was dull with clouds that threatened rain and took turns in hiding the sun and creating shadows. She walked down the sidewalk with the crying child not entirely sure where she was going. She wasn’t used to holding children. They weren’t light, or even easy to hold. It was like holding a sack of annoyed snakes. Weighty, wriggly and awkward.

Kaid crossed the road without even looking for traffic. She’d only seen a few working cars since arriving in Detroit. He was holding a blanket and a cell phone and he didn’t look pleased.

He looked at the child. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to…we’re looking for…” it was really hard to say. If it was this hard to say would she really be able to do it? She’d given her word to the mother. She had to. “I’m finding her a soul.”
Think of the soul not the body.

Kaid considered her for a moment. “When you get back we need to talk.”

“There’s nothing to say.”

“You turned him in.”

“I had no choice. I am a subject of Annwyn the same as all of you. Do not make the mistake of thinking it was easy.” She had to juggle the child who was doing her best to break free and go and find her own soul, even if that meant crawling.

“Why are you helping?”

“Henry wanted to help her. I believe in what he was doing. The person you should be watching is Weylin.”

“Don’t tell me what my job is,” he snapped. His dark eyes as cold as any fairy’s.

“Then let me do mine.” She took several steps away then turned to glance at Kaid. Maybe he could help. “Where should I go?”

“Henry choses his mark weeks before, someone with a record as long as his.” He glanced at the child. There was no time to research a mark and find a criminal. “He’s not this weak on his birthday though.”

“He’s older, maybe he used to be.” And some kind adult would’ve leaned in to help…

Kaid’s face softened. “Don’t get her a criminal. Go to the hospital. In ICU there will be people close to death. Those souls will want a new home.”

It sounded so easy. Too easy and Kaid spoke of it as if they were talking about which seeds to buy and which truck to steal. “Are you always so calm when talking about death?”

He shrugged. “Death is a great equalizer.”

There seemed to be a lot of it going around at the moment. “Where is the hospital?”

He pointed in the opposite direction to where she’d been heading. “Let me call Henry’s driver. Do you have money to pay him?”

She shook her head. “I promised the mother that we’d only be an hour.”

“You have time.” Kaid placed the call and ten minutes later a man on a bicycle with a two-seater buggy on the back, that looked like it had been made out of car parts, turned up.

Kaid paid him upfront and told him to wait and bring them back.

“Thank you.” And she meant it. Deep down Kaid was actually a decent guy, horse. Whatever.

“I’m doing it for Henry and the girl, not you.”

Darah nodded. She didn’t care. The end result would be the same. Peri would get a new soul and another year of life.

And maybe Darah would get a second chance with Henry.

D
arah had kept
her promise with three minutes to spare. She’d glamoured their way into the hospital and just as Kaid had said she found someone in ICU who was barely hanging on. Peri had done the rest. She’d then started asking all kinds of awkward questions. Darah had tried to explain as best she could, but she was sure that Henry would’ve done a better job.

When they’d returned to the casino there was birthday cake to celebrate, but Darah wasn’t in the mood. She didn’t want to do anything or speak to anyone. It was time she packed and left. Unfortunately Kaid had other ideas.

He followed her to the elevator and leaned against the wall. “Everyone except Penn seems to think Weylin had a hand in Henry’s untimely visit to Annwyn.”

“That’s unfortunate for Weylin.” She couldn’t even take the credit for that deception even though she wished she could. It was something she should’ve thought of instead of feeling sorry for herself while wallowing in guilt.

“Very.” The elevator opened and she stepped inside. He put his hand on the door to stop it closing. “We both know that isn’t the case.”

She didn’t confirm or deny. Kaid wanted something, and she wasn’t sure what.

“I’m going to assume control here until Henry gets back, and you should go and make sure he comes back.” While his words weren’t threatening there was something in the way he said them and the way he stood that made it clear she wasn’t welcome here anymore.

She hadn’t planned on staying, but she didn’t want to be thrown out either.

“I don’t have that power.” If she had that kind of sway, Henry wouldn’t even be in Annwyn.

Kaid shook his head. “That’s not my problem. It’s yours, since you created this mess.”

“I didn’t create anything. I was told to find out what was going on. There are over twenty Greys in Detroit now, and they are just the ones staying in the casino. How many more are going to arrive? How many exiled are going to come here and vie for power and stir things up like Weylin? This isn’t simple anymore. It’s not just about Henry wanting to help rebuild the city. There is more at stake.”

“Only for Annwyn. For everyone else it’s business as usual. Annwyn is the one with the problem. Not us. Think on that, Lady Darah.” He stepped back and let the door close.

She hadn’t been given permission to return to Annwyn yet. The Hunter had told her to stay here. They didn’t need her here, or want her here. Penn and Kaid could easily turn ambivalence to hate and have her hounded out of Detroit. Kaid had reinforced what she’d already been thinking; Henry needed her in Annwyn to plead his case.

She thought over her conversations with the Hunter, but there had been no outright order or commitment made .It was a loophole, but exploiting them was what fairies did best.

Only this time she wasn’t acting in her own self-interest. There was a bigger game at play and while she wasn’t sure how she fit in or what outcome she desired, she knew that Henry belonged on this side of the veil and she was going to do her best to make sure that happened.

The elevator doors opened and she stepped out on her floor. For the first time in her life she was going to disobey Annwyn and obey her heart.

A
nnwyn hadn’t changed much
in the time she’d been in the mortal world. The ground was still covered in sparse grass, trees were still budding and the grounds around the castle were still oddly empty. Less than a handful of fairies were near the castle, and none of them would be staying there as Court was closed.

The old pastime of watching the main doorway between the worlds was obviously a hard habit to break. Unlike before though, no one rushed off to inform who had just arrived. She walked across the grass in her mortal clothes. When she’d first put them on, these clothes had felt odd, rough and restrictive, now she couldn’t imagine going back to wearing the gowns she had once worn. They were clothes from a different time, Court had been different…she had been different.

Darah walked into the castle and no one stopped her. A few shadow servants still glided down the empty halls, but far less than there had been. Felan had obviously been busy dealing with them, freeing them if they were fairy or letting them pass over if they were human souls. Instead of ignoring them, or treating them with the disdain she once had, she spared them a smile. It wouldn’t mean much, but she knew what it was like to be faceless and all but invisible.

She made her way through the castle toward her old chamber, hoping that it would still be hers. It had been a long time since she’d used it. A year and a day as a shadow. Plus the couple of months spent across the veil.

Maybe there were more buds on the trees than there had been and summer was closer than she’d thought. If summer was close, that meant the Queen must be ready to give birth. Then the Court would re-open. The castle would once again be full of fairies. She smiled but it quickly faded.

Full of fairies doing what exactly?

Her aim for so long had been to get on the Council and be part of the small group that assisted the King and Queen in ruling Annwyn and all fairies, but compared to what she’d seen in the mortal world, what she’d done in the mortal world, it didn’t seem like a worthy goal to have. So little actually changed in Annwyn.

Yet this was her home. She was supposed to want to be here. Power was what she’d always wanted. What all fairies wanted. She swept aside the curtain of her old bedchamber. It was exactly as it had been before she’d become a shadow servant. Her old clothes, in the dark colors of winter, hung on the branches. Her bed was neatly made as always. She dropped her bag on the bed and looked around. Instead of feeling happy to be here she was twitchy as if she had better things to be doing.

How many days were sliding by in the mortal world while she stood here remembering the past?

She had a look at the clothes she’d once worn, the dark, heavy fabrics of winter and the older, brighter colors of summer. The flowing skirts and lace and ribbons. It was too extravagant for a closed Court. Too much luxury after what she’d seen across the veil. She rubbed the soft fabric between her fingers. While she’d missed it, it wasn’t what she wanted anymore.

Instead of getting changed, Darah stayed in the mortal jeans and shirt. She threw on a cloak over the top for warmth. It had once been one of her favorites. Pale blue and edged in silver, now it reminded her of winter and snow and ice. Was it appropriate when summer was so near? She looked at her reflection in the silvered glass then shrugged. She’d worn it last summer and it wasn’t as though there were any fashions to keep up with at the moment. Wearing the dark colors of winter would be offensive.

With nothing else to do, and no sense in delaying, she went to the Hall of Judgment, hoping the King would be there. However her gaze kept staying upwards. Somewhere above her in the cells was Henry. She stopped walking. She wanted to be running up the stairs to see him and to make sure he was well, not going to see Felan.

It was a ridiculous notion.

Of course Henry would be fine. Wouldn’t he?

They couldn’t lock him up forever or throw him in the river. But she knew that if Felan really thought Henry was a threat he could and he would.

The doors to the Hall of Judgment were open. Every time she walked in here her life seemed to take a sharp turn in an unexpected direction. This time would be no different.

She drew in a breath, hoping she appeared calmer than she felt. As before the Hall was empty except the King. Even his wife was absent today. Felan glanced at her and beckoned her forward.

She bowed before him. “Working as always, Sire?”

“Only just started and I fear I won’t get much done. Jacqui is in labor.”

“Congratulations.” Summer was about to bloom. She couldn’t stop the burst of excitement that caused. The castle would come back to life and be full of fairies once more. Felan had promised that the Court would re-open. And she’d be on the Council. The thought didn’t thrill her the way it once had.

Somehow her dream, like all fairy magic in the mortal world, had turned from a glittering gem to a lump of coal. Annwyn might be home but she didn’t want to live here. However she had no idea how to put that into words that wouldn’t offend the King.

He nodded. “She is attended and I have been told these things take time. So I’m trying to distract myself.”

By judging souls and freeing shadow servants. Aside from keeping the fairies in line this was his job. Although he didn’t appear to be focusing too hard.

“Perhaps my news will distract you.”

“I know the darkling is here. For the moment he can wait.” Felan looked at her. His expression gave nothing away. She didn’t know if he was feeling lenient or ready to clamp down on the Greys. “You did well. And as promised you will have a place on my Council.”

Darah bowed again, in part to hide her expression. She knew she’d accept, but it wasn’t the joyful moment she’d imagined it to be. What was wrong with her?

“Tell me, you have spent time with the darkling do you trust him?”

Was that some kind of trick question? Did a fairy ever truly trust anyone? “I believe in the work he is doing and I believe he does it with good intention.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. The rules are changing, Darah. I will not have the shadowed words of my mother’s Court here. Do you trust him?”

Yet he was quite comfortable making a veiled reminder that she had once been one of his mother’s ladies. Her heart beat filled the silence. What was the right answer? If she admitted to trusting a darkling, a Grey with a soul and one who had murdered in front of her, what did that say about her? What did it say that she had helped a child kill this morning? Let another darkling live because that is what Henry would’ve wanted. Not that long ago she would have been able to say no, she’d never trust a Grey, without a second thought.

But she did trust him. And even though he’d known that she’d was a spy, he’d trusted her and shared his plans, knowing that she’d tell the King what she’d seen. Sometimes keeping secrets wasn’t the best move. She had to be honest.

“Yes.” She finally said. If she couldn’t say no without it being a lie, she had to say yes.

“Why?” Felan looked at her as if he was trying to understand, not hang her with her own words.

That was even harder to answer. Did being on the Council mean answering difficult questions so the King knew what choice to make? It would be so easy to tilt the odds and sway his opinion to gain what she wanted.

All she wanted at the moment was Henry free.

“You told me when you freed me from being a shadow that you wanted fairies to rediscover their heart and to help the mortals rebuild. That is what he is doing.” If Felan had meant what he’d said there should be no problem.

“And his band of Greys what do they want?”

Darah glanced down. She couldn’t speak for them all. She hadn’t spoken to them all. But after seeing how Henry worked and having spoken to a few, including getting to know Marlis, she could make an educated guess. “They want what all fairies want. A place to belong, structure and status. They want a Court and some,” like Marlis, “want a chance to earn a reprieve.” For Marlis it had come too late, but for others there was a chance.

“So you trust a darkling who is setting up a Court of banished fairies?”

Phrased like that it sounded quite concerning. “I trust Henry. He is keeping the Greys in line and giving them something to do besides making trouble.”

“Unless he orders it.” Felan tapped his fingers on the arm of the throne.

Darah inclined her head and conceded the point. Henry did order mayhem and murder, but not as a general part of his operations. She desperately wanted to ask what Felan was planning on doing with Henry, but she couldn’t…or could she since she was now part of his Council?

She decided to push her luck a little further. “What are your intentions?”

“For the moment, to let him sit.”

That could be dangerous, not for Annwyn but for all in Detroit. “And his Court?”

Felan smiled. “You can watch it. Isn’t that why the Hunter asked that you remain there?

That was a warning that she was not following orders, but then what fairy did if they could find a way around them?

“I can’t control it like he can.” No one could, not in the long run. Not Penn. Not even Kaid. “I’ll need to cross the veil to see Henry while he is here.” That was true. He knew how everything worked in the mortal world and he knew how to get results.

Henry said he had no magic, and maybe that was true, but he inspired loyalty and gave the people around him a need to be more that what they were. Even the gang kids had looked up to him and helped their parents in the garden instead of spreading violence.

“He is more valuable to you alive and in play.” Her words sounded cold, like any fairy making an assessment about an enemy. They were the words that were expected from her. What she couldn’t say was that she wanted to see Henry because she cared about what happened to him. She cared about him. That was a weakness she could never reveal. He was a darkling and she was a Court fairy.

“I’ll take that into consideration.”

That was the best she could hope for at the moment. “I hope all goes well with the Queen.”

Felan nodded, and for a heartbeat concern flickered on his face. “So do I.”

Darah bowed again and turned to leave.

“What do you plan to do now, Darah?”

Her mouth dried. Was this the trick question to see where her loyalty lay? Or was she supposed to acknowledge that she shouldn’t have come?

“I had planned to see Henry before returning to his Court as you asked me to. The Greys must be kept in check until a decision is made.” Had she pushed too far? She almost couldn’t breathe. Did Felan realize how precarious things were across the veil?

Felan studied her as if he couldn’t be sure he believed anything that she said. She hoped that nothing showed on her face. It had to look as though she had the interests of the Court at heart. Which she did. Henry’s Court was good for everyone.