Chapter 30

H igh Queen Lysandra Stromm closed Mateo's bedchamber door with a soft touch. With her chin held high and her shoulders pushed back, she clasped her hands together in front of her and made her way to the private library in her wing of the palace.

Her newfound son was eating out of the palm of her hand like a lost puppy. With wide eyes, he hung on to her every word, like a stray seeking comfort and security from its newfound owner. Poor thing. She could not imagine the atrocities of living he must have endured in the dreaded Sublands. To not have any luxuries or wealth at all. She shuddered. Why he would ever want to return to that way of existence was beyond her. She needed to make sure he had everything his heart desired for him to remain. As their only male heir, her bloodline and the future of House Stromm depended on it.

She swept into the library. Floor-to-ceiling rich wood bookshelves filled with ancient texts, maps, and journals of Faevenly's stories and histories lined the four walls. A thick rug of red and gold with flowers and leaves covered the dark marble floors. The High King and Raelor the witch were waiting as instructed. They sat on the curved plush chairs in front of the crackling fire and rose to their feet when she entered.

"Sit," she commanded with a wave.

"Did all go well?" her High King mate Sylrick asked as he settled back into his seat. He had changed from his ceremonial threads into a simple silver tunic with black satin pants. One leg crossed over the other, his half empty goblet dangled from his thick fingers. "How does he seem?"

Raelor eased into his seat too, but kept his tongue and waited for her reply. Always plotting, that one. As long as it served her, she did not mind. Though he should have detected Avalynn's deception. And Maid Nia's too for that matter. Why must she do everything?

She went to the small table near the fireplace and poured herself a goblet full of red wine. "He is better than well." Her son craved his family like a desert wanderer desired an oasis. "It will not be hard at all to keep him here." She sipped the sweet liquid while facing Raelor. "Did you and Marina send the seeds and the food as I instructed?"

Raelor tipped his head. "We have." His grin grew and curled at the edges. "And I have arranged for their most unfortunate and untimely destruction along the way. With none the wiser." He closed his eyes and nodded. "You can truthfully say that the High Queen made good on her promise to her son."

"Very good, Raelor." Finally, he'd done something right. She still could not believe Maid Nia had been aligned with the Sublanders and had gone detected by the witch after all these years. Sometimes he was more trouble than he was worth.

The High King shifted in his seat. "What will we do about Avalynn? Now that we know she is a lowborn and possesses much information about our lives and palace business, something must be done about her."

"We have nothing to worry about," Lysandra sneered. The High King knew nothing about strategy. All he was good for was doling out intimidating glares and brutal handiwork. "The girl knows nothing. She always had her head in the clouds and paid little attention to the palace updates. Remember?"

"That is true," he agreed. "Worthless and unworthy."

She glanced at the fading cut on her arm. Her speedy fae healing had all but erased the mark. Yet rage simmered inside of her at the reminder of the abduction of her prince. Her offspring. How dare someone force her to endure a lowborn impostor in her palace for eighteen years. The audacity. "As for what we will do about her? Nothing. She will come to us. And then we will deal with her."

She had Mateo and would use his love for Avalynn to her advantage. The spark in his eye at the mention of her name was enough to make him weak and vulnerable. Like a foolish Sublander. She needed to bring out his Stromm-ness. It was in there, they had seen many glimpses. It merely needed to be unburied.

"And the Sublanders? The ones who performed the dastardly deed of switching one of theirs for one of ours? We were robbed of our son!" The king leaned forward, eyebrows tightly furrowed. He hurled his goblet into the fire then balled his hands into fists. Between clenched teeth he seethed. "We must find those responsible. Someone must pay for this injustice."

"Oh, we will find them, and they will pay. Every last one. The entire Sublands province will pay. They will still be banished. The ones that survive the Dragon's Bellow, that is. The hunt may have ruined our plans, but we will find another way. The light will come to me." Like it always did.

"I have no doubt, my Queen," he agreed in a much calm voice, then crossed his arms.

Lowering his voice, Raelor scooted to the edge of his seat. His diamond eyes dimmed to a sinister glow. "And what of the prophecy of the Only One?" His voice lowered even further. "Do you think this person is Avalynn?"

She had no doubt the person existed, and she fully suspected it was Avalynn. Why else would she have been hidden within her palace walls? And then later abducted away? There was more to Avalynn than they knew.

The Queen took a long drink of her wine. "Do as I say, when I say, and then all will be well." She grew tired of their questions and failures of foresight. "Only One or not, House Stromm will remain on top."