Chapter 2

2

I stood in the throne room before the queen, also known as the Morrigan. Or, in my case, just Clark. We'd been friends before she'd ascended to her throne two years ago, and I rarely followed the protocol of titles. She didn't mind, and it was one of the things I liked about her. She'd give her left arm—and then her right one for good measure—for any one of us, and then she'd buy us a pint.

"Moira, what's wrong?" She stood from her throne, a wooden chair with a carved pair of raven wings that flared out on either side. It signified her bond with the birds. Clark was half-shifter instead of full fae. Most of the fae didn't mind, though some clearly did—like this mysterious male I'd run into at the fort. Her reign had not come easy, and it wasn't exactly surprising there were still those out there who might rebel .

I'd tossed the wig in the bin on my way to the throne room, and my golden locks hung in loose waves around my shoulders. "I found out what Anderson is up to. You're probably going to want to call in the others."

She searched my eyes and then turned to the male beside her. Her husband, Balor Beimnech. The two of them were mated, giving them a bond that most fae spent their entire lives dreaming of.

Not me. I hoped I never met my mate.

Muscular and brimming with power, Balor was one of the strongest living fae alive. Clark gave him a slight nod, and he strode out of the room without another word.

A moment later, he returned. With him, he'd brought the "managers" of the royal guard stationed in London. Kyle, a skinny, wiry male who was our resident computer expert. Ondine and Eoin, who took care of general security matters and paperwork, and Ronan, who wasn't even a fae. He was full shifter—a wolf—but he'd sworn his allegiance to Clark.

There were many more members of the royal guard than this, but they were on duty, patrolling the grounds, watching the security cameras. Some were on missions, like the one I'd just done, to keep on top of supernatural activities.

Clark gave a solemn nod to each of the guard team. "Moira has some news she'd like all of us to hear. "

I took a deep breath and filled them in on everything I'd heard. It didn't take long for the team to start peppering me with questions.

Who was he?

Is he part of House Athaira?

What else did he say?

I threw up my hands. "I don't know. He was literally on his way out the door, and I couldn't exactly ask Anderson these questions. He was suspicious enough when they spotted me eavesdropping."

"What about the name of the cauldron?" Clark asked. "If we could find that out, Kyle could do some research for us."

I shook my head. "They never said it out loud."

"Right." Clark nodded. "It's settled then. We need someone to go to Scotland and find out what this fae is planning. Find out what this cauldron is and make sure he doesn't get it. And Moira, I would like that someone to be you."

B ack in my room, I packed my bag. I didn't need much. Just a few changes of clothes and my toiletries. Even if I ended up staying longer than a few days, a spy mission wasn't the kind of trip where hauling around a heavy suitcase was very practical.

I glanced around when I was done, heart constricting. This place was my home. At the Court's home base in London, several hundred fae resided in the old Battersea Power Station that had been renovated into a beautiful residential complex. It was kind of like university halls, only fancier. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the sparkling lights of London, and a four poster bed hunkered beside antique artwork I'd collected over the years.

I'd lived here for a very long time. Everything I knew, everyone I cared about, was here.

I didn't want to leave, even if it was for only a little while.

A light knock sounded on my open door, and Clark poked her head through. Thick, wavy strands of brilliant red fell into her eyes.

"Mind if I have a moment?" she asked quietly.

I waved her inside. "‘Course not. I'm glad you came by."

She strode through the door and handed me a thin, long object wrapped in a black cloth. As soon as I felt the weight of it in my hands, magic zoomed through my veins, giving me a sudden burst of adrenaline.

"A sword." I arched a brow. "An old one, if the feel of it is any indication."

"To replace the one that fell into the sea." She gave me a meaningful look. "Can't very well have you going on a spy mission without your gift to back you up."

Every fae is born with one power, magical or otherwise. Mine is skill with the blade. No one had ever bested me in a one-on-one sword fight. Not even the queen herself.

I smiled and propped the sword against the wall. "Thanks. Mind if I ask you something?"

"You can always ask me anything. You know that. I might be the queen, but I am first and foremost your friend."

I swallowed hard and stared at the floor. That was why this entire thing was so difficult. "Why are you sending me ? Why not one of the other guards? I'm good at swinging steel. Not spying."

Amusement flickered in her eyes. "How can you say you're not good at spying when you've just sneaked into Pack headquarters and found out that a mysterious fae from Scotland is making plans to use some kind of cauldron against me?"

I opened my mouth, but then snapped it shut. "Okay, you have a point, but…"

Clark stepped forward and put her hand on my shoulder, squeezing tight. "But what, Moira?"

"You keep sending me out on missions, away from the Court," I said insistently. "I swore an oath to protect you. The best place I can do that is here. By your side."

Clark's smile dimmed. "I thought filling up your time would give you some purpose. You haven't been yourself since Elise died."

Elise. My heart constricted, and I closed my eyes. The pain still felt as fresh as it had the day Nemain, a sociopathic fae hellbent on the throne, had murdered her. That day, it had felt like half of my soul had been ripped away from me. It had never come back.

"I think it would be good for you to get out of London," Clark continued. "Besides, I don't trust anyone with this mission more than I trust you. You're the best of us, Moira."

I winced and tried to give her a smile. Little did she know, I was anything but.

I took the train to Edinburgh. The Court was wealthy enough to afford the flight, but the rail had far less of a paper trail. I'd left my wig in the bin and had gone for natural makeup. The traitor—which was what I was calling him in my head now—had only seen me for a fleeting second, but I didn't want to take any chances he would remember a purple-haired fae lurking in the loo.

When I stepped off the train and onto the platform at the station, a heavy mist immediately descended all around me. A chill sank deep into my bones. I buried my hands in the pockets of my leather jacket and turned my feet toward the castle.

The formidable castle that loomed over Edinburgh was home to House Athaira, the first stop on my tour of hunting down traitors. If he lived in this area, then he was most likely one of the many fae who called the castle home. Back when there had been seven courts instead of one, House Athaira had been part of the court in London. They had always been loyal to the crown. Until recently. They had sat idly by while Nemain had attacked us all.

Maybe it was because they'd been plotting against us all this time.

As I approached the castle, it was all I could do not to stop and stare. It was an impressive sight. Squatting on top of ancient volcanic rock, the stone fortress was protected by sheer cliffs and tall battlements that stretched all around. A slight tremor went through me. I had next to no idea what I would be walking into, and the place looked far more ominous in person than it did in the photographs I'd studied on the train.

With a deep breath, I continued the climb up the stairs and across the ancient cobblestones. Finally, I reached the castle. The arching double doors of the gatehouse were shut tight. On either side, flickering torches lit up the night. Over the door, three tiny windows looked down on where I stood. The middle window was covered by an elaborate shield, decorated with a sigil. One I'd never seen before. It was a cloaked figure surrounded by a full moon.

I strode forward and eyed the gargoyle knocker. Its teeth were bared and claws outstretched. Frowning, I tried to push open the door, but it wouldn't budge. So I tried a knock instead. A moment later, the heavy wooden monstrosity creaked open to reveal a petite brunette fae with purple eyes. Eyes that I swore looked deep into my soul.

She gave me a glance from head to toe before resting her gaze on the sword sticking out of my bag, still hidden in the folds of the black cloth. "What are you doing here? You aren't a House Athaira fae."

What a greeting.

"Nope. I'm a solitary fae. I'm sick of being on the run, and I want to check out your House."

The fae's nose scrunched up. Solitary fae weren't exactly popular. Outcasts and outsiders, they spent their lives alone. It was a terrible way for them to live, partially because the magic kept them from having access to the full strength of their power. Just like the shifters, we did better as a pack. Being solitary meant you existed. Being part of the Court meant you thrived.

"I'm sorry. I can't let you inside," she said in a strong Irish accent. She took a step back and made a move to close the door.

"Wait." I stuck out my boot to stop her from shutting me out completely. "At least let me talk to your Master."

She sniffed. "You mean King Lugh."

I tried to hide my surprise. There were no Kings anymore. No Princes or Princesses. Only Masters. They kept things chugging along at their individual Houses and reported directly to the queen, who had brought all the fae together under one rule. And this fae did not want me to come inside. Alarm bells clanged in my head. Something strange was going on in Scotland all right. And that something started right here.

"Erm," I said slowly. "I thought the leaders of the Houses were called Masters."

"House Athaira is different. Wait right here." She shut the door in my face. Well then.

I frowned at the brass gargoyle knocker. Maybe I'd be better off finding a window I could climb into, although this castle was infamous for being impenetrable. These fae were clearly hiding something here, and they didn't seem responsive to strangers.

I took a step back to look for some other way to sneak inside, but the door swung open before I could get far. It was all I could do not to gargle out a swear. The fae who stood before me now had midnight blue hair and a jawline that could cut through steel.

King Lugh was the fae I'd seen in the loo.