Read Online The Darkling Lord: Court of the Banished book 1 (Annwyn Series 4) by Shona Husk - Free Book Online
Authors: Shona Husk
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discover it and tell Felan.
He regarded her for a moment. “No, another war wouldn’t be good for anyone.”
“Not even you?” He wanted the city, that much she’d gleaned. But there were bigger, grander cities he could’ve chosen. Not this glorified ghost town.
“Not even me. I came here once many, many years ago, back when it was thriving. I returned out of sentimentality, but also because people had given up on it. No one is keeping a close eye on things here. By the time they take a closer look, I want to have turned things around.” He spoke with a conviction she’d only ever heard in fairies with true ambition. The nerve to play to the wire and gamble every last coin. Her husband had been one of them; however, he’d lost.
Verden, the old Lord of the Hunt, had lost…maybe. He was married and living on this side of the veil, and his sentence had been commuted to exile. The only thing he’d lost was status at Court and if Felan had his way that would no longer matter. That idea still sat uncomfortably with in her. Without power and status what was there to live for?
Nothing. Even Henry realized that and he was only part banished fairy. She finished the soup and managed not to grimace. She’d be drinking plenty more soup before returning to Annwyn.
“In a thriving city that is fixing itself, I’d just be a cog. Here I can be…” He shrugged as though he hadn’t quite decided what he wanted to be.
“Lord?” she finished for him? “Lord of Greys and mortals?” Was such a thing possible? While it was true fairies had once been worshipped as gods, that had been a long time ago.
“They call them mayors these days and I’d do a better job than MacGill is.” The edge was back in his voice, as though even mentioning the name was distasteful. That was pretty much how she felt about her dead husband.
However Henry had revealed what he wanted. Power, even if he couldn’t, or didn’t want to name it. In that he was the same as any fairy. She was beginning to see why Felan was interested in Henry. Not only was he an adult darkling—which was rare given that they needed a new soul every year—he was also ambitious and friendly with Greys. Not just friendly, they listened to him and did his bidding. That was dangerous for mortals and for Annwyn.
Darah assumed MacGill was the current mayor who was supposed to be running the city. She may not have spent much time in the mortal world but even she could tell he wasn’t doing a very good job. “And once you have the city, what then?”
How big did his plans stretch?
He looked at her for a moment. His eyes were unreadable behind his sunglasses. She really needed a pair of them, not that she could imagine them being worn at Court. Most would scorn such a measure as a sign of weakness.
“Then I show both worlds what can be achieved if humans and fairies work together. Greys are not the rubbish Annwyn has thrown out. They aren’t evil or trouble makers—well, no more so than any fairy.” His lips curved.
“You want to reveal the truth?” Humans had stopped believing in fairies centuries ago…mostly. Was Henry really considering going back to the old ways? He couldn’t be old enough to remember them, surely? She wasn’t old enough to remember those days.
“I didn’t say that.”
No he hadn’t. Not explicitly anyway. But then fairies could be judged on what they didn’t say as much as by what they did say. Henry behaved a lot more like a fairy than a mortal. Not what she’d expected at all, and it intrigued her. She shouldn’t find the son of a Grey so interesting.
“Let me show you something.” He stood up and gathered up her cup, returning them to the window where they had been served. He spoke a few words to the man there, and both of them laughed.
People liked him, that much was clear. However, she was sure that if they knew what he did once a year they’d run.
The sidewalk was uneven, and there was litter piled up in places.
He regarded her for a moment. “No, another war wouldn’t be good for anyone.”
“Not even you?” He wanted the city, that much she’d gleaned. But there were bigger, grander cities he could’ve chosen. Not this glorified ghost town.
“Not even me. I came here once many, many years ago, back when it was thriving. I returned out of sentimentality, but also because people had given up on it. No one is keeping a close eye on things here. By the time they take a closer look, I want to have turned things around.” He spoke with a conviction she’d only ever heard in fairies with true ambition. The nerve to play to the wire and gamble every last coin. Her husband had been one of them; however, he’d lost.
Verden, the old Lord of the Hunt, had lost…maybe. He was married and living on this side of the veil, and his sentence had been commuted to exile. The only thing he’d lost was status at Court and if Felan had his way that would no longer matter. That idea still sat uncomfortably with in her. Without power and status what was there to live for?
Nothing. Even Henry realized that and he was only part banished fairy. She finished the soup and managed not to grimace. She’d be drinking plenty more soup before returning to Annwyn.
“In a thriving city that is fixing itself, I’d just be a cog. Here I can be…” He shrugged as though he hadn’t quite decided what he wanted to be.
“Lord?” she finished for him? “Lord of Greys and mortals?” Was such a thing possible? While it was true fairies had once been worshipped as gods, that had been a long time ago.
“They call them mayors these days and I’d do a better job than MacGill is.” The edge was back in his voice, as though even mentioning the name was distasteful. That was pretty much how she felt about her dead husband.
However Henry had revealed what he wanted. Power, even if he couldn’t, or didn’t want to name it. In that he was the same as any fairy. She was beginning to see why Felan was interested in Henry. Not only was he an adult darkling—which was rare given that they needed a new soul every year—he was also ambitious and friendly with Greys. Not just friendly, they listened to him and did his bidding. That was dangerous for mortals and for Annwyn.
Darah assumed MacGill was the current mayor who was supposed to be running the city. She may not have spent much time in the mortal world but even she could tell he wasn’t doing a very good job. “And once you have the city, what then?”
How big did his plans stretch?
He looked at her for a moment. His eyes were unreadable behind his sunglasses. She really needed a pair of them, not that she could imagine them being worn at Court. Most would scorn such a measure as a sign of weakness.
“Then I show both worlds what can be achieved if humans and fairies work together. Greys are not the rubbish Annwyn has thrown out. They aren’t evil or trouble makers—well, no more so than any fairy.” His lips curved.
“You want to reveal the truth?” Humans had stopped believing in fairies centuries ago…mostly. Was Henry really considering going back to the old ways? He couldn’t be old enough to remember them, surely? She wasn’t old enough to remember those days.
“I didn’t say that.”
No he hadn’t. Not explicitly anyway. But then fairies could be judged on what they didn’t say as much as by what they did say. Henry behaved a lot more like a fairy than a mortal. Not what she’d expected at all, and it intrigued her. She shouldn’t find the son of a Grey so interesting.
“Let me show you something.” He stood up and gathered up her cup, returning them to the window where they had been served. He spoke a few words to the man there, and both of them laughed.
People liked him, that much was clear. However, she was sure that if they knew what he did once a year they’d run.
The sidewalk was uneven, and there was litter piled up in places.
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