Read Online The Darkling Lord: Court of the Banished book 1 (Annwyn Series 4) by Shona Husk - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shona Husk
Ads: Link
Mortal women must fall at his feet the way human men would fall at hers if she let them. The only difference was she wouldn’t kill her lovers, at least not accidentally.
“There are plenty of places that need help. Hundreds of cities.” She’d gained an appreciation for the damage done by the plagues by reading the newspapers when she’d first crossed the veil, but the numbers were too vast for her to comprehend.
“I have to start somewhere.”
Was his plan bigger than just one city? Fairies hadn’t ruled the mortal world for millennia. Felan would never let that happen again, not under his rule.
Even other Court fairies who were in the mortal world weren’t attempting anything so bold. No one wanted to get caught up in mortal dramas. Except Henry. He’d rolled up his sleeves and was already up to his elbows. If she wasn’t careful, he’d be dragging her into the muck.
“It’s not your responsibility. Let the mortals fix their own problems.” Humanity had always come around after a fairy war. She knew her history and had listened to the singing stones in Annwyn when she was younger.
He turned to face her. “And who caused the mess? Felan and Sulia bickering for the throne. A battle that no one knows or cares about, and yet humans paid the price.”
“Fairies died too.” The snow had been stained with blue blood. The memory made her stomach tighten. There were a lot fewer fairies than there were humans.
“I heard it was a formal battle…what’s that, ten, twenty, thirty fairies each side?” he glanced over the top of his sunglasses. His eyes like chips of ice.
How did he know that? Did he have a source in Annwyn? Felan had given her this job in private. There was no one who knew of her mission, and yet she felt exposed. However, his information was incomplete…perhaps he had only heard gossip.
“Twenty per side. Eleven died of their injuries.” Felan had almost lost.
He snorted and shook his head. “Eleven fairies to half a billion humans.”
She blinked, not sure of the point he was making. Was he suggesting more fairies should’ve died? The plagues weren’t deliberate, just a sign that the worlds were out of balance. “You care more about humans than fairies? There are far more humans in the world.”
“That doesn’t make them less important.” He paused and frowned, his gaze sweeping across the field and the kids playing there. “Humans have shorter lives. They have to live harder and with more feeling. Until you’ve spend time among them you have no idea what it is like on this side of the veil.”
Maybe Henry had spent too much time with mortals. His emotions were getting the better of him, something no fairy would let happen. Yet he obviously saw something in humanity that she was missing.
“And you have spent no time in Annwyn.” He had no idea what it was like there and what the last couple of decades had been like as the old Queen had become crueler. “Felan has closed the Court and ordered fairies to walk this side of the veil.”
Henry’s gaze snapped back to her. “Felan, eh? First name basis with the King.”
He took a step back. Behind him, the long grass rustled and a dog barked somewhere in the maze of buildings. If Annwyn in winter was cold and brutal, Detroit was jagged and rough. But it was still possible to cut yourself with a blunt razor.
Henry wasn’t as blunt as he appeared. He’d caught her slip. She cursed herself for being so careless, but it was so easy to talk to Henry. And while she hated admitting it, she liked his plans. Part of her wanted to see if he had the courage to follow them all the way through and do what had to be done to become Mayor of Detroit and make it a thriving city again. What a feat that would be.
“I was his mother’s Lady for centuries. Of course I know her son. That doesn’t mean he has any affection for me or any of the other women who served his mother.” Not a total lie, but about as close as she was going to
“There are plenty of places that need help. Hundreds of cities.” She’d gained an appreciation for the damage done by the plagues by reading the newspapers when she’d first crossed the veil, but the numbers were too vast for her to comprehend.
“I have to start somewhere.”
Was his plan bigger than just one city? Fairies hadn’t ruled the mortal world for millennia. Felan would never let that happen again, not under his rule.
Even other Court fairies who were in the mortal world weren’t attempting anything so bold. No one wanted to get caught up in mortal dramas. Except Henry. He’d rolled up his sleeves and was already up to his elbows. If she wasn’t careful, he’d be dragging her into the muck.
“It’s not your responsibility. Let the mortals fix their own problems.” Humanity had always come around after a fairy war. She knew her history and had listened to the singing stones in Annwyn when she was younger.
He turned to face her. “And who caused the mess? Felan and Sulia bickering for the throne. A battle that no one knows or cares about, and yet humans paid the price.”
“Fairies died too.” The snow had been stained with blue blood. The memory made her stomach tighten. There were a lot fewer fairies than there were humans.
“I heard it was a formal battle…what’s that, ten, twenty, thirty fairies each side?” he glanced over the top of his sunglasses. His eyes like chips of ice.
How did he know that? Did he have a source in Annwyn? Felan had given her this job in private. There was no one who knew of her mission, and yet she felt exposed. However, his information was incomplete…perhaps he had only heard gossip.
“Twenty per side. Eleven died of their injuries.” Felan had almost lost.
He snorted and shook his head. “Eleven fairies to half a billion humans.”
She blinked, not sure of the point he was making. Was he suggesting more fairies should’ve died? The plagues weren’t deliberate, just a sign that the worlds were out of balance. “You care more about humans than fairies? There are far more humans in the world.”
“That doesn’t make them less important.” He paused and frowned, his gaze sweeping across the field and the kids playing there. “Humans have shorter lives. They have to live harder and with more feeling. Until you’ve spend time among them you have no idea what it is like on this side of the veil.”
Maybe Henry had spent too much time with mortals. His emotions were getting the better of him, something no fairy would let happen. Yet he obviously saw something in humanity that she was missing.
“And you have spent no time in Annwyn.” He had no idea what it was like there and what the last couple of decades had been like as the old Queen had become crueler. “Felan has closed the Court and ordered fairies to walk this side of the veil.”
Henry’s gaze snapped back to her. “Felan, eh? First name basis with the King.”
He took a step back. Behind him, the long grass rustled and a dog barked somewhere in the maze of buildings. If Annwyn in winter was cold and brutal, Detroit was jagged and rough. But it was still possible to cut yourself with a blunt razor.
Henry wasn’t as blunt as he appeared. He’d caught her slip. She cursed herself for being so careless, but it was so easy to talk to Henry. And while she hated admitting it, she liked his plans. Part of her wanted to see if he had the courage to follow them all the way through and do what had to be done to become Mayor of Detroit and make it a thriving city again. What a feat that would be.
“I was his mother’s Lady for centuries. Of course I know her son. That doesn’t mean he has any affection for me or any of the other women who served his mother.” Not a total lie, but about as close as she was going to
Similar Books
