Read Online The Winged Fae (The World of Fae) by Terry Spear - Free Book Online Page B

asked, her tone sharp, her patience gone when neither of the men responded.
    She thought she heard the guards snicker. If she was queen, they’d be sitting in the dungeon. At once!
    ***
    Deveron had the untenable task of explaining to his mother how they had not only lost the winged fae’s trail at the Renaissance fair, but also lost track of her in her own kingdom. Niall had still been with the princess, and Deveron assumed that her mother, Queen Verbenia of the Mabara, would have incarcerated Niall by now. Although he also thought once Niall took Serena home, he would have returned to the Denkar. But when Deveron arrived at the castle, he quickly learned Niall hadn’t returned home. No one had any messages concerning either Serena or Niall. Which worried Deveron.
    Maybe the Mabara didn’t realize Serena had been in the dark fae dungeon. But how would the princess have explained having been with Niall? None of it made any sense.
    Ritasia met Deveron in the hall leading to their mother’s throne room before he reached the entrance, and she quickly pulled him aside. She looked fretful, and he felt her anxiety, too. As highly annoyed as he was with Niall for freeing the pixie–like fae, he was concerned about him.
    “Is he safe? Have you found him?” Ritasia asked.
    “Nay. Well, and aye. We found his trail in the meadows surrounded by a forest. According to our maps of the region, the Mabara’s royal castle is a couple of days walk from that location. We don’t know if they returned to the castle or not. But at least she’s safely within her kingdom’s boundaries.”
    Ritasia scoffed. “I don’t care about the winged fae, dear brother. She has caused our poor cousin enough grief.”
    “Our cousin caused his own trouble. I still cannot believe he freed her from the cell!”
    “Yes, well, you would have had to have done so as soon as our mother returned and you learned Serena was the Mabara princess, not just any royal winged fae.”
    “True, but I would have brought her to see our mother and not taken her to a human Renaissance fair!
    “Why would she go there, I wonder?” Ritasia asked, her head tilted to the side in puzzlement.
    Deveron pondered her words. “Seems odd, doesn’t it?”
    “I’m going to check it out.”
    “I’ll go with you.”
    Ritasia raised her brows. “I thought you were going to see Mother and apprise her of the latest news.”
    “It can wait. I’d like to know exactly why Serena took Niall to the fair first.”
    “Maybe you could get word to Alicia and the three of us could go?”
    He smiled. Neither the king of the dragon fae nor the queen of the lion fae approved of Alicia and Deveron seeing one another until she was officially of age to marry. But that didn’t stop them from making the effort every chance they could get.
    ***
    Niall headed through the flower meadows for the woods in the dark, unable to sleep any longer, even though he still felt like he was trying to overcome some horrible sleeping sickness. Moving one foot before the other, he began to walk along a forest path. If there were thieves about, he dared any of them to mess with him as rotten as he was feeling.
    He hadn’t gone far while carrying a fae light to illuminate his way when he heard someone muttering away. He headed in the direction of the elderly woman’s voice and soon spied a stone croft with a single candle glowing inside and a light that looked as though it emanated from a fireplace.
    He knocked at the door, intending to get directions leading the quickest way to the castle. When the woman quit speaking but didn’t open the door, he hoped to set her mind at ease and called out, “I’m Niall and am seeking the Mabara royal castle.”
    The woman opened the door and peered out. She was gray–haired and hunched over, leaning on a hand–carved wooden cane, the top forming the head of a bird of prey.
    “I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Niall said, politely.
    “Why would you go to the castle?