Peri was about to tell them it was time to go when Ona appeared once again. The fae warrior bowed her head to Peri and then the others. “I am very sorry for your loss,” she said.
“You have suffered loss as well, Ona,” Peri said. “Vale and Talia were your close comrades. I am sorry for both of us.”
Ona nodded as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I didn’t fight in the battle because I was called back by the High Fae council to report to them on what was going on,” she explained. She must have seen the questions in Peri’s eyes. “You and Nissa have been very busy,” Ona said, “and they needed to know.”
“I agree,” Peri said. “I haven’t had time to keep them up-to-date on the seriousness of the matter, and Nissa has felt that she needed to be helping, as well, especially after Alston’s betrayal. Even when I asked for assistance from the warriors, I didn’t address the council.”
“They’re used to you doing your own thing,” Ona said good naturedly.
Lucian chuckled through their bond. Peri ignored him.
“You reported to them about the Keep battle?” Peri’s heart went out to the two high fae who had lost their children and part of her was glad she hadn’t been the one to have told them.
Ona nodded. “Dain and Disir needed to know.”
“Agreed.”
“They will be coming to meet with you in the sprite realm. And they will be bringing the fae warriors.”
Peri’s brow rose. “All of them?”
Ona gave a sharp nod. “All of them. The high fae elders who lost their progeny are out for blood. They won’t stand for the Order to get away with this travesty, and they also had great respect for Alphas Vasile and Alina and the Warlock King.”
“All of them?” Elle repeated Peri’s question. The fae army had never left Faerie, not in full force.
“It is time,” Ona said. “It no longer matters if the humans know of our existence, not at the cost of the lives of supernaturals who refuse to let their power corrupt them. If we let the Order pick us off one by one, who will be left to fight?”
“She sounds like Vasile,” Crina said. Peri saw a tear slide down the she-wolf’s cheek. She wasn’t wrong. It did sound like something Vasile would say. And Ona was right. They couldn’t let themselves be shaken by the loss. There was no one else standing between the human race and the Order.
“I would not be surprised if the other elders of my race show up, or at least one of them,” Jareth spoke up. “I am an elder, but not an active one. We take rotations on the council. So, I imagine one of the active elders will make an appearance,” he explained.
“Maybe,” Lucian said. “But Thadrick mentioned that an elder had been murdered just before we arrived at the Keep.”
Jareth’s brow lowered. “I didn’t…” He paused and closed his eyes. His shoulders slumped a moment later and then his eyes opened. “I haven’t been keeping in contact with my realm. It seems you are correct. I will need to check in with them. But I am sure they will still want me or one of the elders at the meeting in the sprite realm.”
“If I might make a request?” Lucian looked at Gavril and his mate as he spoke.
Peri knew what he was going to say, and she agreed.
“Gavril and Rachel, I know you have known Fane a long time and have been loyal to Vasile and Alina, but I think your leadership here would be the best way to serve the pack.”
Gavril nodded. “As much as we want to see Fane and let him know he isn’t alone, the Keep needs leadership.”
“You are an alpha in your own right,” Peri said. “There’s no one better to help keep order right now. And Rachel,” she said, looking at the sad face of the healer, “the injured need you, as does Bethany.”
“Will you please let Fane know we love him and are thinking of him?” Rachel asked.
“Of course.” Peri gave her a slight bow of her head.
“We will gather the remaining pack members here and fill them in. I’m sure they all know what we do: that Fane has taken the pack bonds.”
“You will need to stop any battles for dominance,” Lucian said. “Until the Great Luna blesses his position, the males, especially the more dominant ones, are going to feel the need to fight.