Keeper of Storms (The Fallen Fae #3) - Jenna Wolfhart Page 0,40

it is you wish for me to know. Who is the murderer in our midst? Which female here has betrayed her king?”

The fire crackled and spit. Shadows seeped from the ground where the king stood, curling around his black boots. It thickened as it spread like a mist. Reyna slowed to a stop, horror and awe forming a knot of dread in her chest. She’d met a lot of people over the past few months who claimed to have contact with the dark god, but none had ever convinced her that Unseelie was doing anything other than playing a game with their minds. They were puzzle pieces and nothing more. Ants to push along down the path that he wanted.

This was something else. Unseelie was here.

Reyna glanced at the wood fae warriors. They still stood enthralled by their king. Or, more likely, by Unseelie himself. Did they even understand what they were seeing? Would they remember it when they snapped back, awakening from whatever strange slumber had befallen them?

“Oh, my great god, Unseelie. Must I sacrifice more blood to your flames?” the High King intoned.

“No,” Reyna whispered, her heart thumping as she stared at the innocent wood fae lined up by the fire.

The High King’s head jerked up, almost as though he’d heard her voice. His smile stretched wide, revealing the sharp teeth coated in blood. He swept his gaze across the war camp. Reyna’s heart thundered. Surely he couldn’t have heard her? Her voice had only been a whisper on the wind.

“Unseelie has spoken!” he roared, pumping his fist in the air. The wood fae warriors did not even flinch. They stared, a horrible, eerie silence twisting through the tents. The occasional flap of the emerald banners was the only sound.

“He has whispered the name of our enemy, the one lurking in our midst, the one who killed one of our own.” He shook his head, scowling. “Her name is Reyna Darragh.”

Reyna’s blood chilled as the world dropped out from beneath her feet. Swallowing hard, she glanced around. No one had reacted yet. And no one had twisted her way. Her heart hammered as she turned back to the king. He was eagerly sweeping his eyes through the crowd, trying to spot her amidst the sea of green.

She’d never been so thankful for Thane and that damn hair dye.

Breath rattling, she planted her feet firmly in the ground and lifted her gaze to mimic those around her. The king was likely searching the camp for movement. Reyna Darragh would be roaming around, gasping or crawling or darting through the tents. He knew she would not be enthralled, or whatever this was.

After too many excruciating moments of brutal silence, the king finally relented. He scanned the crowd once more, and then snapped his fingers. The warriors shuddered awake.

High King Ulaid Molt licked the crimson from his teeth. “I will find you, Reyna Darragh. And then I will relish every last drop of your blood.”

Reyna had officially run out of time. The High King knew she was here, and he likely knew why. Soon, Wingallock would return to her side, and she would be unable to hide him. She had to make her move fast. Picking up her pace, she rushed through the camp in the direction of the air fae tents. There was a large contingent of them on the eastern side, situated with a large chunk of blackened earth separating them from the rest of camp.

The largest of the tents squatted in the very center. Reyna made a beeline for it and ducked inside.

A dozen pairs of yellow eyes turned her way.

“Hi,” she said.

The nearest air fae scowled, a golden-haired female whose long limbs made her tower over everyone else. “What are you doing here? I thought you lot didn’t want to have anything to do with us, even though we’ve come down here to help your asses with this stupid siege.”

“There’s something I need to tell you, but I need you to promise to hear me out before rushing off to do something drastic.”

The golden-haired female edged closer, eyes narrowed. “I heard there was some kind of ruckus going on about a wood fae murdering another wood fae. That’s you, isn’t it?”

Reyna frowned. “That’s the least of our worries. You didn’t see what just happened out there?”

“What happened out where?”

“With the king.” Reyna pointed at the tent’s flap. It obscured the fire pit from view. “He rounded up a bunch of his own warriors and started to feast