Keeper of Storms (The Fallen Fae #3) - Jenna Wolfhart Page 0,43

wood?”

She had a point. “The Empire of Fomor.”

“And you see, there it is.” Moina let out a bitter chuckle. “Both your kingdoms are the only ones with access to the trade routes. The rest of us don’t stand a chance of surviving against that.”

“Not anymore,” Reyna argued. “The High Kings of Ice, Sea, and Air have allied. And soon, the Wood Court…”

“Will fall?” Moina arched a brow. “You saw what we’re dealing with out there. Ulaid Molt is no normal High King. And here we always thought it was the shadow fae we had to worry about. He is drenched in Unseelie. He feasts on blood and bone. There is a limit to what he can do, but I don’t know what that is.” Moina shuddered. “I don’t see how we win against that.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Reyna said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice that betrayed none of the fear and uncertainty running rampant through her mind.

Moina laughed. “Forgive me, princess, but how?”

With Seelie’s powers. Reyna tipped back her head, but the tent blocked the sky. Where is Wingallock?! She’d never be able to access her fire or her ice until he returned to her side.

So, all she could bring herself to say was, “Ulaid Molt is not the only one with magic. We kill him, and his powers are gone. We can see the ships. We can break whatever control he has over his army. They’re all in some weird trance. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s controlling them somehow. Most will likely lay down their weapons if he’s dead. Those who refuse to surrender can be easily defeated with the number of fighters you have.”

Moina’s lips flattened. Her gaze grew dark. “So, what exactly is it you would have us do, princess?”

Reyna filled her in on the plan.

15

Reyna

“Your birds have been sent,” Moina said when she joined Reyna at the edge of the air fae’s zone of the war camp. She stood with her toes jutting out onto the scorched earth while the rest of her leaned back into the easterly wind. She had caused this destruction, whether it had been the night the Ruin had attacked the forest, or the fire that she’d started in Oxgrove to protect the village from the wood king.

Everywhere she went, terrible things happened. It had been that way for as long as she could remember.

It’s because you’re the Namhaid, the Ruin suddenly hissed, awaking from whatever slumber had kept it silent the past day. Your only role in this world is to bring upon its end.

Reyna stiffened.

That’s right. Did you think I would leave you? I can’t. Not when every move you make takes us all one step closer to the end of everything.

“Princess Reyna?” Moina shifted in front of her, blocking out the chaos of the wood fae camp. “Everything alright? I thought you’d be pleased we were able to get word sent to the castle and to our High King.”

Reyna blew out a heavy breath that felt as if it came from the very depths of her. “It’s nothing. Thanks for sending the birds. If Eislyn is inside, Thane needs to know. He’d never do anything to harm her.”

“Is it true that she’s his betrothed now, instead of you?” She cleared her throat, and then coughed. “Apologies, princess. Forget I just said that. It’s not my place, I know—”

“It was never love between Thane and me,” Reyna said. “We were both doing what we thought best for our kingdoms.”

“For the alliance.”

She nodded. “For the alliance. We needed a way to join our courts together, and that was it. Now, things have changed. I’m not certain a marriage is even necessary.”

“Princess…” Moina said with a strange smile. “May I speak plainly?”

“Of course.”

“There needs to be something to unite the realms,” she said. “A common enemy works for a time, but what then? What is to stop the fighting again? A marriage. Two great families putting aside their differences and joining together beneath the eye of our great god, the Dadga.”

“There are more than just two families involved, Moina,” Reyna argued. “What about the fae of the sea?”

“Ah.” She smiled. “Our High King is a sea fae. He is golden like the sun, but he is born of the salt and the mist and the waves. Our elemental powers always come from our mothers, remember?”

“That scarcely matters now. Not with magic gone.”

Moina gave her a wry smile. “You, of all people, know it’s not truly gone. It’s in the