Through the Ether (Force of Nature Book 5) - Amber Lynn Natusch Page 0,30

thing he has to one. Faerie has permitted me to exist in exile without the king’s or queen’s knowledge. It will recognize me if she steps down.”

I looked back at Knox and Merc, the latter scrutinizing something and the former fuming.

“This deal dies with you,” Merc said matter of factly. “She cannot agree to something that would leave Faerie in turmoil upon your demise. That is a risk to our realm, and I cannot condone that.”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding furiously, “what he said.”

“But then you might seek to destroy me, as you do your mother and Phineas.”

“Well,” I said thoughtfully, “don’t come after my friends, my city, or anything else I care about, and you should be all good.” I glanced over at the witches and random fey in the room. “And you have to let them all go—unless they’re loyal to the current royals. You can keep those.”

Etherian didn’t speak for a long time—long enough to make us all super twitchy and nervous. Even Foust, who was always so steady and sure, bit at his lip as we awaited the mysterious entity’s reply.

“I will agree to your terms—provided you pass my first test.”

“Fine.”

“This should end well,” Kat muttered to herself.

Seconds later, the stone walls slowly pulled back like curtains on a cheesy game show to reveal a darkened tunnel. Two torches hung next to the opening, but their paltry light did nothing to illuminate what lay beyond. Ominous would have been an understatement for what we were staring down.

“This path will lead you to a portal back to where I found you,” he said, “but it is not without peril. Survive, and you may return home to prepare yourselves for the battle that lies ahead, for surely you don’t think that you are army enough against the fey royals…”

“How will we get back here?” I asked.

“Wherever ‘here’ is,” Jagger said under his breath.

“You are in the part of Faerie that no one knows exists.” Etherian’s growl echoed menacingly through the space. “The part that absorbed me when I was attacked and discarded and left for dead. And it was in my dying breath that the realm folded my body and spirit so deeply within itself that air and light would never again be mine—but it would allow me to exist in some form. I eventually grew to realize that what I once thought was a prison was actually something far better. I am the splinter cell of Faerie, and I would gladly see those who betrayed me destroyed. As to your question, you will return the same way you came.”

As I struggled to wrap my head around what he’d just said, I looked over at the witches. “What of your prisoners? The witches that belong in my world?”

“They will remain with me until you have passed my test—assurance that you will do as you say—then you can use them to fight the royals. The fey are tricky beings, as you well know. Deceit is one of their many gifts.”

The fear in Bea’s eyes flashed bright, then faded. She gave a tight nod to assuage my guilt and fear. The last thing I wanted was to leave her to her fate again, but our choices were limited. Etherian wasn’t wrong when he said our army wasn’t big enough. We needed numbers.

We needed to go home and call in the cavalry.

“How do we know you’ll do as you’ve said?” Merc asked, the wariness in his expression less than encouraging. “How do we know this isn’t a trick? A trap?”

“You don’t,” was his only reply.

Super encouraging.

Merc frowned as he turned to Knox and me. “I see no other way.”

“Agreed,” Knox said.

I let out a breath. “Agreed.”

“Be careful,” Bea warned. “This place is alive…ever-changing.”

“Sounds accurate,” I said, forcing a tight smile. The witch gave me a hug and nodded to the vampire king and alpha wolf.

“I wish you well. And we will do what we can to ensure your success.”

“We’ll be back for you,” I said, clasping her hand in mine. “I won’t fail you this time.”

It was her turn to smile. “You didn’t fail me. Sacrifices need to be made in dire situations—situations that threaten the balance of things. I did what I did gladly, and I would do it again.”

I squeezed her hand. “Well, this time you won’t need to. Just sit tight.”

“We must go,” Merc said. Without further preamble, he stormed toward the tunnel of doom and snatched a torch from the wall. Knox followed on his heels and took