Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 127026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 635(@200wpm)___ 508(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 127026 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 635(@200wpm)___ 508(@250wpm)___ 423(@300wpm)
Arbor brushed a stray tear from her eye. “Neither can we.”
“How did this happen? Your letter was so short.”
“We were terrified of it falling into the wrong hands,” Arbor admitted.
Prescott shut the door behind them and came to her side. His hand settled on Arbor’s shoulder. “We weren’t even sure you’d see us after our letters to Fordham went unanswered.”
Kerrigan grimaced. “Ah, you haven’t heard?”
Arbor’s eyes were wide. “What happened? Is he okay?”
“I wish I had answers to those questions,” she admitted. She hated having to talk about him with anyone, but they deserved to know what had happened. In fact, they knew him best. Maybe they knew something of where he had gone. Though she needed to find out more before she revealed the whole story. “He left as soon as he returned to the mountain. I haven’t seen him since.”
“What?” Prescott asked in shock. “Why would he leave?”
Kerrigan shook her head. “I think I’ll hear your story first before we go further.” She looked around the small apartment. It was nothing special, and yet it cost money to have something like this in a nice part of Kinkadia. Money that she had no idea how two refugees—even full-blooded Fae noble refugees—could acquire. “How did you get here? Why aren’t you in the House of Shadows? How do you have this apartment?”
Arbor sighed, draping her hair forward over one shoulder. “Let’s sit.”
Kerrigan followed her to the table. A far cry from the opulence they were used to back at court. It was just a simple wooden set with a loaf of crusty bread and a jug of wine. Prescott poured for all of them, but Kerrigan had no intention of touching the drink. She remembered how the siblings used wine to forget what they endured at the House of Shadows. Today wasn’t the day for it.
“Fordham saved our lives,” Arbor began.
Kerrigan opened her mouth as if to object and then thought better of it. That wasn’t what she had anticipated. “What do you mean?”
“I mean exactly that. We were trapped in Lethbridge after the end of the battle, and he came for us. He used his shadow magic to get us out of the city and told us to come to Kinkadia, where he could help us.”
“We had no idea that he would be missing when we got here,” Prescott said, squeezing his sister’s hand.
“No. He made it seem as if we would have refuge here with him,” Arbor said soberly. She glanced once at their dire circumstances with defeat. “Obviously, that wasn’t the case. I was lucky to bring some money and jewels with me to arrange food and lodging as we trekked into the city. We’re using the money now to get by, but it won’t last forever.”
Kerrigan knew exactly how far gold could get them in the city. They could probably stay here for a few months on whatever they’d taken with them, if they pinched their coins. But what did the nobility know of saving money? And worse … if they were caught, things could get a lot worse for them.
“You know the terms of surrender? If they find you here, they’ll deport you back to the House of Shadows,” Kerrigan said evenly.
“Yes. We heard the terms as soon as we arrived in the city. We’ve taken new identities. We’re Fae who are without a tribe. We came in from the north and are in search of employment,” Arbor said as if the story didn’t have a thousand holes in it.
“And you need my help,” she gathered.
Prescott leaned forward, placing his hand over hers. “You are the only person in the city we know. It’s not that we want to inconvenience you, but we know no one.”
Kerrigan withdrew her hand slowly. Another refugee case that she didn’t know how to handle and a more complicated one because she couldn’t do what she had done for Ben and Bay for this pair of siblings. They were nobles and Fae. It would look strange if she employed them.
“And as for Fordham, I’ve had no word from him in weeks. Before he vanished, he left me a letter, saying that he was going to break his curse. You wouldn’t have any information on that, would you?”
Arbor and Prescott shot each other a startled look.
“He said it was impossible,” Prescott said slowly.
“Yes, because the witch was outside of the mountain,” Arbor said.
Kerrigan’s heart soared for the first time. This was the first she’d heard word of someone knowing anything about the curse. Perhaps they could help her find him, keep him safe.
“A witch?”
“He must have gone after her,” Prescott said.
Arbor nodded. “We might have an idea about where he’s going.”
Kerrigan wanted to know more. She wanted to find out right now. But she understood then that this was transactional. In exchange for her help, they would help her find Fordham. They were the only ones who could.