Crown of Betrayal (Wicked Kingdoms Book 2)

by Graceley Knox

  “Let go of me. This is a mistake. I will have all of you killed.” Her face is so red it’s almost purple. Spittle dots her chin as she curses.

  “Give it up, Odaine. We caught you. You’re done. You’re no longer the Queen of Goblin.” I wave goodbye to her.

  Ronan steps up and grabs her other arm. Between the two of them, they remove her from the room, kicking and screaming.

  I look around her chambers. Opulent is the only word to describe them.

  “What do you want us to do, Ev?” Kirin asks as he steps forward with Eryn.

  “Search everything. Something’s got to be in here, and if it is, we’ll find it.”

  *

  “She had to be the dumbest bitch in the realms.” Kirin mutters as we stare at the letters spread out before us. “She kept all of it. Right here. For anyone to find.”

  “Ego is the downfall of most, Kirin.” I remind him. “She helped him escape from the Light Elven Kingdom and she told him about Arela.” I rub a hand across my eyes. “Someone she called the Trickster helped her. We need to find out who that is.”

  Amren clears his throat. “I may be able to tell you who that is, but you will not like it.”

  I raise a brow. “Well, out with it. There are lot of things I don’t like today, but here we are.”

  “Puck. Will you come here please?” Amren walks forward and Puck sifts into the room next to him.

  “You rang?” Puck drawls.

  “We’ve found some things about a Trickster that helped Odaine. Can you shed any light on this?”

  Puck sighs and holds his hands out to his sides. “Please remember that I was the one to help you.”

  I don’t like the sound of that, but I keep my mouth shut and wait for him to continue.

  “I am the Trickster she refers to. I owed her a favor from a few hundred years back and she called it in.”

  “You fucking liar! I’m going to murder you.” I start forward only to be stopped by an invisible wall.

  “Hear him out, lass. He will explain it all to you.”

  “She called in her favor and I broke Cashel out of the Light Elven Kingdom. I helped him escape as she asked and I led him to you, Ever. I did not lead him to Arela. I would never harm a child.” He steps toward me. “What the Queen did not forbid in our bargain was me helping you as well. She only mentioned that I could not tell you, and I didn’t. However, I got you the Druids and I kept Cashel from you.”

  “Where is he now?” My tone is deadly as I stare at Puck. Betrayal runs through me like a river. It washes away all of the trust Puck had instilled inside me and leaves me cold and determined.

  “I don’t know where he is now–”

  “What do you mean you don’t know where he is?” I palm the blade in the sheath at my side.

  “He is shielded from me. I can’t seem to find him at the moment. But the moment he surfaces, you will be the first to know.”

  I look to Amren in hopes that he can do something.

  “I’m sorry, lass. I’ve already tried to find him. He is well protected.”

  “How is he so well protected? He is exiled from the Light Elven Kingdom, he is no friend of the Goblin Kingdom, and the Dark Elves would have nothing to do with him. His powers are nothing like this. How is he doing it?”

  “It could be a few things…” Amren trails off.

  “Like what? Let’s put our thinking caps on here people because every second we waste, that psycho is doing only gods know what to Arela.” A sob escapes me at the thought and I draw in a breath. “I can’t leave her with him. I can’t. I promised she’d be safe with us.”

  Dare walks forward and pulls me into his arms. I struggle against him and bang my fists against his chest. I can’t let myself accept comfort while Arela could be in pain. I can’t. Dare holds strong and lets me pound on him until I settle in defeat. I take a few calming breaths until my mind is no longer spinning and I see without a red haze clouding my vision.

  “I’m okay. You can let me go.”

  “Never.” Dare whispers at my ear before kissing my forehead.

  Warmth flows through me at his words and I stay in his hold a moment longer, letting his strength infuse my body. I step back and look to Amren. “I’m sorry for my outburst. So, what could it be that’s protecting him? What haven’t we thought of? Tell me what we can do to help you get Arela back safely.”

  Amren smiles softly at me before he speaks. His look speaks of understanding, not pity. I smile back and force my chaotic emotions behind a solid wood door in my mind. Later, when I’m alone, I’ll let them out and deal with them. For now, I’m not important. Arela is.

  “He could be working with witches or other Fae. There are a few that could be helping him within the Seelie and Unseelie courts, but it would be at a great risk for them. He would have to have offered them something very valuable for them to help him.”

  His words spark a thought in the back of my mind. Cashel wouldn’t be that bold, would he? “I wonder…”

  “You wonder what?” Dare asks as he rubs circles on my back.

  “Cashel had originally planned to overthrow my uncle for the throne of the Light Elven Kingdom, right?” The wheels turn in my head as I work it out and I think aloud. “What if he’s promised them an alliance with the Light Elven Kingdom in exchange for helping him stage a coup? But that doesn’t make sense. Anyone who is informed would know that Caddox had disowned him and he has no allies within the Light Elven Kingdom. Everyone also knows that he’s off his rocker insane. Who would listen to him? Who would be crazy enough to help a lost cause?”

  I step out of Dare’s circle of warmth and start pacing back and forth while I think.

  “May I offer a suggestion?” Puck asks.

  I look over at him with a scowl. He’d double crossed us. He’d broken Cashel out and he’d helped Odaine get Cashel to me. I understand a favor owed amongst Fae is a powerful thing but his betrayal is too fresh in my mind to accept anything he says as truth. That being said, something in my gut reminds me that he’s never harmed us. He’s only helped us at every stage of this game. What I can’t figure out is what’s in it for him? Why is he helping us?

  “Answer one thing first. What’s in this for you? Why are you helping me? Why become involved at all?” He opens his mouth to respond and I cut him off. “And if you say you got involved because of Odaine or that you’re magical I’ll stab you quicker than you can blink. No more word games.”

  “The prophecy.” He tilts his head and sighs. “The prophecy is the reason that I got involved and didn’t wiggle my way out of Odaine’s favor.”

  His words ring true to me and I accept them without questioning it. I just know he’s being honest. For the umpteenth time today, I remind myself to ask the Druids about the Mark of Truth when I get a second. “So you know about the prophecy. You said you didn’t when we were in the library.”

  He chuckles humorlessly. “No, I didn’t. I said I couldn’t make a book about the prophecy appear and that I’d look into it.”

  “More word games.” I groan.

  “Yes, word games. You don’t get to be my age without learning to turn a phrase.”

  “Let’s stay on topic. What does the prophecy have to do with Cashel and Odaine and me? How is everything all connected. Draw me a pretty picture and don’t leave any details out.”

  “You’ve heard the prophecy. You know as much as I do. I’m looking for more, but so far I’ve come up blank. I haven’t had the chance to get into the Light Elven Kingdom to look around.”

  “What if I could get you into the Light Elven Kingdom? Would you be able to find something?” An idea forms and I smile.

  “What are you thinking, Ev?” Doyle asks as he walks through the door.

  “I’m thinking that it’s time we spoke with Caddox and find out what he knows of my mother’s whereabouts. I’m also thinking that it’s time we speak with some of Cashel’s old contacts and see if we can’t shake some information out
of them. Any ideas on how we can get them out of Elven?”

  “Let me think on it a bit.” He hikes his thumb over his shoulder toward the doors. “In the meantime, Odaine is restrained and ready for questioning. You okay to do this?”

  I crack my knuckles.

  “I don’t have a choice. This is for Arela. Let’s go.”

  CHAPTER

  TWENTY-ONE

  After regrouping everyone and coming up with a plan of attack, we all head down to where Odaine is being kept. I rehearse what I’m going to say to her as my footsteps echo down the stone steps into the dungeon. It’s dark and dank and the acrid smell of urine tickles my nose. I clear my head and focus on calming my heartbeat and centering my anger. I push it from me like it’s a tangible thing until my head is no longer clouded by a red haze of rage. I let a smile curl my lips and I throw my shoulders back before I reach for the handle into her windowless cell.

  “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather one of us do this?” Dare mutters the question under his breath and places his hand atop of mine on the handle. “I would rather spare you this particular barbarity, but if you must, I understand, little álainn.”

  His words bring compassion and warm feelings to the forefront and my heart lightens at his words. They mean more than he knows. “Thank you, but I have to do this myself. Don’t worry, I’m pretty tricky.” I look over my shoulder and smile up at him. “Thank you for your concern though.”

  He dips his head and removes his hand without a word.

  I push those warm and fuzzy feelings behind that door in my mind and clear my head once more. Then I open the door and stride into Odaine’s chambers with a cocky swagger and a devil may care smile. Odaine is shackled to the back wall. Her arms are spread above her head in cold iron and her toes barely touch the ground. She’s got bruises gracing her high cheek bones and her hair is already in disarray. The goblins must have had a few words with her prior to my arrival. I’m not shocked. A betrayal by one of their own will mean that they squeeze every ounce of information out of her before they condemn her to die.

  Upon my entrance, Odaine raises her head and glowers at me. I smile wider.

  “Oooh. A scowl. I’m shaking in my boots, Odaine. Looks like you’ve already spoken to someone before me. Shame. I was hoping to be the first to get a crack at you.” My tone is drenched in sarcasm. “Whoops. Is that inappropriate? To say that?” I feign a gasp and widen my eyes. “You know what else is inappropriate, Odaine?” My wide eyes disappear and my tone goes flat. “Helping an exiled elf to escape and then further aiding him in kidnapping an innocent child in your care.”

  Odaine sputters a response, but I hold my hand up and shush her.

  “No no. I’m still talking. Hush now.” I flip my blade from the sheath and twirl it around my finger. “I think that you and I can come to an understanding, and that I don’t need to use any force. I think you’re going to tell me exactly what I want to know. Isn’t that right, Odaine?”

  I walk around the table in the middle of the room and stand a few feet from her. I continue twirling the blade around my finger as I weave a horrific illusion of what I’d like to do to Odaine for everything she’s done. She screams out in horror and I hold the illusion for a few more seconds. The door behind me opens but I don’t look back.

  “Close the door. She’s fine, and I’m not finished.” The door slams behind me and I take another step closer to Odaine. “Where were we? Ah, yes.” I tip Odaine’s chin up with the tip of my blade. “You were just about to tell me where Cashel is and where he’s keeping Arela.” I look directly into her terrified gaze and meet it with an unflinching one of my own.

  She doesn’t speak, she only stares at me. I flash the same illusion I had just given her in front of her again and I don’t flinch as she screams in my face. “Speak. Or the illusion will become a reality.”

  Her lips tremble and her body shakes in her shackles. “I-I d-don’t know where Cashel is.”

  I dig the tip of my blade into her skin and inch closer to her. “No no. I think you can do better than that, Odaine. Don’t disappoint me now.”

  “I don’t! I swear! I only got him out and gave Arela to him. Honest.”

  The word honest from her lips makes my upper lip curl in distaste and I tsk. “Oh, Odaine. I thought we understood each other. I said you were going to tell me where Cashel is, but so far the only words coming from your poisonous lips are more lies.” I construct a new illusion of what else I’d do to her if she didn’t tell me what I want to know and toss it at her.

  Her mouth goes slack and she whimpers in response. “P-P-Please. I-I’m t-telling the truth. I d-don’t know where Cashel is.”

  I grind my teeth. “Don’t play with your words, Odaine. You aren’t fooling me. You might put on a good show for the goblins in hopes that they’ll go easy on you, but you and I both know that you’ll be tried and put to death like the rabid dog that you are. Try to find a scrap of decency and make this easy for me. Tell me what I want to know or I won’t hesitate to make your final few hours so horrific you’ll beg for death.” I meet her stare head on and don’t blink.

  “You’ll never find her, you mongrel bitch! Cashel has her so well hidden that even the Druids can’t find her. Give it up. She’s another half-breed like yourself. Dirty and worthless.”

  I smile inwardly and wait patiently for her to hang herself.

  “He knows of creatures so vile that most don’t dare to look upon their wretched faces. They are exiled, too. In a way that makes them allies in hopes for a better future for those who have vision among us. You’ll never find them. Never.”

  A lightbulb goes off at her mention of creatures who are exiled in a way. There is only one other court known for accepting any and all Fae no matter their looks or abilities. The Unseelie Court. I laugh mirthlessly.

  “Gotcha, bitch. Thanks for the tip. I know exactly where to look now. All I had to do was wait for you to open your fat trap and gloat.”

  Odaine screeches in frustration and struggles against her restraints.

  I turn my back to her and walk back to the door. I kick at it with my boot, not wanting to touch its wet surface. Only the gods know whats on that thing. “Open up. I know where we need to look.”

  Odaine screams behind me once more and I look over my shoulder at her.

  “I’d say have a nice life but we both know you won’t be around long enough to enjoy one. Bye, bitch!”

  The door opens and I step through it with a smile on my face. I wait until it’s shut and lock the door behind me before I speak. “Cashel is hiding in the Unseelie Court.”

  “How do you know?” Dare asks.

  “Odaine said that Cashel knows of ‘creatures so vile that most don’t dare to look upon their wretched faces.’ Who else would accept the most hideous of the Fae other than the Goblin Kingdom? And we know he isn’t here.”

  “The Sluagh would. How do you know it’s the Unseelie? We can’t just fling accusations at them on a hunch, Ev.” Doyle reasons from his spot on the stairs leading back up to the main halls of the castle.

  “The Sluagh don’t harbor people who have been exiled. Odaine also said that those same creatures are also exiled in a way.” As a group, we all ascend the steps while we talk. “The Unseelie are known for being home to the unwanted from their own courts. For the fully Fae that are exiled, anyway.” We reach the top of the stairs and the light filtering in through the high windows touches my face. “Dare, do the goblins have any treaties with the Unseelie?”

  “We don’t have any treaties, but we aren’t at war with them either. Why?”

  “Because I’m going to go a knocking on their doors and if you’re with me it could cause issues. The Goblin Kingdom has been a great help to me and I’d hate to repay the kindness with a war at your doorstep.”

  Dare nods to Dagan and Dax. “Speak with father and Tore. See what they have to say. Make it quick. I have a feeling we’ll be moving at light speed.”

 
I look to Doyle. “Where’s Axel? I need him to get a message to my uncle so he’s prepared for backlash.”

  “I’ll go grab him. Be right back.”

  Everyone else around us scatters and I’m left standing there alone with Dare for what feels like the first time in forever. Silence stretches around us and I rock back on my heels.

  “Um, hi.” I look up at him from under my lashes and bite my lip. Um, hi? Gods, I suck with words sometimes.

  Dare steps closer to me. “Hello, little álainn. I think you and I need to clarify a few things between us.”

  I open my mouth to let a rush of words out but stop as his finger lands over my lips.

  “I know now is not the best time, but we do need to speak to each other. Without flinging insults and misunderstood intentions between us.”

  I don’t try to speak this time; I just nod jerkily.

  “Until we can speak more, I want you to remember something. Your safety is important to me because you are important to me. Not because of duty or politics, but because I selfishly want you all to myself.”

  My heart stops and then starts again at a breakneck speed. It beats loudly in my ears. So loudly that I’m sure he can hear it since he’s so close to me. “I-I…”

  “Shh.” He thumbs my lip and my tongue darts out to wet it. With a growl he pulls me roughly to him and crushes my mouth with his. Our tongues tangle and twist and desire thrums through me until I’m swollen and ready for him with just the feel of his lips on mine. Kissing Dare is like kissing a lightning strike. It lights up my insides and electrifies my senses until I’m numb with pleasure and too drunk on the sensations running through my blood to care.

  A throat clears loudly, followed by a few cat calls but I can’t bring myself to care. I take another sip from Dare’s lips and savor his taste.

  “Okay you two. Are you done groping each other for like five minutes?” Dax’s tone is laced with amusement as he pops his head over Dare’s shoulder and smiles at me goofily.