Page 84 of A Deception of Courts
Aldrick had access to magic, to fey and an army of Hunters. But the one thing he didn’t have was a Nephilim. If anything, the warriors set us apart. It was time to utilise our strengths – even if the risk was so great that we may not all make it out alive.
“The risks outweigh the rewards, Robin Icethorn,” Rafaela said, her voice reverberating around the cluttered room. “However, I stand with you. If this is our only chance of stopping Aldrick, then it must be taken.”
“I don’t like it,” Duncan glowered. He stared at his clasped hands resting on the table before him. The whites of his knuckles were stretched with tension. “You are giving yourself to him willingly. Why not tie yourself up in a red bow and burst out of a box? That would be a better surprise.”
I gritted my teeth. It caused me great discomfort to hear the panic in Duncan’s voice, and I knew he was right. But we were talking about a desperate situation, there was never going to be an option that pleased everyone.
“Duncan, it will happen quickly. He will be so focused on the fake version of me that he’ll not expect it when I actually appear. I will kill him before he has a moment to register the deceit. Would you rather we wait for Aldrick to make the first move? Because so far, that hasn’t worked in our favour.”
“I would rather you were not the ploy,” Duncan said, slamming palms on the table. “Anyone else, butnotyou.”
“Believe it or not,” Gyah grumbled, spinning a dagger with her index finger. “I am with Duncan on this one. Robin, your plan is well thought out and clear, but if he invades your mind and discovers the illusion you have weaved, it will be over for you. He will kill you, weaken Duwar’s gate, and we will be one more person down in our efforts to stop him once and for all.”
“What if this isouronce and for all?” I asked, growing frustrated. “I didn’t ask you here to vote or deliberate my plan. What I hoped for was your support.”
I looked to Althea, silently pleading for her seal of approval. She wiggled forward in her chair and leaned on her elbows as she spoke. “When Robin asked me to break into a human prison and save hundreds of captured fey, all without being caught or killed by Aldrick and his band of crazed human cultists, I believed he had lost his mind. But I buried those worries and focused on how I could help him. I trusted in his judgement, and because of that, we are all sitting here together. Yes, we all agree this is dangerous, but not impossible. If it works, we save hundreds of lives.”
“No, it is much bigger than that. We save the world.” Rafaela stopped her pacing, white ruffling as she straightened her posture. “Aldrick is a weak, tired and bitter old man. His power is great but not undefeatable. It wouldn’t take much force to end him, we simply need the means to get close enough to do it. Giving him access to, what he thinks is, a force he’s yet to poison, is exactly what can distract him.”
“You haven’t faced him yet,” Duncan hissed, as snakes of lightning sparked across his narrowed eyes. “Aldrick is strong. All it would take is for him to invade Robin’s mind for a moment, and he will become the puppet master. He will take what he desires and do it over, given the chance. We have seen what has escaped the gate your Nephilim are protecting. What will emerge next?”
I stood abruptly, demanding everyone’s attention without asking for it. “Enough.”
No one uttered a sound. I looked to the seat Kayne should’ve occupied if he’d not conjured an excuse not to join our meeting. I wondered whose side he would’ve taken in this conversation. It wasn’t impossible to imagine that he would have advocated for my plan, enjoying the risk I put myself in by doing so.
For the first time, I actually longed for his presence. I could’ve done with another person rooting for me.
“Seraphine and her sister worked for Aldrick and, all the while, kept their minds from his grasp. If they could do it, so can I.” I raised my chin, forcing the confidence that I felt inside to radiate outwards. “What we need for this to work is Mariflora. Doses strong enough to keep Aldrick from controlling us. There you go, a resolution to the problem you keep coming back to.”
“Then it will be me,” Duncan snapped, gripping my hand. “I can’t let you go alone. I’ll offer myself to do this. If you are tobecomesomeone else, I will become you.”
“No,” I felt the urge to laugh as I refused.
“Robin has already asked me to partake in this,” Rafaela added. “And I have accepted.”
“It was not a suggestion,” Duncan said, desperation dripping from his voice, gaze snapping between me and the Nephilim. “I’m telling you both: I am coming with you or this fucking plan ends here.”
“I can’t accept that of you,” I said, breathless at Duncan’s offer.
“You do not need to. I know what it is I am offering, and I don’t take it back. We do this together. I’ll have your back, and you’ll have mine. And if it comes to it, I will do anything to give you the time to complete the task.”
We fixated on one another’s eyes. I searched his for regret at his offer, and he searched mine for something else entirely. Althea, Gyah and Rafaela faded into the shadows of the dimly lit room until I believed it was only the two of us, all until one of them cleared their throat.
“Whilst you debate who is prepared to throw their lives before Aldrick, I will send word ahead of our arrival in Aurelia. Mother will wish to meet us. I can then prepare a visit from the fey with the abilities we require for this to work.” Althea pushed up from the table and stood, a determined scowl set on her face.
“We leave for Aurelia tomorrow. I don’t want to leave it any later than that,” I confirmed. What I wished to say was the longer we waited, the more chance Jesibel had to haunt my dreams. There was no telling what information she could glean out of me next – that was, if she came back.
Althea tipped her head in agreement. “I will prepare one of my soldiers to ride ahead within the hour. They will have at least a few hours’ notice before we arrive in that case.”
“Which will give me time to ready the fey I’ve been training to protect Berrow when the time comes. I hardly imagine they believed it to be so soon, but I trust they are ready to defend their home and themselves.” Duncan stood now, still gripping my hand, which I was thankful for.
“My purpose is to prevent Aldrick from collecting another of Altar’s keys,” Rafaela added firmly, her wings flinching at her back as she spoke. “This is why I must be the one to go with Robin, not you, Duncan.”
She was right, no matter if Duncan refused it.
There was an unspoken detail to my plan, one that I’d discussed privately with Rafaela before this council meeting began. I’d glossed over when explaining my plan to the group, because I’d promised Rafaela not to share it.
Rafaela was the only one with the knowledge of these keys. Which meant she was the only one who knew how to destroy them. For the sake of not letting that information spread further than it needed to, I vowed to keep it between us.
