My mother snorted, the action comical, with all of her regalness. “He is half dead and still took down our guards.” She chuckled and winked at Emon. “You are much like your father, Daemon Ash Strider.”
Emon smirked at her.
Waving a singular hand at Emon she continued. “I thank you for being polite and not killing guards, your majesty. If you would, please demonstrate to my son what a futile attempt it is to restrain you.”
Emon raised his brows before he broke the shadows binding his hands in front of him with a fierce pull.
The cold hiss of Kade’s steel blade laid across the shifter king’s sword. “How is that possible?”
My mother sighed. “I grow weary of this. Kade please lower your sword. The shifter king is not here to harm us. If he was, he already would have.”
Kade glared at Emon before flicking his blade back into the shadows. “I want to know how you did that.”
Emon's head slowly turned to my brother and purred. “My secrets are my own, shadow fae.”
My mother arched a dark brow. “But not all of them.” Then she smiled politely at the king, her eyes trailing down to his unbound hands. “Let us cut these pleasantries for now.”
My mother stepped into Emon’s personal space with sudden concern, her pale hand reaching outward to cup his swollen face that was healing very slowly for a fae of his power. Worried blue green eyes looked up into his stormy expression.
“Are you in need of medical attention, Emon? Your father’s healer was once a great friend of mine. He would be most displeased if I didn’t insist on you seeing a healer of our own.”
Emon shook his head and pulled my mother’s hand from his face with care. “I thank you Eve, but I fear there is no time for that. I am well enough for now.”
I narrowed my eyes on Emon, he was playing with words. He was not well. Not even close.
“So be it.” She sighed seeing the lie within the truth. She took a step towards my brother who placed his hand on her shoulder in comfort. “Bane sent word that you were searching for my daughter. Tell us. What has happened to my little chickadee, where is my Remnant?”
Emon flinched. “She is safe for now, I believe…” His eyes grew distant. “I hope.” Then he shook his head. “But you and your people are not. Right now, as we speak, the Faerie Queen has an army marching in this direction to annihilate the shadow fae race.”
My brother interjected. “Our people can more than handle the queen’s meager forces. The City of Night is more powerful than her.Answer my mother’s question shifter. Where is she, where is my sister?”
Emon growled at him. “Pride will get you nowhere. Your city will fall and everyone in it, if you do not heed my warning. I am here because your sister would want me here to help save you. All of you. You must understand, there will be no mercy from the queen.” He stared hard at my mother. “You asked why I look like I was a prisoner? It’s because I have been, for three months, along with your daughter.”
My mothers voice caught and my brother cursed violently while shadows exploded around him. “That fucking bitch of a queen! I don’t know why Remnant ever trusted her!”
“I had to leave her behind to save you.” His voice cracked and he bowed his head with shame.
I gasped when Kade’s fist connected solidly with the shifter king’s face, having not seen him move.
“You left her there!” Kade roared.
My mother’s shadows quickly encircled my brother and pulled him forcibly back, away from the furious shifter king. “Settle yourself Kade Stellan Shea Dark!”
Emon snarled through his reopened split lip. “As much as I deserve that…know that I would never leave her defenseless, your sister is strong and I was able to at least break her bindings before almost being overpowered. I barely even made it here.” He looked at my mother beseechingly. “She will need you all to recover from what has been done to her. The queen will purge you of Faerie if given the chance, she will wipe your very existence from this world. Her hatred runs that deep. You must leave here before that happens.”
Kade turned to my mother with fury. “You cannot believe this shifter scum mother! His own father has been Remnant’s enemy for years, slaughtering innocent fae! Allow me to leave here and bring her back to us, unlike this shifter I am not leaving her with that bitch one second longer.”
“There are no innocent fae!” Emon snarled. “And if there was, my mother was one of them! My father has paid the price for what he has done.”
“Enough!” My mother snapped and suddenly her beautiful face looked very tired. “That is quite enough Kade.” She whispered, then straightened. “We must leave. I have seen it, I just didn’t know the when.”
Kade stared at our mother in horror. “You want to leave her there and leave her behind?” He shook his head. “No. I’m not fucking leaving without my sister.”
Emon sighed. “You are not dispensable Kade Dark, none of you are and that is what will happen if you go after her. But if I go, I am. Your sister will still have her family and live a happy life beyond this. Goddess knows she will need it.”
Kade’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “You speak as if you care about her…why?”
Emon licked at his bloodied lip watching my brother with indecision.
