Shadows of Discovery by Brenda K. Davies

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Lexi took a quick shower,packed a small bag of supplies, made an excuse to see the horses, and went out to the barn. She pushed open the barn door and stepped into the shadowed interior.

Though the sun still shone, it was near nightfall, and she’d brought the horses in before she started sparring with Brokk. Two of them had already been removed from their stalls and saddled to ride to the Gloaming portal. She was impatient to get to the Gloaming, but Brokk preferred to ride to the portal rather than open one.

Small bangs and crunches filled the barn as the horses pulled hay from their feedbags. She entered the feed room, collected a handful of carrots, and strolled out again.

As she moved down the row of stalls, they poked their heads out to greet her. She patted each of the horses on the neck and gave them a carrot while she searched the shadows.

Once convinced no one was around, she poked her head out the door. Brokk and Sahira stood by the stairs of the manor, waiting for her, but they were staring at the road while they talked.

She only had a few minutes at most to get this done. Ducking back inside, she rushed into the feed room, moved aside a couple of bags of feed, and exposed the trapdoor securely hidden in the floor there.

She lifted it only far enough to slip a piece of paper inside. On that paper, she’d hastily scrawled, Cole has returned. I’m going to the Gloaming. I will return soon.

She covered the trapdoor again, wiped her hands on her jeans, and left the room. “Goodbye, girls and boys,” she called to the horses. “I love you, and I’ll be back soon.”

The sound of them munching on their hay was her only response. At the barn door, she glanced back, but they were all busy eating their dinner. George would come to help with them, but Lexi still hated to say goodbye.

Apprehension gnawed at Lexi’s gut as she approached her aunt. She wouldn’t stay in the Gloaming long; she couldn’t leave Sahira here alone and clueless about Orin’s whereabouts, but she had to see Cole.

Sahira and Brokk turned toward her. Her aunt gave a wan smile as she opened her arms to Lexi. She wasn’t Cole’s biggest fan, but Sahira had jumped for joy and clapped her hands when Lexi delivered word of his survival.

They’d danced around the kitchen together as they hugged each other. Now, some of that joy had faded from Sahira.

“Please come with us,” Lexi said as they embraced.

“I can’t,” Sahira said. “I have potions to make, and I promised to deliver them to Eliza tomorrow. We can’t turn that money down.”

Lexi hated the idea of leaving her here alone. However, Sahira was right, they needed the money from her potions.

The newly forming marketplace was off to a slow start. It wasn’t easy to get immortals and humans to sell and shop there when dragons leveled the last marketplace.

Eliza, a witch who had decided to try her hand at making money in the human world, was eager to get a vast array of supplies into her shop. She was determined to become the place all immortals and humans went to when they needed something.

Because of that, she wanted a lot of goods available and had agreed to sell some of Sahira’s potions. Sahira was excited to bring more income into their home. They could certainly use it.

“I won’t be gone long,” Lexi said.

Sahira grasped Lexi’s hands and squeezed them. “If you think you’ll be gone for more than a few days, contact me. I’ll join you then.”

Lexi didn’t think she’d be gone for that long. Under normal conditions, she wouldn’t be in a rush to return, but these weren’t normal conditions. There was far too much that could go wrong here for her to stay away.

“I’ll contact you,” Lexi promised. “And Brokk will leave a crow here in case you have to contact us. If Malakai or the Lord’s men return, let me know right away.”

“Don’t worry about either of those things. I’ll take care of everything. Make sure you have your birth control,” Sahira said.

“Sahira,” she hissed, and Brokk chuckled.

Lexi’s face burned. Damn it, one of these days she would stop blushing so easily!

Sahira laughed. “Did you remember to pack it?”

“Yes,” Lexi muttered.

“Good.”

“I love you,” Lexi whispered as she embraced her aunt again.

“I love you too. Be careful.”

“You too.”

Lexi reluctantly released Sahira, lifted her bag of supplies from where she’d left it on the ground, and turned to Brokk.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes.”

A leaden weight settled in the pit of her stomach as she walked away from her aunt. She’ll be okay, and you’ll be home soon.

Lexi slipped her bag onto her back, grabbed the reins of her horse, and swung herself onto its back. Brokk climbed onto his mount and turned his horse in the direction of the closest Gloaming portal.

Brokk had assured her the horses would be safe in the Gloaming. Otherwise, she would have insisted on walking. She couldn’t wait to see Cole, but she wouldn’t risk the animals’ lives.

The ride to the portal only took twenty minutes, but it seemed to take forever. When she followed Brokk into the shifting darkness, the shadows enveloped her, and her heart raced with excitement and trepidation.

During the ride, she’d had far too much time to think. And thinking was not a good thing as it resulted in far too much anxiety. She had no idea what Cole endured during the trials, if they had changed him, or what would be expected of him once he became king.

She doubted the dark fae would be thrilled to know about her existence. She doubted they would embrace the idea of their half-breed king having a half-human mate. And she already knew Becca hated her.

It was another problem to heap onto her growing list of them.

When they emerged from the portal and into the Gloaming, some of Lexi’s tension eased when she spotted the palace in the distance. She had no idea what the future held for them, but Cole was in the palace, waiting for her, and knowing that eased all her other anxieties.

As they rode toward the colossal structure, she couldn’t stop herself from being awed by it. She suspected she could spend the rest of her life here and still be amazed every time she looked upon the sprawling spectacle with its peaked towers, dark façade, and spiked fence surrounding it.

As they drew closer, the dragon head drew her eyes. It was huge, and the monstrous beast had teeth that could squash a car. Still, she couldn’t stop a twinge of pity for it.

Once inside the palace gates, they dismounted. When a dark fae boy slipped from the shadows, she jumped a little, but Brokk didn’t react.

“Take the horses to the stables,” Brokk commanded the child. “And make sure they’re taken care of.”

“Yes, milord,” the boy murmured as he took the horses’ reins.

Lexi watched him lead the horses away before she shifted her attention to the palace doors. Despite her excitement to see Cole, apprehension built inside her.

What would he be like after the trials? Had they changed him? She loved him, but what would become of them? Would the dark fae accept him as their king?

“Come on,” Brokk said.

Lexi followed him up the stairs. Before they reached the doors, one of them opened to reveal a beautiful dark fae woman on the other side. The woman bowed her head to Brokk before turning to stare questioningly at Lexi.

“Where’s my brother?” Brokk inquired.

“He’s meeting with the council in the great hall,” the woman replied. “I’ll let him know you’re here.”

“No,” Brokk said. “Don’t disrupt them. We’ll wait.”

“As you wish, milord,” the woman demurred before slipping away.

Lexi gazed longingly at the entrance of the great hall. She was impatient to see Cole again, but she wanted nothing to do with that council.