"I'M GOING to the Rumplewren." Andorra placed her hands flat on the table. "Vulara thinks that the Rumplewren may have answers about the daemonium. And, he'll know what this potion recipe is."

"Hopefully," Eve inserted, sharing a look with Andorra. "We can't be sure he'll know, or even that he'll entertain this visit. No one sees the Rumplewren uninvited."

Callum snorted, his arms crossed tightly against his chest. "I'll make him."

Oberon elbowed Callum in the side. "You're not going."

Callum's glare was dark as night and cold as winter. Despite the two of them getting over their argument about who was Andorra's head guard, Callum was still hard pressed to have his walls up around Oberon. "You don't make that decision."

"He's right, Callum. Nohx is going with me."

"What?" Coralia's voice chirped in excitement. "Really?"

Andorra's cheeks went pink. "It's not a date, Coralia. He has connections with the Rumplewren."

At this point, all of her council knew about Nohx. It was hard to keep a secret when they had all seen him at her Coronation Ball. And when most had already been made aware of their relationship, it was easier for all her close friends to know.

It still didn't make it less embarrassing somehow when Coralia lit up like a lamp at the mention of his name, as if he were some high school crush.

"Still." Coralia was grinning. "When are you going?"

"Am I the only one who thinks it's unsafe for you to go to the Woodland Forest without a guard?" Callum's voice was angry, but he was still glaring at Oberon. Shadows clung to his legs as if they were a wall there to protect him.

Oberon rolled his eyes. "Obviously Nohx will be there to protect her. Can you relax?"

Eve let out a sharp laugh. "Relax? Callum doesn't understand what that word means."

"Okay, okay. Either way, we need to figure out the best way to have Roseria's presence alerted. Do you think having guards posted at her apartment is enough? She can create gates, and therefore she can hide pretty well."

"She needs that ring you had. To block her from creating such gates." Clini suggested. "And just think, you don't have relatives here. So only you could break it off of her."

It would be a brilliant plan, if she knew how to create that power. Or even track Roseria down enough to slip it onto her.

"But how would I even give it to her?"

"Who is she close to?"

Andorra mulled that over. She wasn't really sure that Roseria was close to anybody. She didn't seem like the sort to have friends. And if she had been close to Blakeley, well, he was gone. As was Anders.

"Kyle. I think she talks to Kyle." Which, Andorra had to admit, didn't really get them anywhere. She wasn't close enough to Kyle to have him do a favor for her. And Andorra wasn't foolish enough to even step foot in his presence, not when he hated her guts and wanted to see her memories stolen from her.

"Andorra and I saw him. He's becoming desperate. Maybe if we force him to do this task, we could entice him with the chance to speak with the Queen. He wants an audience with you, Andorra. Use that to your advantage."

Mar perked up. "He can only wipe your memories by seeing your eyes. I did some reading on this particular magical skill. So I say you wear sunglasses to your meeting."

"I say we blindfold you. No access to your eyes whatsoever. And you can bring Callum and Oberon to guard you."

"That seems a little harsh, Eve," Coralia hedged. "Blindfolded? I feel like Andy would be in danger."

"No, Eve is right. But I have a better idea. We should just blindfold him before he meets with me. That way, he can't hurt any of us."

It was a solid plan, to Andorra. If she could convince Kyle to do this for her, under the assumption he would be able to meet with her, he could potentially save them all. An unlikely hero, but he didn't even have to know the reason.

By the time the meeting wrapped up, Andorra was feeling a little bit better about what was happening in Anlithamy. Of course, there were too many unknowns for her to feel completely at ease, but at least they had a plan.

Something still nagged at the back of her mind. Perhaps it was because she knew it was dangerous to even consider asking the Rumplewren for help. Even if Nohx was there, it wouldn't necessarily keep her safe. The Rumplewren wasn't foolish, and neither was she.

And Nohx was another thing entirely. Guilt ate at Andorra, knowing he had his own duties back in the Winter Court. He shouldn't have been traveling back and forth between the Royal Court and the Winter Court, not as often as he was.

As soon as her friends left the Council Room, Andorra sat for a moment. She felt like the answer should have been right there, right in her grasp, easy to reach. But even though she was Queen, she still was missing gaps of knowledge about Anlithamy. Gaps of knowledge about being a fae.

Hornwell was where she needed to be. Maybe once all this was over and Anlithamy was in a stable state once again, Andorra could go back. Be the student she needed to be so that she could be the best Queen for Anlithamy.

"Andy, staring at the table isn't going to help." It was Coralia's soft voice in the doorway. There was a pitying look in her eyes as she stepped forward. "We'll figure this out. Together. And we'll stop the incoming war, too."

She glanced at the open door of the Council Room, stitching her lips together tightly. There was very little she could share when prying ears could be listening. And any sign of weakness could get her killed.

"I know we will. Somedays, it just feels like this is all happening so fast. And you're all missing school and your studies for this. For me." Her sigh sounded harsh, even to her own ears.

"Hornwell will always be there. And for the most part, we've all been raised in this life. You think Callum was learning anything substantial at Hornwell when Prince Puck is his father? Or, Eve. You think Eve doesn't have all of this on lock? We're fine, I promise."

"But what about Mar? And Bort and Hans? They deserve schooling. They don't deserve this." Andorra waved her hand around the room, then rubbed her forehead with disdain. She felt jittery and anxious. She felt like she was making mistakes, and she'd only been Queen for a blink of an eye.

Coralia pulled Andorra into a hug. Her voice was soft and calm, like she had been training for this exact scenario. "Andy, breathe. Everyone wants to be here, doing this. And if Hornwell is that big of a deal, then we could go back to class. I mean, maybe not you, but the rest of us could. It's not off the table."

Andorra's nod was stiff, but she agreed. She wondered, not for the first time, if she was cut out for this. Maybe going back to Hornwell after all of this was over wouldn't be the worst decision.

* * *

"You're ignorant. What do you mean you haven't had the chance?"

Roseria paced in the dark shadows of the trees, her hands knotted in her hair. The burning sensation snaked up her throat, feeling for a moment as though a hand were wrapped there tightly, cutting off airflow. Panic flooded her mind, her burning chest tightening in response.

"They have your father's apartment completely guarded. As in, guards standing at the door, down the hallway, in the apartment itself. There's no going in there." Kyle's voice was agitated, but there was a hint of fear. Like Blakeley, he feared Roseria. Something about her felt unhinged, uncontrolled. She could erupt at any moment, and Kyle was well aware that hiding on the outskirts of the Woodland Forest would leave his dead body unfound, possibly for years.

He fiddled with the sleeves of his jacket, his eyes tracking Roseria carefully.

"If you don't get the potion, then we both will continue to suffer. Got it? Sometimes I think you're a bigger idiot than Blakeley was! Get into the apartment, no matter what. You have powers, or did you somehow forget about them during your time in the human realm? I mean, c'mon. Pathetic."

Kyle had contemplated using his powers to take on the guards. Afterall, he was no novice to using what he had to gain the upperhand.

But Roseria herself wasn't entering the apartment either. Was it due to fear of the guards? Why was she making Kyle do it? He couldn't figure that part out. Was he just her lackey? That thought irked him more than it should have.

Anger was quick in his veins. Why was he always treated like second class no matter where he went? The caste system, again and again, destroyed any chances he had at being the fae he dreamed of being. He wanted it all; the power, the authority, the social standing.

And still, even while working for the Royal Court, he was treated as a dog.

Kyle's hands bunched into fists. "It's more complicated than that, and I think you know it is. Or else you would have visited the castle yourself."

Roseria spun on him, her eyes wild with desperation. She stepped up to Kyle, and in one quick movement, had her hands in his jacket, lifting him off of the ground. He dangled there for a moment, mouth wide in shock.

"Don't start talking to me like that. You won't find it very endearing if you do."

More than anything, Kyle hated this. Hated feeling helpless. He lit himself on fire, finding pleasure in the way Roseria dropped him with a yelp, tending to the burns on her own hands. He wasn't her lackey, or her dog. He was more than that, and he was determined to prove it.

"I think you'll find yourself in a worse situation if you try to manipulate me, Roseria. I've put up with you, but I'm not your servant. Find the potion yourself." Kyle brushed himself off, stepping away from her. His body was locked in fight or flight, but she didn't have to know that.

"I know you're burning too!" She screamed, losing a bit of composure. "I know you're in pain. Stop acting like you're not! Stop acting like you're better than I am. You made the same mistake-"

"You're fucked, Roseria. Seriously fucked. I don't need the potion because I can still finish my contract. But you..." Kyle trailed off, shaking his head. "You'll never save yourself."

* * *

Hello!

Sorry I've taken a little bit of a break. I've had the hardest school year of my life, and it's made writing really hard for me. I can't even seem to make time to write, never mind write something decent.

I appreciate everyone for being patient though!! It was not my intention to start this book and then fall off the face of the earth -- I truly did not realize what kind of school year this would be, and it had eaten up all of my sanity. no joke.

Next chapter, Andy goes to see the Rumplewren. guess we'll find out what creatures are lurking in the woodland forest ;)

XOXO