A human seer and an elven prince have one thing in common: a missing sister.
Seraiah's dreams have a habit of coming true, but when all her dreams turn into nightmares, she fears for her sister's life. Each nightmare is a little different, but they...
Kai had put it off long enough. He needed to speak with Gavaran.
Rumors were swirling about his lack of power—and not in the magical sense, though that was technically true, too. There'd been less than flattering talk about his lengthy absence and the reasons for it. The elves did not believe Sterling was alive. Some thought him crazy.
Some thought to remove him.
While Kai knew there would always be a certain amount of discontent because he would never be able to please everyone—this was different. If left alone any longer, this would turn into a problem. It was one of many reasons he hadn't gone with Kestrel and Seraiah to meet with the Summer King. He'd neglected Nyrene for far too long.
Kai strode down the hall in the wing of the castle Gavaran had laid claim to. All of the council members kept rooms in the castle, but Gavaran was the only one who had taken up an entire wing. It hadn't always been this way, but in Kai's absence, Gavaran had set himself up nicely, knowing that even when Kai returned, there would be nothing he could do about it.
He scowled. None of this would be an issue if they didn't have a council in the first place. He wouldn't be made to feel like an outsider in his own home who needed to ask for permission to do anything.
As much as Kai wanted to do away with the council entirely, he knew it wasn't the solution. Perhaps it was something that could be addressed when his sister took the throne, but for now, he needed to work with them and present a united front to the elves.
The rumblings of discontent needed to be stopped.
Kai rapped twice on the door to Gavaran's study and waited. Besides himself and the two guards who followed him everywhere, the hallway was empty.
Minutes dragged by and no sound came from within.
Kai lifted his hand to knock again when a voice made him pause.
"If you're looking for my father, he isn't here," Virelai said.
He turned to find her watching him from a nearby doorway.
She smoothed her hands over her emerald green skirts and smiled at him from beneath her lashes.
Kai didn't want to be trapped into conversation with Virelai, but he needed to speak with Gavaran, and she was the only one around who might know his whereabouts. "Where is he?"
Virelai lifted one shoulder and let it fall. "Away."
Kai barely contained his eye roll. "When will he return?"
She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't know."
"Then tell him I would like a word when you see him."
"I will."
Kai turned on his heel.
"Not that it will do you any good."
The words were so soft, Kai wasn't sure he was meant to hear them. When he looked back, Virelai was already gone.
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