Page 117 of Avalon Tower
“The time for being on the defensive has passed,” Sir Kay says. “Thanks to the efforts of our agents, we’ve procured a map of critical military locations in the Fey realm. We’ve been researching these locations, collecting information. Six of them, along the border, house Fey veil mages. As I’ve explained, once one of them dies, the veil becomes unstable. It is then that we can move large forces and strike, hitting other critical locations and stopping the upcoming Fey attack that Dame Campbell has seen in her visions.”
This is a mission briefing—the largest and most important I’ve ever been in. And it’s already clear what he wants us to do.
“The people in this room are the best agents among MI-13,” Sir Kay says, his gaze circling the room, meeting each one’s eyes. “And we’re sending you on the riskiest mission we’ve taken since the Fey invasion. We will send two groups to two locations along the border. Once there, our Sentinels will open the way to move inside Fey France. Each group will split into three small task forces and move toward the locations of the magicians. There will be six task forces altogether. We need you to kill the magicians. One is enough, but six is even better. Once that happens, the veil will fall, and I will lead a large surprise attack into Fey France.”
“What about the Pendragons?” Nivene asks. “I can’t help but notice that almost none of them are here. But of course, you did say the best agents are all here, didn’t you? So, I suppose that’s no mystery at all.”
Ginevra looks furious at this, which gives me a tiny shiver of pleasure.
Sir Kay sighs dramatically, and I get the sense that this is a long-repeated argument. Perhaps one of those arguments that made Nivene “bad at politics.” If they weren’t so desperate for Sentinels, I’m pretty sure she’d be long gone.
“Apart from Ginevra, the Pendragons will remain in Avalon Tower, monitoring our progress,” Sir Kay finally says.
Nivene snorts. “Right, sitting on their incompetent arses while we risk our lives, and they reap—”
“Thank you, Nivene,” Sir Kay snaps. “Your contribution, as always, is very much appreciated. The task forces have already been established, and I will now read them out. Group one, Freya and Serana. Group two, Nivene, Meliahad and Tana. Group three, Viviane and Antoreau. Group four, Nia, Ginevra, and Raphael. Group five…”
He goes on, but I don’t follow as he lists the rest of the groups. My task force includes me, Raphael, and a woman who might be his lover.
I catch his eye, and my chest cracks open.
CHAPTER 40
Icrouch behind a rock, the crisp September air rushing over my skin through the thin fabric of my dress. There’s enough of a chill today that the dewdrops have nearly turned to frost, and my elegant Fey disguise doesn’t offer much protection against the cold wind.
From a hillside, Ginevra and I are watching a small town nestled between fiery, autumn-touched hills, just inside the border of Fey France. From where we hide, a little dirt path wends down the hill to a cluster of stone houses and shops, and a church steeple gleams in the sunlight.
I peer through a metal spyglass at an ivory mansion at the edge of the town and the enormous ivy-covered walls that surround it. The veil mage’s mansion wasn’t hard to find. At three stories high, it towers over most of the other buildings in town, and the front gate looks fit for a king. It’s a gorgeous place—creamy stone with pale blue shutters that match the double front door.
And somewhere in there is the Fey we need to kill.
I peer through the lens again. The mansion is about three hundred yards away, but with the spyglass, I can easily see who goes in and out, making a mental note of each one.
We’ve been here for over an hour, searching for signs of an ambush, and my muscles ache as I crouch. Somewhere in that town, Raphael is scoping things out up close. Soon after we got through the veil, he rode ahead of us to scout, leaving us in the company of each other for the majority of the journey. Neither of us was grateful for that.
The golden light shines off Ginevra’s sun-kissed skin. “Well, American, I don’t care what anyone says about you. You are truly a scintillating conversationalist.”
I glance at her and raise an eyebrow, saying nothing.
“Sorry, you know what?” she continues. “What I actually meant to say is that I’m about to die of boredom after traveling for two days in your bloody tedious company. Do they not teach you how to speak in America, or do they just sit you in front of a TV when you’re a baby and hope for the best?”
Ginevra refuses to call me by my name, and at this point, I’m all out of patience with the Pendragon attitude. So, I’ve hardly spoken a word to her.
I let silence fill the air again and turn my attention to the tavern in town. It’s going to be our first stop on our mission.
“It’s a shame I wasn’t sent alone with Raph,” she adds. “He and I get along very well indeed. I know he’s demi-Fey, but he’s different to the others, isn’t he? He’s intelligent. Instead, I’ve got you for company.”
I clench my jaw. “I don’t see anything of concern yet,” I say sharply, ignoring her bullshit. “No hidden weapons that I could spot on anyone going in or out.”
“One of the men had a knife in his boot,” she says, her own glass held to her eye. “Perhaps that’s the kind of thing you’d notice with more experience. But I don’t think it’s a major concern.”
“Good.”
She turns to me, narrowing her sapphire eyes. “Did they really give you Avalon Steel on the basis of one trial?”
I plaster a smile on my face. “I received top scores in all other trials as well. I’ve earned it.”
“Ridiculous,” she mutters. “I doubt you actually have a primal power. It should have been tested more thoroughly. How does anyone know you didn’t bribe someone else to attack Wrythe?”