Page 40 of Escape from the Green

"Stirring, yes. All that business with the new heir of both Courts. But not killing. Not killing on Light land. Only a fool would do that. Or only someone who thought they were unstoppable. Perhaps because they are."

She was getting way too close to the truth.

"They found a letter, though."

"A letter?" I asked, trying to keep the worry out of my voice.

"Half of it was ripped away, but it was to that long-lost Winters offspring who the new Princess put claim on."

"Why would a poor, hungry family have a letter for the Princess's mate?"

"Precisely. And why did a Dark fae take most of it after killing them?"

Oh, fuck.

"Ah, see, I knew it," Smoky concluded, nodding.

"Knew what?" I asked. Maybe snarled. My heart was pounding too hard in my ears to know what tone I used. And, what's more, I didn't care all that much.

"That you had trouble written all over you. What trouble, I wonder, could you have with the Dark and Light fae combined?"

"Wonder will be all you do," I told her, spine stiffening.

If they had the letter, they knew about Amy being in the human realm. And they would know exactly when and where to catch her if they wanted to.

Which, apparently, they did.

Enough to slaughter an innocent family for no reason. They'd have given up the letter. When faced up with the Dark Court's vicious guards and the King's fondness to drag along Redcaps wherever he went, they would give them whatever they wanted. He wanted. I had a feeling this was no longer just about Jet, just about the Prince. It was widely known that he was a callous ass, but not evil, not like his father. If there was an innocent family slain - babes and babies included - that was at the King's orders.

And if the King wanted Amy, he wouldn't let anything get in his way.

"I know these parts better than most, you know," Smoky interrupted my thoughts. "Enough that I know a swamp is usually not just a swamp. Not when the water festers even in the depths of winter."

My head snapped up at that, finding her looking down at me.

"Enough to know that some fae hide because it is the only way to ensure their safety. Fae who have funny colors in their eyes. Funny colors like yours."

"What do you want?" I ground out between clenched teeth.

"You know, I don't know yet."

"I don't make one-sided deals with anyone. Only fools do that."

"Only fools or those too desperate to have a choice. Dark and Light colliding with you at the center, Draca, I think you will make a deal with me because of the latter. The form you are clearly not in right now."

"I have nothing to give."

"I'll be the judge of that," she told me, throwing her body weight forward suddenly, making my stomach lurch as she fell. Far too far for someone so slight.

But she landed only a foot from me in a crouch, her hand to the snow, rising up slowly to full height, surprisingly tall for a female, her chin angling up so that her strange eyes met mine.

"What do you even have to offer?"

"Closed lips for one," she told me with enough pride that I believed her. "But smoky quartz, it has this ability..."

"Ability to what?"

"To steer people where they need to go. Where do you need to go, Draca?"