Netherby Halls

Two days had passed since they had lost Lana to Pestale’s death weapon. Two days since they fought beside the Seelie Fae to bring down Gaiscioch and the Dark monsters. Two days, and Pestale remained alive.

Chance’s thoughts were violent as he spoke to Pestale as though he were there. “There is nowhere ye can outrun me. I will track ye to the ends of the earth, and beyond if necessary. I have shouted it to the heavens, I am Chancemont LeBlanc, and I shall have yer filthy Dark Fae blood!”

Young Seelie Prince Trevor had joined him in this mission, and they would soon make tracks. He couldn’t deny the Seelie Fae his place with him, because of Lana’s memory. How he had objected to her little romance with the Fae prince, in no small part because Trevor was the younger brother of Prince Dante. Chance and Dante had fought on opposite sides of the war thousands of years ago, and though Fae and Milesians were no longer enemies and had in fact joined forces recently against the Dark Fae, Chance held no love for his former foe and no wish to see his sister falling for a member of the Royal House of Lugh, Dante’s brother no less! Now he wished she were with him … flirting up the lad once again. Och, but he could hear her laugh …

He berated himself. If only he had kept Lana on Dravo … in chains—it would have taken chains to keep her from the fight, for she had been too headstrong to listen. He should have foreseen this; he should have spelled her home.

The war with Gaiscioch was over. The Human Realm was safe for the time being. The two remaining Dark Princes had been returned to the Dark Realm, where they would forever remain imprisoned with Queen Morrigu.

Gaiscioch was dead—his evil but a recent memory—but Pestale had escaped and was somewhere in the human realm.

It rode him hard and drew blood that Pestale was free! Chancemont’s determination went beyond purpose, beyond thought, and took him to a place where all he knew was his need for justice.

So then, Chance had become a hunter.

He would capture the evil prince, and he would make his demands before he put him out of his misery—for he would keep him there, begging for death until he said Lana’s name.

And so it began.

~ One ~

Princess Royce of the House of Nimrough

“ROYCE!”

“Trevor!” She turned and tried smiling in spite of what she knew she was about to face on the other side of the door she had her hand raised to. Trevor was one of her closest friends. “What are you doing?”

“Long story—but I guess you know about … about Lana,” he said grimly.

“My brother told me, and I am so sorry …” She watched as his jaw stiffened and his face suddenly looked older. He must have fallen hard for Lana LeBlanc.

She reached out and petted his arm but said no more. She didn’t think he needed words. He gave her a crooked smile and sighed heavily. “I am off to meet with Chance, and then we will find the devil …”

“Yes, Trev, but I heard that he is the oldest of the Dark Princes and very cunning—you watch your back,” she cautioned, recalling an incident where he had been braver than he had been wise. She touched his face. “Trev … he can move in and kill you with the same sword he used on …” She didn’t want to say the name and see the pain in his eyes and quickly changed her warning. “He is ruthless, and you are not.”

“He may be cunning and ruthless, but I am a Seelie Prince of the House of Lugh. Danté taught me everything I need to know, and what he didn’t teach me, Breslyn did. You can rest assured that I am totally equipped as a Tracker and a warrior,” he said with a superior tone.

This pronouncement made Princess Royce laugh. “You are pretty darn proud of yourself,” she said affectionately and was pleased to see him crack a genuine smile.

“Sounded pompous, huh?”

She made a show with her thumb and forefinger. “Just a little … but I know, if anyone can do it, Trev, you can.”

He patted her on the shoulder. “Thanks and good luck, yourself.” He indicated Queen Aaibhe’s chamber with his chin. “I heard you’ve been called on the carpet again, for your wayward ways.” he smiled and shook his head. “You know, she once sent Breslyn into the middle of the ocean floor and took away all his powers …” His eyes teased, and he flicked a long tress of bright red hair before her eyes.

She pushed her hair out of her face and touched him, for she was genuinely worried this time. She knew he would not totally understand; Trevor did not care for humans. However, he would sympathize with her all the same. Instead, he released a bark of laughter.

“Don’t worry … she probably goes easier on her princesses.”

“Not this time …” Royce sighed. “I didn’t just bend the rules, Trev—I exploded them.”

“I heard,” he said softly and then added as he twirled another strand of her long hair and flung it across her nose, “It’s okay, Red—you couldn’t help it. Don’t know why these humans draw you in so completely, but she knows your state of mind is compassionate, and as wild as your fiery disposition, so don’t worry, she won’t banish you.”

He smiled and shifted off, and Royce took a long drag of air and blew it out slowly. She entered the queen’s chambers, and there she was—Aaibhe, Queen of the Seelie Fae.

The queen held her fingers pyramided, and she looked to Royce like she was … what? Royce couldn’t tell. She tried to see what those brilliant, iridescent eyes held—controlled fury? No—was it disappointment? No … ah, determination. The queen had most certainly made up her mind to handle the situation differently than she had in the past. Uh oh—trouble, Royce thought as she closed and then reopened her eyes. At least she’d remembered to change her jeans and T for a pretty blue silk dress and had blinked her hair into a thin gold band that held up the long strands on the top of her head in the style she knew the queen preferred.

The queen smiled softly, patted the chair next to her own, and said softly, “Sit, my Princess, and do not hesitate—explain yourself.”