House of Shadows (Royal Houses 2)

“Good,” she said into the wind. She was as ready as she’d ever be.

Fordham gestured for them to fly lower toward a small depression in the surrounding mountains. It was an uninhabited valley between two mountains, not nearly as large as Kinkadia, but Kinkadia was the oldest city on the continent. It had been here even before Fae began to inhabit it.

“There’s nothing down there,” she said.

The closer they grew to the ground, the worse she felt about landing. As if she were being repelled from the valley floor by a force of nature. Her stomach, which had finally been settling, began to grumble.

“I don’t like this.”

Nor I, Tieran admitted.

It must have taken a lot to shake a dragon. Whatever was in that valley was not something that she wanted to see. It felt like a physical presence against her mind, telling her to walk away. She swallowed and hoped they weren’t making a mistake.

Finally, Tieran landed softly in the moss-filled valley. Kerrigan slid off of his back with her stomach in her throat.

“What the hell is this place?” Kerrigan asked. “And why did we land here? I’ve heard of this place before, and nothing good can come from being near this valley.”

“You’ve heard of this valley?” Fordham asked as he dropped onto the moss next to her.

“Death’s Valley,” she whispered as if the air would take up the challenge. “No one flies over it or walks into it and returns alive. It’s only on maps to deter wayward travelers from venturing too near. They say the air is toxic and will addle your senses.”

Fordham looked amused by the notion. “Interesting propaganda. I feel nothing.”

It was the first time she’d noticed that he did seem completely unaffected. Meanwhile, she was practically cowering away from the valley.

“Why?” she managed to get out.

He gestured dramatically. “I give you the House of Shadows.”

Kerrigan frowned and followed his gesture, but she didn’t see anything. Just that sick feeling washing over her. “This is the House of Shadows?”

“You’ll see when we cross the dividing line.” Fordham shouldered his pack and then patted Netta twice. “You and Tieran should go. My home is no place for dragons any longer.”

Netta nuzzled his side, speaking directly to him. He smiled at her in a way that meant that their bond had clearly worked. Kerrigan had to look away from the display. She and Tieran would never have that.

She grabbed her own pack off of Tieran.

Don’t get killed, he said.

“What is this, sentiment?” she joked.

He puffed a hot breath out of his nostrils. Hardly. But if you die and I don’t, someone is going to know that we weren’t bonded.

She rolled her eyes. “As if that would be your greatest concern.”

Just don’t die.

“I don’t plan to,” she told him by way of good-bye and followed Fordham across the moss-covered path.

The farther they walked, the more oppressive the sensation got. Whoever had created this spellwork did a magnificent job. It completely repelled her and had ended up so ingrained in their history that Kerrigan hadn’t known Death’s Valley was hiding the mouth of the House of Shadows.

“How do humans and half-Fae end up on your property if it makes them feel this sick?”

“Usually desperation. The Fae have closed off their hunting grounds or refused them help. So, the only option is to brave us.”

Kerrigan sighed. Yes, that sounded very plausible. “Starvation or suicide.”

“Basically. Some of them aren’t repelled by the land though,” he said easily. “We weren’t the only people here when we were trapped behind the magical barrier. Humans and half-Fae coexisted with us, and many escaped during the Great War. Their descendants don’t feel the oppression and can come and go.” Fordham frowned. “It’s our one source of trade.”

“You trade with humans?”

Fordham’s face was like stone. “My father doesn’t like it, but he permits it. We have a sort of truce with a nearby village.”

“Interesting.”

So, Fordham wasn’t the first to work with the enemy. And they didn’t just kill humans and half-Fae, unprompted. Maybe she wouldn’t die on sight when she entered. Maybe.

“Here,” Fordham said, going suddenly still. “This is the border for the barrier.”

Now that Kerrigan was right in front of it, she could almost put the pain aside. She closed her eyes, putting her hand out in front of her. A humming vibrated against her hand as she felt the edges of the spellwork. It was ancient and powerful. Unlike anything she had ever seen before in her life. Completely invisible to the naked eye and yet all-consuming. To be able to have multiple uses—keeping the House of Shadows inside, repelling everyone else, and shielding its location—was a marvel. Even at a lucky thirteen casters, she couldn’t imagine any group being strong enough to contain this much power.

A shock hit her palm. She yelped and stepped back, breaking her connection with the invisible wall.