As the Queen approached, Ema felt her body freeze. She couldn’t help it! The woman was glowing with power, her stare sending chills up the Fae’s spine. The closer she came, the more Ema wanted to run in the other direction as fast as she could. Forget the guards. Forget the war. This was the bigger threat.

Still, she stood her ground. She’d been asked here. If it was to be killed, well, she would run.

The Queen circled Ema, looking over her form with a thoughtful frown. She stopped in front of the Fae and placed her hands on her hips. “I’m not making you a member of my Court.”

Ema blinked. That . . . wasn’t what she had expected to hear. Not once had she even considered the possibility of becoming a Courtier.

“I don’t care that you helped the other find me or that you’ve turned against Tara, you’re not joining my Court.” The Queen turned away, returning to her throne. “There’s a different role for you,” she said, now seated, “but I’m not the one you get it from. Call it a hunch for the future.”

That only brought up more questions but Ema managed to hold her tongue.

The Queen sat forward. “You’re probably wondering why I called you here.”

A nod.

“You probably think it’s to execute you.”

Another nod.

“It was very tempting. However, I was convinced otherwise.” There has a hint of disapproval in her voice, enough that Ema really did shiver. “Fortunately for you, their argument was . . . most persuasive. This means I owe you a debt for your aid in rescuing me.” The Queen sat back, crossing one leg over the other and resting her hands on the arms of the throne. She smiled with mock-sweetness. “What can I do for you, Ema Tana?”

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Ema’s eyes widened. A favour from the Queen of Lyriumia? From what she’d heard, those were rare. Beyond rare. To be able to ask anything from a Core Guardian . . . It was best to use that favour wisely. It could be dangerous.

“It’s either the favour or I kill you for attempting to kill two members of my Court alongside two old friends.”

A favour or death. Well, that wasn’t something one got every day.

Ema closed her eyes for a heartbeat. She took a deep breath and—

“Is there any way we can make this an ‘I owe you’ thing?” Ema asked. “I can’t really think of anything right now, but it could come in handy in the future.”

“And if you never get back to me?”

“You have my word,” she said firmly.

The Queen tilted her head to the side. “I really should just kill you . . .” She shrugged. “Oh well.”

The Queen tossed something to Ema. She caught it with ease.

Ema flipped the coin over on her palm. A small thing made of gold, the Queen’s sigil on one side and the sigil of Lyriumia on the other. Ema looked up at the Queen, confused.

“It’s my favour,” she explained. “I normally only give it to friends so they have an easy way to contact me should the need arise, but I do give them out to people who, as you say, want to do ‘an I owe you thing’.”

“Thank you . . .” Ema pocked the coin. She could only hope it wouldn’t be needed too soon.

A thump made her look up. The Queen was laying at the base of the throne, groaning in pain. Ema ran to her side but was pulled back by two guards.

“It wasn’t me!” Ema protested as they dragged her away. “She just collapsed!”

Another guard helped the Queen sit upright. “She’s telling the truth.” She moved closer to the guard and spoke in a low enough voice that Ema’s Fae ears struggled to hear. “Go to my father. He’s in the Conference Room, third floor from the top, with Leo and Colt. He would have felt it too. Tell them Iraliya is under attack.”

The guard nodded and dashed from the room.

Ema freed herself from the guards’ grip. “Go get a Healer or something,” she said, sitting beside her. Gods, the woman looked as though she would pass out from the pain.

“Go,” the Queen said at their questioning glance.

“One of your cities is under attack?” Ema asked.

“It is no concern of yours,” the Queen said.

“But I can help!” Her own words surprised her, but she knew they were the truth. “I can go to Iraliya and fight! I might not be one of your people or whatever, but I want to help. It’s the right thing to do, you know?”

The Queen met Ema’s gaze, her eyes flaring white. She sighed and waved a hand. “Go if you must.”

Ema nodded, jumping to her feet. She made it to the door, grabbing on to stop herself. She poked her head back into the Throne Room. “Hey, where’s Iraliya?”