Free The Faerie Queen (The Faerie Ring #4) by Kiki Hamilton Page A

place as her primary bodyguard. It was only because Tiki had tricked him when she returned to London that he had been forced to stay in the Otherworld. She motioned at him. “Please rise.”
    The guard stood, his expression grim. He was younger than many of the guards and took his job with great seriousness. “I am here to protect you, Majesty. We’ve just received word that the hobgoblins have been routed from the northern part of the Wychwood. At Donegal’s request, the Redcaps set fire to their fields and homes. Those who survived are said to be headed this way.”
    “ I hope Gestle and his men are all right,” Tiki said. The hobgoblin leader had helped her and Rieker locate Dain when he’d been held prisoner in the White Tower.
    “ There’s a storm over Wydryn Tor that extends down into the southern part of the Forest. It’s so black you can no longer see the top of the Tor.”
    Larkin brushed passed Toran and continued down the hall. “It’s Donegal and he won’t rest. It will be up to us to stop him.”
    “ Toran,” Tiki said in a kind voice. “I’m going to need Aeveen. Could you gather her for me, please?” She felt bad about tricking the faerie again by asking him to get Dain’s horse, but he couldn’t possibly come with them to Scotland and she didn’t want to be delayed trying to convince him.
    “ Majesty—” Toran’s expression was fraught with worry. “It’s very dangerous right now. You shouldn’t leave our stronghold here. Donegal has gone mad.  They say he will kill anyone and everyone to get what he wants. I’ve heard he has even imprisoned the Court Jester and plans to feed him to Bearach’s hounds. You should stay here where it’s safe and we can protect…”
    “ What?!” In the space of a heartbeat Larkin was next to the man, gripping his elbow. “What did you say?”
    Toran ’s eyes widened in panic. “That the queen is safer—”
    “ No. About the Jester.”
    The guard shot a quick glance at Tiki before returning his gaze to Larkin. “We have word that the Winter King has imprisoned the Jester and plans to feed him to the hounds at the full moon.”
    Tiki let out a cry of dismay and covered her mouth with her hands. The Jester was a fixture at Court in the Palace of Mirrors—a colorful character who entertained whichever sovereign held the throne. Though an enigma who spoke in riddles and puns, he had been instrumental in helping Tiki and Rieker in the past and she’d grown quite fond of his humor and idiosyncrasies. He was one of the few in Faerie who seemed to hold no malice toward Rieker and their relationship.
    Larkin s wore under her breath. “I will kill Donegal with my bare hands if that’s what it takes,” she said. It was rare for her to show any emotion other than disdain, yet it was obvious she found this news about a man she referred to as ‘the Fool’ terribly distressing. “Where are they holding him?”
    “ That I don’t know,” Toran replied. “Olcán is undercover in the palace. Perhaps he knows.”
    “ Find out,” Larkin snapped. “I want to know by sunset tomorrow. We’ve only seven days to the full moon.” She jerked around. “Everyone but Toran come with me.”
    Tiki nodded at the young soldier. “Do as she asks. We need to know.  I’ll be fine.”  She followed Larkin down the hall, her stomach roiling with a sudden uneasiness. Dain fell into step next to her. As they walked, Tiki silently mused why the Jester, of all people, would elicit such a reaction from Larkin.
     
    THE TRANSPORT TO Scotland was effortless. Larkin had them link arms and the world dissolved into grey swirling clouds. To Tiki it seemed a stiff wind rushed against her body and turned her in a slow arc. The clouds cleared and she was there.
     
    THEY STOOD ON a small stone bridge that arched over a river amid gently rolling hills of sparse fields. It was much cooler than the Plain of Sunlight and Tiki shivered against the chill.
    “ It’s winter in