To My Dearest Stardust, To My Dearest Moony - Fenrys' Mate

Chapter 5 - This Goodbye... It's Not Forever

Aelin

My court were all sitting silently around the table, waiting expectantly. Even Dorian and Manon were making a rare appearance, but considering the problem had escalated from Adarlan, I would've forced them both to come anyway. The silence was heavily weighted with the information I had dropped on them, even if it had been Rowan that had pushed me to tell them all in the first place.

Sylas. That had been the name of the intruder. He was a farmer not far from the castle so the information had lined up. The information he could give us at least, and according to Fenrys the house address Sylas had given us as his own had been burned down not a day before the festivities had started. It all checked out.

Not that Sylas had gotten away lightly. No, he had been rotting away in a cell for about five days since the commotion had started. Still had another few decades to his sentence which wasn't ideal, still having him kept in the castle grounds. I'd probably have to find a way to trick Dorian into taking him back to Adarlan... or just ask him nicely but realistically that wasn't going to happen.

"The guild then?" Aedion was the first to speak. As awkward as it was, it seemed to wear some of the fizzling tension down.

He was looking directly at Fenrys who looked worse for wear, like he hadn't slept for those five days either. Me and Rowan hadn't that was for sure. Or when one of us did the other would stay awake. Just in case.

"Someone from the guild, yes."

"Just the one person?" Lorcan had piped up now too. It had me relaxing slightly. That everyone was working together again.

The guilt that had been clawing at the back of my mind had been eating away at me constantly for days. I'd barely spoken to Fenrys since everything had happened, other than the odd nods in passing. What would I even say? There was too much I didn't even know where to start. Whatever I could come up with, I doubt Fenrys would feel comfortable hearing it either.

Thanks Fenrys for saving my daughter even when I never really believed your theory. At least I'd hoped it wasn't true. Even if it was, which it was, I'd hoped they'd come for me. They'd come for me and not my little girl. I'm sorry.

Well, I suppose that would do.

"I think one person's orchestrating it, yes. It's too messy for several trained assassins, it wouldn't add up."

Chaol was speaking next. "What are we going to do? We can't just go and interrogate the whole of the guild."

It had taken five days to get over the shock and at least start to come up with any ideas at all. We had very limited resources it would seem what with Chaol and Yrene going back to Anielle with Henric in a few days, Lorcan and Elide and Marion having to go back to Perranth, Aedion having to return further North with his duties, and Fenrys... well Fenrys would protect us, has protected us with all his heart and soul.

"Fenrys will travel back to Adarlan with Dorian and Manon, guising as our emissary." I finally spoke, everyone turning to face me. I turned to face the wolf, who sat wide eyed and as still as stone. I hadn't indulged him in that particular bit of information. It was cowardly of me, but I knew he would not cause such a scene with the whole of the court there. "Since he is most familiar with the reports, he'll stay in Rifthold and gather whatever information he can to deal with the situation."

"What makes you think whoever it is is heading back to Rifthold?" Fenrys' voice was restrained, but the hint of anger was there.

"Their plan failed. They'll want to get back on even footing to rethink strategies, gather resources etcetera."