Page 29

Ember giggled. I stepped forward, my talons pricking beneath my fingernails. “Have you seen a little girl around the age of five around here? She has black hair and blue eyes.”

The man’s face scrunched up as he thought deeply. Ember’s teeth caught her bottom lip as we both awaited his answer.

His face lit up. “Ah, now that you mention it, I did see a little girl fitting that description.”

“Where?” Ember asked, leaning over the table and pressing into the man’s space. He leaned back a little, blinking up at Ember.

“I, uh, saw her by my fields,” the man said. He looked at me. “I have a crop of Barmosvas growing. I was tending to them three days ago and saw a young girl flanked by two faes.”

“Did you see what the adult fae looked like?” I asked, my heartbeats picking up.

The vendor shook his head. “Nope. They were both cloaked. But one was shorter than the other, so I’m thinking of a female. She also smelled like you. Shadow fae.”

Ember’s lips peeled back at that.

Rosalana…

My muscles locked as rage boiled my blood. Inhaling sharply through my nose, I asked, “Did you notice anything else?”

The male rubbed at his chin, his gaze flitting upward. “Well…the female child they were carrying smelled kinda weird. Like a shadow fae but not one.” He chuckled. “Almost smelled like a werewolf, but that would be crazy as hell. ”

Ember and I exchanged a knowing glance. I returned my gaze back to the male. “Can you show us where you found her? It’s extremely important,” I said, pushing authority into my voice.

His brow wrinkled with indecision, his gaze flicking between Ember and me.

“Please,” Ember begged. Her lower lip trembled. “She’s my daughter. I need to find her.”

“She’s been taken from you, has she?” The male murmured.

He scratched at his cheek before sighing.

“Ah, what the hell. I can never say no to a pretty face. And if it’s a child that needs help, well, I’m a goner.

” He rose from his chair and reached under the table.

Rising to his feet, he held a sign in his hand.

He placed the sign on his table that read, ‘on break’ and circled the booth. “I’ll show you.”

Ember gave a watery smile. “Thank you,” she breathed.

The male nodded at her. He turned to me, and I dipped my chin in thanks.

The older male led us past the booths and fae milling about and outside the marketplace.

We walked for a few miles down a dirt road in the countryside.

Crops of various fruits and vegetables lined either side of the dirt path.

The golden grass shone under the light of the afternoon sun.

In the distance loomed the summer palace, its golden spires reaching toward the sky, the red tiles gilded crimson.

As we walked, I eyed Ember now and again, making sure she was faring all right with the distance.

She never complained, even when the sweat beaded her brow, and her long hair clung to the nape of her damp neck.

She just lifted her skirts and carried on.

Determination glinted in her blue eyes with every step she took .

At that moment, I realized what a great mother she was to our child. My lips parted as awe crest inside me.

“Here it is,” said the man, stopping at a fork in the road, another dirt path adjacent to the one we stood on. He raised an arm and pointed toward a crop of Barmosvas. “That’s where I saw her with the other fae.”

I stepped past the male and onto the dirt path.

I walked a little way before my gaze snagged on a set of footprints.

They were large. Male. Another smaller set padded alongside the footprints.

Female. My eyes narrowed as I saw a third set of footprints, tiny in form—before all three footprints mingled together, then drag marks appeared in the dirt before only two footprints remained.

There was a scuffle, I thought darkly. She was being led, then fought—hence the drag marks—before they picked her up and carried her the rest of the way.

Ember stepped up beside me. I saw her eyes flash amber as she took in the dirt trail. I slipped my hand into hers and squeezed gently.

“Your wolf is bleeding through your eyes,” I whispered to her.

Ember slammed her eyelids shut, fighting for control over her emotions, but when she opened them again, only blue stared back at me.

“Where does this dirt path lead?” Ember asked the summer fae male.

“Straight toward the palace,” the fae male replied. “Though it doesn’t remain a dirt path the closer it gets to the gates.”

I faced the male. “Thank you for bringing us here. ”

The male nodded. “I hope you find her.” He bowed his head, turned, and headed back from whence he came.

Ember whirled on Drake as soon as the summer fae was out of hearing range. “You think whoever took her resides at the palace?”

I peered up at the palace. “I’d say it's a high probability. And whoever has her would want her alive if they cared that much to bring her to the royal palace.” I looked to Ember. “I’m going to try a homing spell. See if that will help us locate Melodina.”

Ember blinked. “How can you do that?”

“She shares some of my blood, my DNA. The homing spell will work if I’m trying to find a part of myself,” I said. “It wouldn’t work any other way unless I put a tracker on someone first.”

Closing my eyes, I pulled for the power deep inside of me and felt the dark seed unfurl.

Raising my hands, I let the power bleed out of my fingers.

Dark shadows appeared. I chanted in the tongue of the ancient ones and bid the shadows to find one that shared my blood.

The shadows went forth, whipping across the land faster than lightning could arc across the sky.

I felt the shadows slip beyond the palace courtyards and through the doors.

Through hallways and chambers, up stairs, until I felt a tug at the seed of power within my core.

As if a bond was being pulled from the end of the string on the other side. Then the shadows dissipated.

I opened my eyes. “I’ve located her,” I told Ember. “She’s at the palace in one of the towers.”

Ember smiled in relief. “Thank stars,” she breathed. She swept her hands through her hair and bit her lower lip, blinking back the tears .

My lips parted, a reply on the tip of my tongue before I felt a presence. I snaked my arm around Ember’s waist and hauled her behind me. “Someone’s here.”

Through the tree line that bordered our right emerged five soldiers. Their golden metal plating creaked against each other as they stepped onto the dirt path. One of the solider’s lifted his helmet’s visor. Green eyes stared at us with a look of contempt.

“I told you Brucar, that I smelled wolf,” the soldier said to his comrade.

The muscles locked in my body at that. I felt Ember press into my back, her hand fisting in my tunic.

Shit! The spell must’ve worn off. I should’ve kissed her and spread my scent over her again after the market.

Ember let out a low growl now that her cover was blown.

The summer fae soldier cocked his head. “You see?” He told the others. A chorus of laughter rose from the four soldiers. “The bitch growls.” A sardonic smirk formed on his lips. “How about we shut her up for good?” The soldiers inched closer, their hands going to the hilt of their swords.

“Touch her and die,” I growled, thrusting my hand out to shield Ember.

Another soldier spoke up, a man with honey-brown eyes. “This doesn’t concern you, shadow fae,” he spat the word like it was a curse. “You’re in our territory, and you hold no jurisdiction here. Now step out of the way, or die with her.”

Ember pushed against my back. A quick glance behind me showed her fangs bared, body coiled in preparation for a fight. I pushed her back with my arm .

No way in hell am I letting her take on five well-trained summer fae warriors.

The smirk slipped off of the green-eyed soldier’s face. “Very well,” he hissed. He raised an arm, yellow sparks materializing in his palm. He thrust his hand out, and the sparks elongated into shards and flew toward us like missiles.

I swept my arm upward in an arc. A wall of shadow flames surged upward. The shards melted as they came in contact with the wall. I sliced forward, and the wall dissipated, revealing the soldiers gaping at me.

“S-sir,” one of the soldiers spoke to the green-eyed one. Probably he was in charge. “Those shadows…the flames…that—doesn’t that power only belong to the king of the shadow fae?”

“Impossible!” The head solider snarled. “What the hell would the king be doing here, and with a mutt of all things?” He pointed a finger at us. “Finish them!”

I dropped into a fighting stance as the four soldiers charged. They flew at me with otherworldly speed. I allowed a smirk to curve my mouth. I was faster.

The first soldier lunged, spinning around to deliver a fierce kick to my head. “I grabbed his ankle and spun around, flinging him into the air. Ember moved before I could stop her. Two soldiers went for her.

Fear shot through my blood. “No!” I formed a ball of shadow flame between my palms, but before I could blast the soldiers into cinders, Ember sprang into the air.

A blinding light filled the air, and out came a massive silver wolf.

Wicked fangs bared, and the silver wolf landed on the first soldier flattening him in the dirt.

He let out a sharp cry beneath her paws.

She launched toward the second soldier, wicked fangs bared.

The soldier unsheathed his sword, but before he could raise it, Ember’s fangs sank into his throat—shattering the metal plating and snapping his spine.

The soldier went down like a stone in water.

Ember looked at me over her furry shoulder, and the look was imperious.

I gave an open-mouthed grin. I was wrong. She can handle herself. And look damn fine doing it.

That left two soldiers left. They glared at us with open hatred.

Together, they shot toward us like arrows.

I raced to battle with them head-on. The green-eyed one shot more shards at me, followed by a slash of his sword.

I materialized a wall of shadow, disintegrating the shards.

Then sprang to the side as his sword swept past me.

Whirling, I caught the soldier in the ribs with a blast of my power that sent him sailing backward, his back careening with a tree trunk—his spine snapping.

I spun around, ready to help Ember take down the last remaining solder. My eyes snapped wide. Ember stood over a soldier. Claw marks fanned his front, slashing through the armor to the tender flesh beneath. Crimson pooled from the wound.

Ember padded away from the body, approaching me.

I stared up at the wolf. In this form, Ember towered over me, at least by three hands.

Her massive shadow swallowed me. A shimmering light erupted like a kaleidoscope of colors, and then Ember appeared in her two-legged form.

Her clothing was whole, having materialized on her body with the help of magic.

She folded her arms across her chest, and I couldn’t help but notice how it plumped up her already full bust. “I’m not the type of female to play the damsel,” she said, voice tart. She’d obviously taken offense to me trying to shield her.

“I can see that,” I said, eyeing her body count. I scanned the tree line. “We should get out of this area. There could be more soldiers on patrol.”

Ember nodded and raced after me. We ran through the fields keeping a breakneck speed until we heard the lull of conversation and the smell of market food up ahead. We slowed on a grassy knoll, the outdoor market becoming visible down below.

My chest rose and fell sharply as my lungs fought for breath. Ember stood beside me, panting.

“We…,” she panted, “have to…go back. We can’t leave…Melodina.”

Catching my breath, I replied. “We won’t leave her. But we can’t just waltz up in there. A shadow fae and a werewolf going to another sovereign’s dwelling—-that would be suicide.”

Ember threw out her arms. “But there must be some way,” she cried. She brought a fist to her forehead. “If only I were fae…I could get in there and get her out.”

An idea flashed to my mind at hearing Ember’s words, one I rebelled against instantly. I knew how foolhardy it was, but I also realized if I withheld the idea from Ember and she learned of it—she’d hate me forever.

I heaved a sigh. “I can cast a spell.” Ember’s head whipped toward me. My jaw worked. “It can give the illusion that you are summer fae. You could then sneak into the palace under the guise of seeking employment. ”

“Cast the spell,” Ember said without a moment’s hesitation. Seeing my reluctance, she stepped toward me and placed a hand on my shoulder. She peered up at me with pleading eyes. “Please cast the spell, Drake.”

I swallowed. “You won’t like what it takes to cast such a spell.”

Ember’s brows slanted over her eyes. “Try me.”

I held her intense gaze. “The spell is powerful and would require a strong bond between us in order to anchor the spell.” I inhaled, taking a bracing breath. “I need to use the mating bond.”

Ember nodded. “Okay, so do it.”

“A complete mating bond.”

One that would require a consummation to complete the ring of the mating bond. A consummation where both mates truly want it and are under no influence or distress.

Ember’s eyes slowly widened as realization sank in. Her hand fell away from my shoulder. We were left staring at each other, and for the first time in years, I felt at a loss as to what to do.