Page 23

CHAPTER 23

MIRA

There are four of them. Ghastly, dead looking creatures that salivate and stumble as they approach us from all sides. I start to think we might outrun them, when the nearest one suddenly jumps and covers a huge distance, and the other three follow suit.

Can’t you fly us out of here? I ask Kaiden. I still can’t believe we can communicate mind-to-mind without uttering a single word aloud.

He aims a regretful look my way. I can’t summon wings when in the presence of a greshhlin. No highborn fae can. They’re able to dull our magic just enough to prevent us from making a quick escape. But don’t worry, little nymph. I can still fight, and I can create wards.

Wards. Fighting. I glance among the greshhlins and wonder what I might do to help. You described these things as being more spirit than physical creatures. They look solid enough to me. I’m not sure why it matters, but I feel like I’m trying to solve a puzzle. There’s something here. Something big, but I can’t quite grasp it yet.

Just wait. You’ll see. He takes my hand and pulls me close, then lifts his free hand and moves it in circles as a slight hum emanates from his throat. I guess he’s trying to create a ward.

Hm. Trapping the greshhlins in a ward sounds like an okay idea. But it’s a temporary measure. Otherwise, Linnshire wouldn’t need so many highborn fae to constantly fight and maintain wards against the greshhlins.

How long does one of your wards usually last? As I watch the creatures, I finally understand why he’s referred to them as spirits. Their bodies become translucent in the glow of the ushha-blessed forest.

Days. Sometimes a week. Long enough to get you out of here and seek reinforcements from Linnshire. Long enough to hopefully save that nearby town of faefolk. He glares at the nearest greshhlin while continuing to swirl his hand in the air. The creature sneers at us and reveals its sharp yellow teeth.

Kaiden hurls a beam of blue light at two of the greshhlins that have moved side-by-side, and it expands around them and prevents them from coming any closer. Immediately, Kaiden concentrates on the blue cage of light and causes it to shimmer. The aroma of honeysuckle fills the air. Despite the seriousness of the situation, I muse that I love how he smells when he’s wielding his Summer Court powers.

I notice that the greshhins trapped in the ward aren’t translucent in the ussha glow anymore. They look quite solid. They look like old, rotting creatures that are still somehow able to walk the lands. Creatures whose souls the gods forgot to extract and send to the afterlife. Whether the beings I’m staring at have souls, I’m not certain, but I sense their wickedness. Their absolute corruption.

From my peripheral vision, I notice the other two greshhlins coming closer. Still clutching my hand, Kaiden spins to face them and emits a thunderous growl. However, I don’t turn to meet the free greshhlins. Instead, I focus on the trapped ones. The two smaller creatures that are contained in the ward my mate just erected.

They look dead, rotting, and they’re now entirely solid in appearance.

I gaze at the glowing plant life, and my fear starts to subside. From death comes life. From rot comes growth. I find myself wishing the nearest trees and shrubs were sustained by the most fertile soil. I find myself wishing that they would take everything they might need to grow taller and stronger.

Ear-splitting screams rend the night, and Kaiden pauses in his ward creation. He glances at me but keeps one eye on the approaching greshhlins.

What is happening inside the ward, little nymph? His tone brims with disbelief but also a sense of awe. Their aura is fading. I can feel it. What are you doing?

Nourishing the forest. Finish making that second ward and I’ll show you.

Holy gods, I can scarcely comprehend what I’m doing. Simply by wishing the soil was more fertile, the greshhlins within the ward are becoming smaller, shrinking before my very eyes. Their expressions are twisted with terror. They know they’re being destroyed. They know they’re being consumed .

I release Kaiden’s hand and step away so I can caress a tree. During my time on the road, I’ve found that my wishes for the plants are more quickly met when I touch and speak to them.

“ Mira .” Kaiden’s voice is heavy with admonishment and fear. Fear for me. “Get back here.”

But I’m busy destroying the first two greshhlins, and I’d like to do whatever I can to hasten the process, so I follow my instinct to stroke the leaves on the lowest branch, gently tickling the undersides as I murmur cordially to the tree. “Such a beautiful, hungry tree you are. I know you want to be bigger. Taller. Stronger. Don’t you? I know you want to take more nourishment from the soil. That’s it, love, feed yourself.”

The two greshhlins in Kaiden’s ward are so small they barely reach my knees. Hope fills me. I’m doing it. We’re doing it. I wouldn’t be able to destroy them without Kaiden’s help first. If the creatures aren’t contained in one of his wards, they won’t be solid enough for my particular magic to work.

Wondering what’s taking so long with the other two gresshlins, I turn my attention back to Kaiden. He’s standing very still as he swirls both his hands in the air, a look of immense concentration on his face. Each time he hurls blue light at the remaining greshhlins, they either become invisible for a few seconds, or they jump out of the way.

Shouts echo in the forest. I also hear the pounding of quick, heavy footsteps. It sounds like a small army is headed this way, thundering toward us at full speed. The ground shakes, and Kaiden and I exchange a look, though he quickly returns his attention to the two free greshhlins.

The warded greshhlins are nearly gone. Nearly destroyed. My gods, Mira. You are powerful. His voice reverberates in my head.

I don’t feel powerful , I admit. All I’m doing is wishing and talking to the plants. It feels rather easy. Natural. I still wish I had wings.

He chuckles aloud. “As I’ve already told you, little nymph, you may consider me your personal transport.”

“Who’s coming?” I ask. “Could that be a contingent of Prince Lucas’s army?”

“I’m not certain, but it’s doubtful it’s part of the Summer Court army. They marched north seven days ago. Whoever it is, and whether they’re friend or foe, they’re almost here. We’ll find out soon enough.”

Friend or foe? I suppress a shiver. I’ve been so busy worrying about destroying the four greshhlins that I never once considered that the approaching force might be an enemy. My heart sinks. We’re on fae lands. What if my people decided to attack the fae again? There are many large kingdoms in addition to Trevos. I swallow hard and pray I won’t have to fight my own people. Never mind that I’m part-fae and most human soldiers would gladly kill me if they knew about my ancestry and my magic.

Kaiden growls and hurls another wave of blue light at the greshhlins. One of the creatures escapes, but the other becomes trapped. I heave a sigh of relief and watch as my mate places a series of wards around the contained greshhlin. Three down. One to go. And possibly a small army if the newcomers aren’t friendly…

The first two greshhlins Kaiden trapped disappear into the soil. The moment their remains vanish, a patch of flowers appears inside the warded area. Beautiful yellow tulips. My mother’s favorite flower.

They’re gone , I tell Kaiden. The first two, that is. I’ll get to work on number three. If you wouldn’t mind capturing that fourth one, that would be great.

He growls. I am trying. I’ve never encountered a greshhlin so fast or large. If this creature made it to a village, he would feast on a thousand faefolk within an hour. There’s a pause, and I sense Kaiden’s continued astonishment over my magic. You are an amazing female, Mira. In my lifetime, the highborn fae of Linnshire have only managed to kill two greshhlins. Just two! The others we’ve driven back into the mountain caves, which we try to keep warded, though they manage to break free far too often. Yet within the last few minutes, you’ve destroyed two greshhlins yourself and are now working on a third. You are remarkable.

It's not lost on me that I couldn’t do what I’m doing alone. I couldn’t destroy the greshhlins without Kaiden’s help. Before I can wish them into the soil as nourishment for the forest, he must trap them first. He must erect wards strong enough to hold them captive. Though I’m capable of summoning plant growth, and it’s something that comes easily to me, I have no idea how to create a ward or send beams of tangling light from my hands.

Also, wings. I can’t summon wings.

Not going to lie, I might have attempted it a few times during the last week as I trekked through the forest. Each time, nothing happened.

At last, Kaiden catches the fourth greshhlin in a tangling beam of blue light that shoots from his hands. The creature howls pitifully and struggles on the ground, attempting to crawl away. Kaiden steps closer to the screeching spirit being and sends another wave of blue light that I suppose is the actual ward. I’m not certain. I’ll have to ask him about ward creation later. Now that I know I’m part-fae, I find myself becoming more and more interested in the different kinds of magic wielded by highborn fae. I’m also curious about the lesser magic that regular faefolk can exert.

The third greshhlin is decomposing into the soil at a rapid pace, per my wishes. Just the mere thought of nourishing the plants is enough to make it happen. So easy. So fulfilling. I like that I can use my magic for good, though I know there are plenty of fae who use their powers for nefarious reasons.

Just as the third greshhlin is finally destroyed and a patch of yellow tulips rises where it fell, over a dozen fae males and females burst into the clearing with their weapons drawn. Kaiden snarls and draws me close, but I soon feel him relaxing next to me.

“Father,” he says.

A man who looks very much like Kaiden sheaths the sword he’s holding and steps forward. The others put their weapons away as well, and a few of the leather-clad fae peer in curiosity at the seemingly empty, faintly glowing, blue wards that contain the yellow tulips.

“Kaiden,” the fae male says. “I didn’t expect to find you here. I thought you were in Trevos.”

“I was in Trevos, but then I had to hunt my mate down.” He tightens his arm around me and gives me an affectionate look. “We were on our way back to Trevos but stopped here for the night, and the greshhlins suddenly came upon us.”

“And you’ve destroyed three of them. Holy gods, how?” Kaiden’s father glances between us with a questioning look, his wide eyes revealing his utter astonishment. His companions appear equally shocked.

“Technically, my beautiful and exceptionally talented mate destroyed them.” Kaiden presses a quick kiss to my cheek. “Go on, little nymph. Show them what you can do. Kill the fourth greshhlin.”

What am I? Your party trick?

Please, little nymph. The sooner you kill it, the sooner I might take you to bed again. I’m eager for us to continue exploring one another’s bodies. Eager to teach you how to suck my cock and…

Okay, okay, I’ll do it, I tell him. Stop talking dirty to me in the company of others.

They can’t hear.

I make a strangled groaning noise in my mind that I’m certain he hears because a second later, I sense his deep chuckle.

Feeling the eyes of the newcomers upon me, I turn my attention to the remaining greshhlin. I wonder how many more of these creatures roam the Linnshire area, but I suppose it doesn’t matter. Because destroying them is so… easy. As long as Kaiden’s with me. Together, the dark creatures won’t stand a chance against us.

I work my magic, and the greshhlin starts decomposing, shrinking and fading into the soil, it’s rotting flesh the perfect nourishment for the life growing all around it.

While I watch the creature disappear, I consider how my purpose in life has drastically changed. Or rather, I finally have a purpose. A real one.

A few weeks ago, I was in survival mode. All I cared about was making it through the winter, paying off my debts, and keeping my family’s homestead.

In the long term, I’d hoped to live a quiet life in Trevos. I never planned to marry or have children. I just wanted a quiet life where I could keep to myself and avoid the pain of additional loss.

But now that I know what I’m capable of, and now that I’ve experienced Kaiden’s love, I can’t return to that quiet life. Even if it means taking risks.

Not only will I be able to help the people of Trevos, and other lands, by making crops flourish both in and out of season, but I can destroy powerful creatures like the greshhlins. I can protect not just humans, but faefolk. And with my position as the warden’s mate, I have no doubt I’ll be able to influence his decisions for the city. I’ll be able to help my people in more ways than I ever imagined.

My heart grows warm as I glance at Kaiden. I’m not sure I ever would’ve realized my true calling if I hadn’t met him. If I hadn’t resisted and tried to escape him. In fighting him, I discovered my powers. My magic.

I love him. I really do.

My soul dances with joy as I return my gaze to the final warded area, where dozens of yellow tulips have just bloomed. Gasps sound in the clearing, and I can’t deny that I like their surprise. I might not be able to summon wings, but I possess just enough highborn blood, from the Spring Court it would seem, to influence plant growth and nourish the soil with greshhlins until nothing is left of the dark creatures.

Kaiden grasps my hand and gazes down at me with a look of pride that makes my throat burn. He guides me toward the gathered fae who are staring at me in wonderment.

“Father, I would like to introduce you to my beloved mate, Mira Ambrose from the Kingdom of Trevos. Mira, my love, meet my father, Lord Linnshire.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lord Linnshire.”

“Please, call me Venn, and I am so very pleased to meet you, Mira.” He gapes at me for several seconds, but eventually, he gives me a deep nod, then steps forward and stares at me with wide eyes. “You’re part-fae.”

“Yes, Venn, it would appear so. Kaiden believes a great great-grandfather of mine likely hailed from the Spring Court, hence my abilities to influence plant growth and nourish the soil using… creative methods .” I suddenly realize he didn’t actually witness me summon any plant growth, so I send a few wishful thoughts to the willow tree behind us, beckoning the ushha-glowing branches to become longer and thicker.

“Creative methods, indeed. Thank the gods for your skill. We were trying to round up these four greshhlins when they shocked us by leaving Linnshire lands, and as you can see, we gave chase. I think perhaps having too many highborn fae in close proximity prompted them to leave their territory for the first time ever.” Lord Linnshire smiles. “Welcome to the family, Mira.”