Page 123 of Reign of Stars and Fire

I hated Yarrow for what she’d played with Saga, but to see such a pathetic version of the vibrant, theatrical, revel-devoted woman, my heart drowned in sympathy.

I crouched in front of her, waiting for her eyes to focus on me. When my face registered, Yarrow’s chin wrinkled. “Do not hold my games against my Shelba. Take her from here.”

I inspected the chains around their wrists and throats, then met her stare again. “We have your children. Magus and the others, even the babe, they’re safe in the Court of Blood.”

Tears splashed onto Yarrow’s cheeks. A broken sob cracked from her chest. “Thank . . . you.”

“Hodag.” I waved my hand. “We’re taking them through the burrow. I’ll need your claws, my love. These chains are no match for you.”

Hodag puffed out her wide chest and set about extending her curved claws and powerful hands meant for cracking bedrock. She went through over a dozen chains, snapping the fae women free.

I faced Eryka. “Is this everyone?”

“Yes. I don’t know of any more.”

“All right. Stay low, we’re going to the cherry orchard.”

Trickier than I thought to keep the forced consorts from sprinting in panic. Halfway back to the cherry trees, Stieg, Bo, and Rune caught sight of us and helped handle the weakest of the women.

Niklas and Junius waited for us at the opening. Without question, the two Falkyns helped lead the women into the burrow.

Young Shelba clung to her mother’s waist when I helped Yarrow hobble toward the opening. She was weak, and she’d been neglected after having her child. I wasn’t certain she didn’t have a wretched infection, but she wouldn’t die here. If she died it would be with some sliver of dignity.

“Your eldest brother stands with us, but the littles are safe, as you will be,” I told the young serpent. “Take your mother through the burrow. You will meet blood fae, they will make certain the lot of you get safely behind the walls of the Court of Blood. Healers await there. You are the leader of the Serpent Court until Magus returns. See to it these folk get the care they need.”

Shelba swallowed. She blinked her gilded eyes until the tears stopped flowing. With the dip of her chin, she pressed a hand to her chest. “I swear on the whole of our court and our family, I will not let you down.”

“Eryka,” Junius called when the other women were through. “You should go. You need healing and Nik can give you fertility herbs in case you must prevent—”

“My body is still my love’s,” Eryka said, chin lifted.

“Sweet girl, of course it is.” Hagen wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I promise you, Gunnar will not think this has any blame on your head. But if you need—”

“No, I mean it.” Eryka forced a grin. “I needed to kick, bite, fight. I saw my court fall to shadows, remember?” She looked to Junius. “Kick, bite fight.”

“That’s what you said in the blood court prison,” Junie agreed.

“Yes. I realized it meant this moment. The Court of Stars is lost in darkness, I was taken, and I kicked, I bit, I fought. So, he beat me and . . . and killed them.”

Eryka now joined the list of folk who would get a turn at tearing Davorin’s eyes from his head.

“Your mothers are proud of you,” I said. “Take it from someone who blamed himself for the death of those he loved. They raised you to be strong, and they are proud of you for fighting for your folk and your life.”

“They said so. Before they left me, they said so.” Eryka touched Hagen’s arm. “I want to see him. Where is my love?”

“With Saga,” I answered. “He has not rested; he has thought of nothing else but getting you back.”

“I’m fighting.” She clenched her fists. “I’m staying. You need my help to get into the repository. There is something there he wants, and he thought by killing us he could get in through our blood. He’s a fool.”

“You can’t get us there?” Secrets were in the bleeding stars. Half our plan hinged on getting into that damn repository.

Eryka sneered, for the first time a glimpse of her viciousness slipped through. “Of course I can. It is not blood he needs, it is words. I will say them for you, not him. Never him.”

“Princess Eryka,” I said, a grin twisting over my lips. “Never let anyone say you are not as sly as your mate. Truth be told, you might be the shrewdest one of us all.”

Chapter39

The Raven Queen