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“I will let our people decide your fate, my queen. Death by my hands would have been kinder. The courts will show no mercy for you.”

Deirdre screamed with rage. Raising my hands with tears pooling in my eyes, I summoned the iron bindings from the shadow void that would silence her power forever.

“Forgive me.” I whispered through gritted teeth, holding my shadow shields while the irons slowly circled around her wrists.

A piercing bird-like cry caused my head to snap up and sharp talons sliced deeply across my unprotected face.

Falcon.

The force of the queen’s pet shifter sent me sprawling backwards and my control on the shadows faltered.

Rolling, I scrambled to my feet right before Deirdre’s full power slammed into me, causing me to howl with pain.

A wall of scorching hot fire circled around the three of us, extending from floor to ceiling.

Its light cut me off from my shadows and blood dripped down my face—trailing beneath the plates of armor I wore.

Icy winds hit me next, forcing me to gasp and dropping me to my knees. My wrists were forced back moments later, bound by frigid air and sawing into my exposed skin.

A sudden flash from the bird that had landed on Deirdre’s shoulder revealed a tall dark fae standing at her side.

“Falcon.” I hissed.

The shifter stood in all his false glory, a silver tongued deceiver that had wormed his way into Diredre’s inner circle.

His eyes and skin were so midnight black that they melded together, making him look more like my shadows than fae.

His cruel white smile gleamed as he cocked his head to the side much like the bird he was.

“Shadow bitch. How ever did you escape your cage, I wonder?” He clucked.

I shrugged in my bindings, my chin rose high despite my subservient position. “It’s not worth explaining to you. Your tiny bird brain would not be able to comprehend it, shifter scum.”

“I can assure you, nothing about me is tiny. Your lover enjoyed everything big about me last night.” He stroked a finger over Deirdre's smirking face as she watched for my reaction with sadistic anticipation.

I gave her none while Falcon continued to caress her.

“Does it bother you, Remi darling? That I can please your lover more than you ever could?”

I threw my head back and laughed. “So that explains her visit to my room late last night.” I tilted my head to the side in thought.

“I bet your little birdy cries of pleasure were too shrill for the queen’s delicate ears.

” I smiled cruelly at him. “Your twitching birdy cock has no idea how to pleasure a queen. That much was evident when Deirdre spent herself completely with me last night.” I licked the blood from my lips, turning my gaze on my lover and purred at her mockingly.

“What was it you said to me while I was delirious and still chained, unwilling while you took your own pleasure with my body…oh yes. I recall it now.” Deirdre’s eyes both dilated with lust and rage.

Disgusted, I snarled at her. “You said that you would never taste anyone as delicious as me while you rode my face to completion.”

Falcon stepped towards me angrily but Deirdre’s maniacal laugh drew both of our attentions back to her. “I see I haven’t fully broken you, Remi darling.” Deirdre turned to Falcon and purred. “I’ll allow you to tell her. I want to watch her face when she breaks.”

Falcon’s jealous rage simmered with an evil smile.

Those cruel black eyes sparkling with the reflection of the roaring fire.

“Congratulations, shadow bitch, you’re now the last shadow fae alive in Faerie.

Every last of your kind is being gutted as we speak.

The crown thanks you for this sacrifice in your name. ”

I stiffened in my bindings. “No.” I whispered, horror draining the last bit of fight left in me.

Deirdre cackled and stepped closer to me.

“Oh yes, I did enjoy that just now.” She leaned down and gripped my face harshly, her tongue snaked out and licked the blood from my cheek.

Numb, I barely registered her touch. “Almost as much as I enjoyed myself last night. Alas, I shall have to be content with just the memory of you.”

She rose and I wavered, staring through her. My family, my people—slaughtered. I couldn’t save them. I didn’t save them.

A powerful slap echoed through the room and I half realized that she had struck me. I knew the power behind it had stripped the flesh from my face but I felt nothing. Nothing. There was nothing left for me here.

A bubble of insane laughter tore from deep within me. “It bothers you. That the memories won’t be enough...” I shook my head sadly at her.

“Bitch!” She screeched and then something struck me, the like I had never felt before.

An unseen power burrowed inside of me, pulsating, draining.

It reeked of death but I was too broken to care.

“Your people have been eradicated from Faerie! Your mother, your brother…they are all dead. You are the last shadow fae and you are all alone.” She spat.

“Alone.” I slurred, having control of only one side of my mouth. Her slap had broken my jaw.

I started to shake and I could not prevent the power rising up inside me.

Agonizing screams of pain left my bruised battered lips.

Shadows from all over the room, the city, and the whole fucking world of Faerie were drawn towards me, as if my pain was the center of a massive black hole and nothing could escape it.

The air bindings broke around my wrist and the throbbing power burrowed inside of me disappeared.

Bowing, my hands wrenched into my dark greasy hair and my screams continued.

Memories flashed upon their dark destructive canvas.

My baby brother Kade toddled towards me.

“Come on Kadey Kins. You can do this.”

“Rem, Rem, Rem.” He babbled at me and fell into my outstretched arms.

I tucked him close to my body. Inhaling his sweetness, the last of the fae children to be born since the war. “I’ll always be here for you Kadey Kins. You are never alone.” I whispered into his curly blue hair.

I felt the warmth of my mother’s hand on my shoulder and looked towards her to see her smiling sadly.

“We all fall sometimes, my beautiful Remnant, sometimes there isn’t always someone there to stop it.

” She plucked my little brother out of my arms. His chubby hands reached for her face and she nuzzled her nose into them.

Her grace and beauty had always been breathtaking.

“So we must train to be strong. Because one day we will be alone and will need to get back up again. Please remember, my love, even in the infinite darkness we can still find the light.”

Get back up.

Find the light.

Get back up.

Find the light.

Alone. I was so alone.

A lone figure stood on the black stoned streets of the City of Night. His head bowed over a fae’s body, claws dripping with blood extended from his fingertips.

Sensing me watching, he looked up into my grief stricken stare.

Gold eyes bore into me. “No!” I whispered.