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I raised a brow at the second leopard to shift into their fae form. A transition so flawless that I hadn't detected it. Instinctively, I knew this newcomer was the one with the rainbow aura and she was…dangerous.

Physically, she was very different from her leader.

Shorter and more athletically built. Her skin reminded me of a rich chocolate, rather than a black night of her companion, and it was exotically accented by a flowing white dress.

Her dark hair was shaved closely to her scalp and delicate gold rings pierced her brows, nose, lips, and ears.

Even more gold jewelry sparkled when she waved her hands excitedly, quickly approaching me with soulful brown eyes riddled with enthusiasm. “I can’t believe it!” She voiced again.

I arched my brow, calculating her movement. The weak spots in her gait, the subtle way her right shoulder tilted, and how she left her delicate neck exposed .

“Do I know you?”

Her leader, seeing a fellow hunter, snapped her arm out to stop her companion. “Stay where you are.” She hissed to the enthusiastic fae.

“Oh my goddess, yes I see it fully now! Just wow!” She exclaimed again, pushing her leader’s arm off her.

“Penina.” Their leader growled low.

“Oh shove off, Eshe. You have no clue who that is, do you?” The young shifter's eyes grew even wider and she turned towards me. “You’re exactly how he described you! You wielded those shadows. It has to be you!”

“Penina, when will you listen!” A bright flash revealed the third leopard transforming into a handsome lean fae with bright blue eyes and tidy blonde hair tied back away from his face.

His high cheekbones were a characteristic of a descendant of an ancient fae, blushing subtly as he met my assessing gaze.

Their leader Eshe scowled at both of them. “Be silent both of you or I will make sure the king gets a full report of your continued insubordination. I will deal with this washed up trash.”

The one named Penina snorted and rolled her eyes before pointing at me. “If you had any idea who she was, you’d be giving her far more respect than you are now. How dense can you be?”

My lips twitched with amusement. “It’s also not nice to point.” I stated dryly.

No one heard me as the growling and shouting continued. This was a dysfunctional unit. The previous shifter king would have never tolerated such behavior.

“This isn’t the way Penina!” Hissed the handsome blue eyed fae.

“Oh shut up, Quinn! You’re only taking Eshe’s side because you want in her pants. I’m the only one who is making sure we don’t all die today from your foolishness! She is exactly who we have been looking for!” Her pointing continued amid the shouting.

“Again with the pointing.” I stated exasperatedly. They were looking for me? Did they know Emon? Did he somehow make it here before I did?

Eshe crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her midnight skin darkened with rage and her yellow-green eyes flashed like daggers.

“Enough!” She snarled and knocked Penina’s hand down. “Fall back in line before I make you. Both of you!”

Penina’s eyes flashed with defiance but stepped back with her comrade who had already cast his eyes downward in submission.

“Nice to see that you are able to keep some sense of order around here.” I drawled out in the silence.

Their leader turned her scowl on me. “Since my companion is so adamant that she knows who you are, I’ll give you the chance to identify yourself, sea scum.”

I gave her a wide grin that was more threatening than welcoming in nature. “My name is Remnant Ezra Solaire Dark.”

The winds shifted, the grasses rustled, and a chickadee tweeted in the distance at the sound of my name.

The one named Penina grinned with self satisfaction while their leader inhaled sharply, and Quinn’s eyes widened, suddenly too big for the handsome sharp angles of his face.

Then Riella screamed an ear splitting cry that stopped my heart in my chest. I spun.

Not caring about my exposed back to a dangerous enemy.

The pain in her cries was visceral and I responded, smoothing away the beads of sweat that pooled on her delicate bronze brow.

Beneath my hands, her body began to shake, and I wrapped the thin veiled shadows tighter around her.

My poor attempt to calm the tremors wracking her body.

Her cries drew in the three shifters and I greedily snatched their casted shadows that lengthened towards me on their approach.

Using them, I shielded Riella and myself from them, spikes growing threateningly from the shadow barrier.

At full power, they were capable of impaling any enemy, but with the sun high they were more an illusionary threat than a real one.

“If you value your lives you will not come a step closer.” I snarled over my shoulder.

“Goddess bless us—is that a child? A fae child?” The leader, Eshe, gasped, ignoring my warning.

Turning I narrowed my eyes on the male shifter who was staring openly at my naked form hovering over Riella.

“Your name is Quinn? You are a healer. That makes you honor bound to protect all fae children. Heal her and I will gladly hand myself over to your crown as long as the faeling stays healthy and safe while in these lands.”

Quinn’s eyes grew wide and he glanced over to his leader.

Eshe hissed. “Do it.”

Quinn nodded. “I have no idea how you knew I was a healer but I feel obligated to warn you I am novice at best. Do you still agree to hand yourself over knowing this?”

The small shifter named Penina stepped forward. “This is foolishness! She is the General Dark for goddess sake! He will not take kindly to you imprisoning her even if it is agreed upon.”

I hid my shock. Mercy among the shifters?

Eshe snarled. “You will do as ordered, Penina.” She turned to the healer barking, “Get the faeling stable as soon as you're able. Then we move.” Her eyes narrowed on me. “Call off your shadows or I will rescind our deal.”

Nodding, I waved off the shadows allowing them to flutter gently down to the faeling, covering her in soft darkness.

Withdrawing them from her face, I wiped her brow scrunched up in pain. “Hold on, little one. I’m here with you and I will make sure you feel better soon.”