Page 53

“ W here are you taking me?” Remnant folded her arms across her chest. She had thrown on her leather vest and boots but still wore her tight black shorts that fit snugly around her shapely ass where her ponytail brushed against it with each aggravated stride. “I should be with Riella.”

I stole a glance at her. She was still vexed that the master healer had kicked her out of the healing rooms.

“An idle shadow fae is never a good omen. There is no work for you to do here right now, forta. I will protect her. Now get out!”

Then he pushed my soulmate out the door and straight into my arms.

I flexed my hands, still feeling how right it felt holding her. “I thought you had a desire to inspect Tyr’s armies.” I nodded for her to follow as we strolled outside the city to the training yards.

“As I recall, you were not too keen on that concept, your majesty. ”

I gave her a wry look. “I am always up for seeing Tyr get knocked down a peg or two. I’m sure that is the kind of inspection you’re implying, right, little umbra?”

Remnant snorted. “And if I wasn’t? He is, after all, quite formidable and handsome.”

I stooped to growl low in her ear. “Then I’ll simply just have to kill him. I seem to have an abundance of generals around here all of a sudden. Would you like the job?”

Her steps faltered and I steadied her with a guiding hand, laughing.

Ignoring her fierce glare, I added. “Besides the inspection, I have a surprise I want to share with you.”

“A surprise? Don’t surprises usually come in some form of a gift? Chocolate, flowers, jewelry?”

This time my steps faltered and my head snapped down to study her gorgeous smirking face. She was mocking me but I saw something else flash in her eyes—excitement…desire.

“I suppose…” I said slowly…cautiously, “if that male were courting said fae. Would chocolate, flowers, and jewelry please you, little umbra?”

Her cheeks turned pink and she shifted uncomfortably. “Absolutely not.”

I released a low chuckle, murmuring. “Perhaps a pet then, something beastly.”

She hissed. “You’re irritating me.”

I chuckled darkly again. “That wasn’t a no.”

“I do hope you’re not thinking of using me to woo your female, fairy boy. In my day your own prowess was all that was needed to impress a female. You must be lacking in this area.” The beast yawned at me.

I growled low and Remnant looked at me startled. “Something wrong?”

“Evidently his show of prowess.” The cat snickered in response.

“Goddess, I hate you.” I shot back at him, grateful that Remnant could not hear his pompous ass.

I gave Remnant a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, little umbra.

General Tyr!” I shouted out to the tiger shifter who just sent one of his warriors sprawling across the dirt and was preparing for a second attack.

Tyr’s head snapped up and a slow smile spread across his face.

Reaching down he picked up his fallen comrade and dusted him off.

Touching his forehead to the trainee’s he murmured a few choice words before he shoved him away with a snarl.

The trainee scrambled to his feet and then started running like his ass was on fire.

Tyr turned then and sauntered towards us. “Your majesty,” he purred, before bowing low. “Twice in one day, what an honor.” He winked at me and then looked over at Remnant, puffing out his chest. “General Dark, come for my inspection have you?”

I groaned, regretting bringing her here already. How could she think him f ormidable ?

“Don’t forget handsome.” The cat cooed.

Remnant rolled her eyes. “I’m not interested in whipping out our dicks to start measuring who's bigger, General Tyr. It's a male weakness I appreciate not having.”

“Now that's prowess. Take notes from your soulmate, fairy boy.” The cat chuckled.

Reluctantly I agreed, laughing softly.

Tyr grinned. “Then you’re just not using a dick correctly, beauty.”

I snorted. “Cut the shit, Tyr. You know why we are here.” I shot him a warning glare.

Tyr winked at me, his violet eyes glittered humorously. “This is going to be fun.” Then he turned and bellowed. “Elemental twins to me! The rest of you ass-wipes take a hike. Literally. I want a perimeter patrol!”

Remnant’s eyes narrowed on my general. The elemental twins were not twins really. Not even fucking close. But they were inseparable, I had never seen them apart since they came here.

Her eyes trailed off of Tyr and then froze. A small gasp leaving her lush lips as two elemental fae came into sight. They halted in front of her, their eyes rounding with just as much shock as Remnant’s.

My soulmate stepped forward stumbling with the violent shaking of her body and my hand snapped out to steady her. Her scent was strong with equal amounts of fear and hope.

She brushed off my hand with a growl and I frowned. Perhaps this was a mistake.

“Xi? Riley?” Remnant’s head bowed then, her knees collapsing to the ground, and her palms raised outwards to them. “Forgive me. Oh goddess, please forgive me.” She sobbed brokenly .

Panic and concern roared to life inside me and I moved to gather the remaining shreds of my broken soulmate in my arms. I was wrong, she wasn’t ready for this.

Tyr’s heavily tattooed arm shot across my chest, effectively restraining me.

I turned to snarl viciously in his face.“Unhand me, now. That’s a fucking order.”

Tyr met me head on with his own low whispered snarl. “No. She needs this.”

I gnashed my teeth in his face but before I could say another word the cry of the elemental drew my attention back to my bowed soulmate.

“General? Is it really you?” The green haired elemental, Riley Dragoon, rushed towards Remnant, sliding on his knees to wrap her up in his arms. “Goddess save me, it is you! Xi, come quickly, our general has finally returned to us!”

Xi Chin didn’t hesitate a moment longer, running towards them both she slid to her knees and shakily tucked her white shoulder length hair back from her face to regard her general with loving adoration.

Shocked, both Tyr and I stared openly at the exposed beauty of Xi’s gray eyes shimmering with tears.

It was the first time I had ever seen the other half of her face and she was stunning.

“The king always knew you were alive, but we had almost lost all hope…I can’t believe you are finally here with us!

” Her tears fell, staining the olive tones of her skin.

Remnant shook her bowed head. “I failed you. I failed you both so much. Please forgive me. ”

The anguish in Remnant’s voice nearly undid me and my chest rumbled.

My body yearning to prevent the pain I felt radiating off my soulmate.

Tyr’s arm tightened against my chest but this time I didn’t bother retaliating against it.

Begrudgingly, I had to admit the bastard was right. Remnant needed this.

“Oh Rem, my general.” Xi sobbed, then draped her body over the trembling Remnant and her companion Riley, who still hadn’t pulled away. “You have never once failed us. We failed you Rem. We failed to protect you .”

Riley nodded against Remnant’s side, his body trembling with grief. “We are so sorry we could not be there to help you—” He choked, “to save you.”

Remnant’s head reared up and grasped her friends’ shoulders, pushing them away to study them both fully. They smiled sadly back at her, both shedding tears of happiness. “I cannot believe…I cannot hope, it’s really you.” She whispered.

Xi laughed and swiped her tears away, she gripped Remnant’s hand on her shoulder. “Well fucking believe it, general. We are alive. You’re alive. Thank the goddess!” She lunged forward, hugging Remnant tightly to her chest.

Riley snickered. “I can see your struggle, Xi revealing her face and giving out free hugs. It is quite unbelievable.”

“Shut up Ri.” Both females mumbled together and without pulling away, tugged him inward. Laughing again, he wrapped his arms tightly around them both like they were the most precious thing in this world.

A gift.

I swallowed hard and looked away. The bond between the three of them was clearly the same as it was for my own strange family.

Tyr’s eyes met mine and I knew he felt the same. He cleared his throat and thumped my chest heartedly before dropping his arm from me with a wink.

I grunted back.

“How?” Remnant choked out and I gritted my teeth when she touched Riley’s face reverently. “How is this possible?”

The green haired elemental glanced over my soulmate’s shoulder towards me and then pulled her hand from his face, cupping it in his own. I raised my brows, he had always been an intelligent little bastard.

Riley gave her a sad smile. “We went south when you disappeared. Hoping to find any trace that would lead us to where you were. We never believed the queen’s tales…that you betrayed us all.”

Xi finished for him. “When word of Deirdre murdering any fae she thought was associated with you and hanging them on the gates, we knew something went terribly wrong and that we had to return. But we were too late—” Xi choked.

“We thought we lost you forever and when the shifter king found us we were prepared to join you in death. Except he offered us a home and the promise that he would find you, that you were alive.” She glanced up at me and smiled.

“Thank you for delivering on your promise, my king. ”

My voice rumbled with emotion. “It was my pleasure. Shifters enjoy a good hunt.”

“If you call nearly dying half a dozen times hunting, fairy boy.” My beast snorted

Remnant looked over her bare shoulder at me. “If you have been searching for me all this time then when was the last time you were home?”

Tyr raised his hand and shot a glare in my direction. “I can answer that. It’s been fifty two years and thirty six days since he was last home. I should know since he tied me up before leaving us all behind…again. Insistent that he would find you on his own.”

I flinched but held Remnant’s startled expression, the same question rolling in her thoughts that she always had but still hadn’t had the courage to ask me yet. Why?

Our bond was becoming harder and harder to temper, especially since The Under, when she unintentionally claimed me.

I held her stunned emerald gaze. “Like I said before, little umbra. You’re worth it. Every minute of it.” I grinned. “You didn’t make it easy, though.”

Riley’s knowing gaze turned on me. “She found you, didn’t she?”

I flashed my fangs at him.

"I knew it." He laughed, along with Xi who shook her head with disbelief.

She held my gaze for a moment longer. “I don’t understand you, but I am grateful.” She said softly and my heart sputtered at the vulnerable sound.

I grunted. “You are most welcome.”

She searched my face for another moment before turning back to her friends. “If you were there…then you must know. It was me. I destroyed them…killed them all.”

Xi’s hair fell back over her face when she shook her head.

“We do not blame you for what happened in Morta, Rem. Deirdre did this. The goddess curse her putrid soul. You loved her and she betrayed you, betrayed all of us—the people she was supposed to protect.” She touched Remnant's chest with her hand.

“We know your soul Rem, that you would have taken their place if given the choice.”

Remnant’s eyes snapped up and her mood darkened. “Then you don’t know what my soul is capable of. ”

Both Xi and Riley stiffened, as if startled to see the stirring darkness revealed by her but I wasn’t. It was a part of her and it made her all the more beautiful. Whatever she was capable of, it would be a masterpiece when released. For the good or for the bad of us all.

At that moment, the sky suddenly turned black and the warm Finlandia sun disappeared.

I snarled, stepping towards the scent of my soulmate in the darkness.