Page 56

A green head popped into view. Riley’s hazel eyes burned bright across the battlefield searching for the source of my call.

When our eyes met, I thrusted a bloody claw outward, roaring against the continued rushing winds. “Slow those fuckers down and destroy them!” I knew his air had a farther reach than earth.

His shrewd eyes locked on the escaping wraiths the same time his sword thrusted behind him, killing an approaching wraith at his back before sheathing it at his side.

The damn elemental fae was veritably savage and I fucking loved him for it.

“Riley!” Remnant called out.

My heart stuttered to a halt when I caught sight of my soulmate running at a quick pace towards the retreating wraiths.

“Remember chasing Nightmares!” She hollered over her shoulder.

Riley’s narrowed eyes widened with understanding and I felt my stomach sink with dread.

Roaring, I lunged forward viciously killing any wraiths in my way as I headed straight for the air elemental. “No! Dragoon, stop now!”

He was about to help her run straight into danger alone.

Riley gave me an apologetic look, watching my advancement with hesitation in his hazel eyes.

“That’s an order, Riley Dragoon!” Remnant commanded, sliding through the heavy blood soaked grasses, using shadows to propel her through the carnage.

I heard his hard grunt and soft murmur as he gathered more air around him. “Apologies, your majesty.”

“Don’t you fucking dare Dragoon!” I bellowed, continuing my race to reach him. “That’s my royal order!” I shouted out to both of them.

Riley’s lips pressed together but his focus never left my soulmate even as I charged him with furious rage. A sudden rush of gale forces bursted from him, heading straight into Remnant’s direction and effectively sending me careening sideways through the bloody grasses.

From the ground, I watched as my soulmate leapt into the torrent of air, cocooning herself in the rushing winds.

It spun her upwards, her hair whipping around her like a halo of darkness before shooting her across the sky like a deadly black comet—a tail of ominous dark shadows following in her wake.

Growling, I rose and slowly began to circle Dragoon, watching the sheer concentration on his face while he flew my obstinate soulmate across The West Isle sky.

I snarled. “If you fucking drop her, I will rip out your insides and feed them down your fucking throat.”

A single bead of sweat dripped down his temple. “If I drop her, I’ll do it to my fucking self.”

I grunted at that. Fucking bastard was indeed a savage. I glanced up at the fleeing wraiths. “She won’t get there in time, the closer they get to the deadlands the stronger they become. Pull the wraiths back towards her.”

His jaw clenched harder, his other arm thrusting out in front of him. “Yes, your majesty.”

I tilted my head and started to circle him again. “You sure you’re not a shifter, Dragoon? ”

The air elemental smirked at that, still not looking at me. “I’ve learned from the best…and she’s not a shifter, your majesty.”

Then, as if conducting an orchestra, he snapped back his hands, pulling them to his chest tightly, and I looked up to see Remnant completely suspended in the night air. The wraiths swirling around her, trapped in Riley's fatal corralling winds.

She didn’t hesitate. She lashed out spinning, twirling, and slashing the score of wraiths with effective ease. There was no escaping as Riley delivered them towards her murderous blade.

Below her the shadows spiked up with hungry intent, swallowing wraiths in the infinite void, protecting her blind spots and preventing the cold blue fire from raining down on her.

I felt the others gathering around me, watching the bewitching vengeance Riley and Remnant created. An orchestra of death.

Xi shouldered past them and stepped around me without a passing glance—joining Riley's side and she rested a bloody hand on his shoulder.

He grunted in acknowledgement. “I need you.” He whispered. If it wasn’t for my shifter ears and being so close to him, I would have never heard his vulnerable confession.

“I know.” Xi murmured. “I got you Ri, stay steady.”

I stilled when I felt Xi’s power flow directly into her partner, feeding him more energy as he continued to fly Remnant through the night sky.

Remnant screamed and we all gasped when she ended the last three wraiths attempting to escape in Riley’s cyclone of air with one javelin-like lunge of her sword.

They were skewered onto her blade and with a final battle cry she flung them downward straight into the mouth of the eternal abyss hovering below her.

Silence. Pure sweet silence.

I flung my head back and released a victorious roar that rattled the grasslands, my beast's power echoing in my celebration of triumph.

My court joined me, the bellows traveling through the world, letting every fucking enemy know that death awaited them here should they dare to ever take a step into these lands.

I pounded the air elemental roughly on the back, grinning at him. “Well done Dragoon. You won’t be eviscerated…today.”

Riley swallowed hard but smiled back at me. “Thank you, your majesty.”

“Now bring her back to me in one piece before I change my mind. ”

Dragoon barked out a short laugh. “Always, your majesty!”

Nodding to Xi, who smiled at him proudly, he weaved his hands with quick succession.

Remnant shot back towards us, spinning, twirling, and tumbling in the star filled darkness before landing crouched in front of me.

Slowly she stood, facing me with her chest heaving and her eyes bright with adrenaline.

Riley and Xi stepped quietly away as we continued to stare at one another.

A bright smile beamed across her face as she took in my enthralled stare. Completely covered in blood and her hair a disheveled mess around her, it was as if she stepped out of my dreams.

My hand snapped out, gripping the back of her neck before slamming my hungry lips to hers—need consuming me. I needed to taste that life within her, to feel that she was real, to bask in her glory, and her greatness.

She gave into my kiss, her desire and need matching my own as her fingers clawed into my skin and her hips pressed flush against mine.

Lost in carnal hunger, she gasped in my mouth when I lifted her, wrapping her legs around my body, skimming the hemline of her shorts with my fingertips before cupping her ass tightly into me.

She moaned, arching in my arms when my lips trailed over her collar bone.

“Fuck, you’re so beautiful.” I rasped, licking at her thundering pulse covered in blood.

“Emon.” She breathed, the complete rapture on her face highlighted by the stars was my undoing. Growling, I slanted my mouth over hers, claiming her thoroughly as mine—only mine.

A throat cleared behind me but I ignored it, whatever the world wanted from me it could fucking wait.

But Remnant did not, her eyes snapped open and she stiffened in my arms, her inhibitions returned as she gently pressed away from me.

I followed, dropping my forehead to hers, my heavy breathing blowing the loose strands of her hair away from her gorgeous face. I couldn’t help but search her eyes for any regret or worse…rejection.

“This isn’t over with.” I whispered only for her ears .

Remnant’s brow furrowed and her eyes searched for the same thing as mine…regret. She wouldn’t find it. There was nothing I would ever regret when it came to her.

She exhaled. “It should not have even started, shifter.”

“It was inevitable, my little umbra.” I softly whispered and brushed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “You owed me that kiss anyway.”

Her eyes widened and I grinned, slowly unwrapping her legs from my body and setting her safely onto the ground.

Leaning over, I tucked back a strand of her blood soaked hair, watching the emotions war across her face, her soul gluing itself back together, and her heart awakening from the cold shell it had been frozen in.

Another throat clearing. “Your majesty?”

Snarling, I spun. “What the fuck is so goddess damn important that you can’t handle it yourself, General Tyr?”

Tyr straightened his large tattooed covered body. His eyes darted to my soulmate before looking back at my angered state. “Apologies my king but it’s your protocol to give you a status report after battle, no exceptions.”

“Then fucking give it, General.” I snarled, more angry at my own damn rules than anything else.

He didn’t hesitate. “All our people are accounted for, no losses thank the goddess. A few minor injuries that Quinn has been able to heal, the more seriously injured are being escorted back to the master healer by Penina and Eshe. Not a single wraith survived nor are there any sightings of spycrows.” He snickered and winked behind me to Remnant. “Thank you for that, beauty.”

I hissed at him. I was in no mood for his flirting with my soulmate.

Remnant snorted. “You’re welcome for that, shifter.”

Subduing my animalistic nature, I raked my hands through my hair. “Have Penina and Eshe check in on the people within the city afterwards. Our people need to be reassured they are safe in their own homes.”

He scowled. “We did well but truth be told, we were not prepared for an attack of this scale. We don’t have the numbers for any larger attack, especially with spy crows involved.”

“I know.”

His lip peeled up in a silent snarl, stretching the silver piercings. “The queen is here for both of them.”

My face crinkled. I knew what I had to do. “ I know.”

My beast read my mind. “These attacks won’t stop and the next one will be larger as the gateway weakens. We must bring the battle to them.”

Tyr growled and shook his shaven head. “If it wasn’t for beauty handing them their asses, this could have been much worse.”

I turned and looked at the shadow fae who was now caressing her shadows like a pet cat, silently listening to our conversation.

“I know.” I said sincerely.

Remnant’s dark head raised and her brows arched—she was expecting a different answer but I knew my soulmate's worth even if she did not.

Dragoon and Chin stepped up and cleared their throats.

Remnant turned and flung her arms around them in greeting. Pulling away she gripped their shoulders proudly. “You both were amazing!”

Xi smiled. “And look, no pink hair!”

They laughed and I glanced over at Tyr who just shrugged. I didn’t miss the increased attention my friend had looking at Xi’s exposed face.

Remnant looked over her shoulder. “Am I dismissed, your majesty?”

I snorted. “You’re willing to follow orders now, after directly ignoring them earlier?”

She shrugged back at me and Riley averted his eyes when I turned my stare at him. Xi snickered.

I snorted and waved my hand. “This is an alliance not a service, General Dark. Go. Catch up with your friends, I can manage the rest on my own.”

Emerald green eyes hesitated for a moment before she stepped forward and pressed a kiss onto my unsuspecting mouth.

I blinked with shock as she pulled away just as quickly, giving me a small smile. Her eyes twinkled up at me. “Thank you for taking care of my friends, your majesty. Consider that kiss one freely given.”

I stared at her back when she turned away with shock. Both Xi and Riley glanced over her shoulder at me with the same surprised expression that I surmised was still on my face.

Tyr snickered next to me. “You look like a damned kelpie, gulping for air.”

Snarling I turned and shoved him hard enough to break his balance. “Shut up, asshole. ”

He chuckled, righting himself and winking at me. “Dickhead.”

Rolling my eyes, I tilted my head for him to follow me. Away from the trio that was snickering at our backs.

“I will be leaving the city tomorrow.” I said in a low tone.

Tyr sighed. “I could feel that coming. It’s been fifty two years—”

“And thirty six days. I know.” I cut him off. “That’s why you and Penina will be coming with me.”

Both of us stomped together on the wraith in our path.

Tyr dug his booted heel harder into its dead mangled body. “Decided not to leave me behind this time?”

I could hear the hurt in his voice. “You and I both know that you were dreading another round on Faerie grounds.”

He looked away. “I would have done it for you.”

I gripped his shoulder and turned him to me. “I know my friend but you served me better here and you knew that. It’s why I got away with tying you up in the first place. Don’t think I didn’t know that.”

Tyr’s eyes darted at me and then he snorted, shaking my hand off him.

Peals of Remnant’s laughter sounded behind me. I glanced back for a brief moment. Stealing a look at the joy on my soulmate’s face. I paused. “Have Dragoon and Chin readied as well.”

“And General Dark?”

I faced forward once again. “Remnant will be coming too.”

Tyr shook his head as we started to walk once more. “There is no way you’ll be able to convince beauty to leave the faeling. Her connection to the girl is strong. You’ll have to be pretty fucking convincing to get her to even leave the city.”

I hummed. “Pastries.”

He glanced at me alarmed. “What?”

I shook my head, “never mind that.”

He shot me a concerned look and then shrugged. “Alright asshole, and where the fuck are we all going then? On a goddess damn picnic? Sightseeing so you can charm her clothes off?”

“To the outpost.”

“It is the right choice.” My cat purred and then sauntered back into the recesses of my mind.

Tyr’s large stride faltered. “Fuck.” He swallowed .

“I know.”

“I will have everything ready to go at dawn.” He said gravely.

Large raucous laughter erupted from the elemental twins. “I don’t think I ever heard them laugh.” I said.

“That’s because they don’t.” Tyr said, his expression thoughtful when he shot a look behind him. “Until now.”

I grunted. Kicking a wraith to the side and watching it fly ten feet from me. Landing in a loud thud. “Mid morning will be fine.” I said, my plan still forming. “We all need our rest and I need to speak to Jar before we leave.”

“Consider it done.” Tyr said seriously, kicking another dead wraith out of the way.

I eyed the distance his wraith had flown and then we both grinned at each other mischievously.

“Whoever kicks the next wraith the farthest buys the other a drink?” I challenged him.

Tyr’s eyes gleamed in the dark. “Prepare to lose, you’re going to be buying me several, your majesty.”