Page 21 of Tempting the Fae Lord (The Gatekeeper’s Weakness)

Chapter Twenty

The Gatekeeper

Rage burns a fiery coil through my gut, scalding my throat and making ash of my tongue. I will not tolerate the desecration of my cemetery nor the defiling of those interned within.

Calling on my power is natural here, where my roots are strongest. I fling a surge of magic in a wide arc, using it to dampen her hold on my people.

Gale waivers and leans hard against the stone wall.

Sonja snarls, struggling in my grip. A shock of her power rattles up my arm like a lightning bolt.

I shoot a hard look at Eulayla. “Take everyone to safety. Go.”

Eulayla shakes off Sonja’s hold long enough to scuttle backward, grabbing Amaris on her way. As much as I’d like to order Gale to go with her, I know it’s useless. He’ll never go.

It would be easier to deal with the threat if I didn’t have to worry about him, but when has life ever treated me gently?

“Call the bones,” the harpy shrieks.

Petru’s face screws with reluctance, but crimson magic swirls around his hands as he slowly lifts them.

My attention splits. Protect Gale. Keep Sonja restrained. Attack Petru, prevent him from using his cursed powers at all costs. How do I manage all of it?

Eulayla calls for Gale to come, but he shakes his head.

“Barricade the door.” He flings himself on Petru’s back.

They collapse to the ground in a heap.

With my free hand, I reach for the knife at my thigh but only meet skin. The knife’s on the floor next to my bed, where I’d stripped off my battle armor before passing out. Flesh Flies. I’ll have to do without.

Magic swarms the halls. Petru’s. Sonja’s. Mine. The air crackles with the overload. The space heats between us.

The scrape and thud of furniture sounds from behind the closed door of the game room.

Gale wrestles to keep Petru on the ground, but the dark glow of his unearthly power isn’t snuffed out. It spreads from his hands like a puddle, seeping ever wider even as they tussle.

A burst of pain spikes bright at my wrist.

I fling Sonja aside, gaping at where she’s bitten me.

Red coats her smirk as her back hits the wall.

She licks her lips. “No wonder he likes it.”

Her magic slams me sideways. I stumble, catch myself, and counter her spell with one of my own.

Someone moans.

I whip my head around, fear for Gale like a vise around my heart, but it’s Petru making the noise. Gale has a knee on his chest and both of Petru’s arms pinned over his head.

In the time it took to check on Gale, Sonja has wrested the upper hand. Her eyes glow a wicked silver, not like a fae but like a demon, and she shrieks.

My body takes the impact of her power full force. My muscles cramp and lock. I try to move, but it’s as though I’m encased in ice.

I growl, struggling. But ice is mine to call.

Not hers.

Going lax, I ease into the stillness and take command of the ice.

When she cautiously starts forward, probably thinking me defeated, I lash out. Icicles as sharp as knives fly at her and shatter against some invisible shield.

Curses.

Her laughter fuels my rage. I try again, with every bit of power at my disposal.

And again they clatter to the stones, useless.

“Perhaps you could best me in the human realm.” She stretches a hand in my direction. “But not here. Not where I’m meant to be.”

Another burst of her power knocks my head against the stones. Pain flares. The coppery bite of blood hits my nose. Her magic chains me in an unnatural hold.

She lunges at Gale and shoves him off Petru. Both young men cry out. Gale lands hard on his side but doesn’t let that stop him. He’s up and swiping at Petru’s heels before Sonja can drag him away.

Her attention pivots to Gale.

I try to stand and falter. “Don’t you dare hurt him. I’ll—”

“You’ll what? Steal me from my rightful family? Take away my birthright? Fling me into a hell where I don’t belong?” She kicks Gale hard, knocking him back. “Too late. You’ve already done it.”

Gale rolls over, clutching his left arm with his right. His face has gone pale, but his stare is fixed on the death mage. “Petru. Help us.”

Petru shivers and mouths, “I can’t.”

But the swirling red cloud of his magic recedes, leaving an opening.

I reach deep inside, harnessing the fae power that flows through my royal blood, the magic I’ve honed for centuries, the iron well of strength of the vampire, and I rip my way out of her magical hold.

Sonja flees, yanking Petru along by the wrist.

The urge to give chase is nearly impossible to resist.

Nearly.

But Gale whimpers and curls in on himself. I must go to him.

I crawl free of my invisible prison and kneel at his side as they get away. “You’re injured.”

He watches through eyes squinted with pain. “So are you.”

“I’m fine.” A little blood. The back of my head. No matter. But Gale… I reach for his arm.

He flinches, protecting it on instinct.

“Broken?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” His stare grows distant. “They’re going to escape.”

“I’ll deal with them after.” I can’t leave Gale’s side. Not when he’s hurting. Not until I know the extent of the damage. Until I know he’s going to be all right.

Carefully, I gather him into my arms, watching for sore spots, and stand.

He melts into me like the ice crystals that scatter the floor, a limp puddle, wounded and frazzled.

She’ll pay for this. I shall see to it myself. Just as soon as I get him to safety.

Movement behind the game room door snags my attention.

“Ezra?” Eulayla’s voice, laced with fear, calling me by the name she only uses when emotions run high. “You all right out there?”

“We will be. She’s gone for now.”

Furniture scrapes and slides. One by one, those I love most in the world tiptoe out into the hall and look around.

Blood, ice, water, and the tingling remnants of too much magic linger in the hallway. Amaris scrunches her little nose.

Eulayla hurries to my side and lays a hand on Gale’s cheek. “You’ve gone pale as a fresh snowfall, dear heart.”

“M’all right,” Gale mutters.

But he isn’t. His eyes are cloudy, and I’m relatively sure he’s broken at least one bone. Maybe several. His breathing is off-kilter as though his ribs are in pieces.

I clutch Gale closer. “Eulayla, that fae witch is not to be trusted, nor the human mage, at least not until we can break her hold on him. I must see to Gale. Take enough provisions for a few days and lock yourselves in the stronghold.”

Alarm flits through her gaze, but then her steadfast resolve overtakes it. “Yes, sir.”

“And hurry.”

“We will. Don’t worry about us. Keep yourself safe.” She glances at Gale. “I know I don’t have to tell you to keep him safe, but… keep him safe.”

“On my honor.”

I meet the steel in Eulayla’s gaze.

She nods and ushers the others toward the kitchens, doling out orders as she goes. “Marissa, gather the linens. Jack, carry the water. Chester, pack the food. Amaris—”

I head the opposite direction, to the stairwell and up to my chambers, trusting them to hurry to the safety of the strongroom until this mess is sorted.

In my arms, Gale makes a pained sound and tenses.

I’ll kill Sonja for this.

Then perhaps I’ll have Petru raise her from the dead just to kill her again.