Page 14

Saoirse

Saoirse followed the strangers through the trees, keeping an eye out for any Dark Fae that still lurked along the road. Last night had proven there were more out there than she’d been willing to admit.

She rolled her shoulders, working the tension from her joints. It’d been a fight, but nothing they hadn’t been able to handle. She hoped it showed these warriors that if they were leading them to a trap, it wouldn’t turn out well for any of them.

Such dark creatures. Their mother had told them stories when they were little, but those beasts were supposed to be trapped inside the forbidden forest that resided in the mountains. Yet here they were, running wild, killing any unfortunate enough to cross their paths.

Saoirse gritted her teeth. And now there was some rebel force taking them to gods knew where claiming Arianna and Rion were alive and well.

Talon, Saoirse, and Raevina had bound the entire group in iron to question them. None were lying.

Saoirse kept one hand on her weapon as they moved through the trees. Raevina walked on her right, flames sparking at her fingertips as she watched the space between the trees. Talon marched just ahead, a knife hidden in his palm, ready to let it fly at any given moment.

Zylah trudged along behind with a chained Gavin at her side. The male had begged to accompany them, claiming he could be of use should Pádraigín’s forces meet them on the road. They were traveling closer to Ashling and in Pádraigín territory now. Saoirse couldn’t fathom why Rion would take Arianna anywhere near their country. Especially when the High Lord already had Ellie.

But maybe they’d told him something she didn’t know.

“It’s just ahead,” a male claimed. They carried weapons, but no one had dared to touch them. Everyone was pensive, waiting for the moment of betrayal.

Seconds later, Talon disappeared. One moment he’d been there, the next he was gone, vanishing into mist. Raevina’s heart spiked and the female drew her sword, summoning flames to surround her body before she was running.

Raevina disappeared too.

Saoirse growled and followed, yanking her blade free. Familiar magic washed over and through her like cold water only to vanish a second later.

Talon and Raevina reappeared and several scents hit Saoirse all at once.

Her eyes scanned the area and when Zylah materialized beside her, she backed toward the female, determined to protect her at any cost.

Talon had a male pinned against a tree with a blade to his throat. Wisely, said male had raised his hands rather than reaching for one of his weapons. Raevina had grabbed another and her flames hovered dangerously close to the male’s face.

Two others stood with their hands up, staring at Saoirse, likely wondering which of them would be put in a precarious situation next.

But Saoirse took in the scents littering the space, then her gaze roamed to the houses in the distance. Smoke curled from the chimneys and people moved back and forth, completely unaware of the new Fae in their midst.

“Relax,” the male in Talon’s grip said.

“What the hell was that?” Talon demanded even though they all knew. Pádraigín’s magic. Was she in a glamor? Saoirse glanced back to be sure Zylah still stood behind her. The female nodded, telling Saoirse she was fine.

Their relationship might still be a strained one, but neither could deny how well they worked together. When the village was attacked, Saoirse had fought like hell to keep the Dark Fae away from Zylah’s patients. She’d refused to submit, even when the wall had fallen.

It had resulted in Zylah giving her fifteen stitches in her left arm. She’d broken a few in her fight against the Dark Fae. Zylah had silently tended to them again. The hopeful part of Saoirse wanted to reason it meant Zylah cared. Or maybe she was just being practical.

“We have to keep this place hidden from Pádraigín’s High Lord,” the male answered.

“You can use his own magic to hide from him?”

“I’ve used it to lie to him,” Gavin said.

“No one asked you,” Talon barked. The male partly blamed Gavin for Ellie’s disappearance. She couldn’t say she blamed him.

“The glamour prevents his spies from finding us. It keeps us safe.”

“Why didn’t you warn us beforehand?” Raevina demanded, never taking her eyes off the male in her grasp.

“I—” His eyes were wide. “I just assumed you’d know.”

Right, because it wasn’t as if a rebel group could function out in the open. Still, it was a stupid assumption on his part.

“Talon!” Their heads all turned and Saoirse watched the tension fall from Talon’s shoulders when he spotted Arianna across the field. Saoirse’s gaze wandered to her side and relief flooded through her at the sight of her little brother.

He stood without his magic. No weapons drawn either. Arianna sat in a chair beside him.

Talon left the male where he was and ran, his long legs carrying him across the space in record time. Saoirse glanced back at Zylah and the pair of them were moving a second later with Gavin in tow. She didn’t look to see if Raevina followed.

Saoirse studied her brother, searching the space around him for that strange ripple Gavin had pointed out. They’d entered a glamour. Even with their friends supposedly before them, they needed to be careful. None of this might be real.

“Talon,” Saoirse called out in warning. The male stopped, seeming to realize the same thing she already had. Arianna’s face scrunched as she stared at them, but Saoirse addressed her little brother, or who she hoped was her little brother.

“Tell me something only you would know.”

Silence filled the space between them. Rion’s magic swirled lightly at his feet, nothing like the storm she’d expected. And … were those markings down his arms? She studied the symbols. They did nothing to ease her mind.

“You have cacti pajamas.”

She nearly smiled. “Everyone knows that.”

He remained still. Thinking. “They don’t know about the stain on the left pant leg where you spilled wine one night. Or how you furiously scrubbed the material, refusing to let anyone else touch them. They also don’t know about you meticulously resewing the bottom seam when it comes undone or the night you threw out a male because he tried to rip—.”

“All right, all right,” Saoirse said, “It’s them.” She didn’t look back at Zylah—couldn’t without her face burning. Saoirse wasn’t sure why she didn’t want the female knowing about her past lovers. Maybe she didn’t want to give her any more reason to turn away.

Arianna stood with the help of a stranger. A female, not Rion. She found the gesture odd, but when Talon closed the distance, she heard the clear warning in Rion’s tone. “Careful.”

It was then that Saoirse took in the way Arianna hadn’t fully straightened. Talon watched too and wrapped Arianna in a light embrace before pulling back to look her over. Talon had mentioned Arianna’s injured state before her brother had taken off.

Saoirse inched closer, her emotions flaring through her as she watched her little brother staring at his mate as if she were the only one who existed.

“You’re alive,” Talon breathed.

“I think that should be my line,” Arianna replied. Had she thought them dead?

Rion’s gaze turned to his sister. “Alec really came?”

She waved one hand. “Came. Saved. Conquered. The usual Alec dramatics.” Saoirse tried to keep her voice calm, even as her body shook. “He showed up shortly after you fled.” Abandoned them.

“So the silhouettes I saw in the distance—”

“Weren’t more Dark Fae, thank the gods,” Saoirse finished. She took another step, closing the distance. Arianna might have been hurt, but he looked well enough. “You’re okay?”

Rion nodded. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Good.” Then Saoirse slammed her fist into the side of Rion’s face, sending him sprawling to the ground. Those in the vicinity drew their weapons and magic sparked through the air. She didn’t care, but when Rion stared up at her in shock, the wall of pain she’d been holding back surged to the surface. “What the hell were you thinking?”

The temperature in the air plummeted as a male with dark hair stepped toward her. “How dare you.”

“How dare I what?” she shot back.

“You will not strike your king.”

King. She hadn’t heard anyone else refer to him as such. Not beyond their mother. “I’m his sister,” she countered. “I can do as I please, especially when he runs off and makes us worry whether or not I’d find him alive.” Her voice broke and Saoirse gritted her teeth.

“I—”

“Stop,” Arianna said. She winced and the other female was there, helping her settle back into the chair. Rion just watched, his magic still nonexistent.

“What happened?” Arianna asked after a beat of silence. “Is everyone okay?”

“Avalon is fine,” Talon said. “We lost a number of villagers, but they’re all relocating to Levea. Your father plans to expand the walls to combat the influx of Dark Fae.”

“There’s more?” Arianna’s face had gone pale.

Talon nodded.

“What about our mother?” Rion inquired, still sitting on the ground. His lip had split at the bottom, but he made no move to wipe the blood away.

Saoirse refused to feel guilty. Instead, she reached out a hand and Rion allowed her to pull him to his feet. “She’s with Alec. He wanted to come sooner but had to handle a few unfortunate issues in Nàdiar first. It feels like the entire world has been thrown into chaos.”

“Is she okay with him?”

Saoirse’s eyes softened. “She knows him. They had a happy reunion. I haven’t seen Alec cry in years.”

Rion scoffed. “I’m not sure he’s capable.”

“Oh, he is. Sobbed like a youngling once they were behind closed doors.”

“Is Levea going to be able to hold everyone?” Arianna asked.

“Some are going to Nàdair,” Saoirse answered. “We have the room, though the journey itself won’t exactly be an easy one given all the foul creatures running amuck.”

They all fell silent, taking in the changed state of their world. All because Arianna had shoved a piece of iron through Niall. It made her wonder what might happen if they did the same to the High Lord.

“Are you going to introduce us to your new friends or are we leaving?” Saoirse asked, glaring at the male that still had his magic aimed at her.

The frost vanished and his face paled. “You can’t leave.”

“Why the hell not,” she challenged. Talon stood straighter too.

“You—” He glanced between each of them, clearly not accustomed to being the outlier. His gaze finally settled on Arianna. “At least allow us to tell you the full story. Let us present you with the truth if nothing else.”

“Tell your warriors to stand down,” Talon commanded, eyeing each in turn.

Conall gave a signal and each of them lowered their weapons and let their magic fade. “You’ll have to forgive them, many have waited decades to meet their king and he was just—”

“Rightfully punched in the face by his sister. Deal with it,” Saoirse said. “You didn’t interfere for decades when much worse things were happening to him. Don’t pretend to be heroic now.”

Shame covered the male’s face and the scent of it floated through the air. She let another tense moment pass before Saoirse stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Rion’s neck, pulling her brother in for a tight embrace. Rion didn’t move at first, then returned the gesture.

His heart still raced whenever she touched him, but Rion wasn’t trying to pull away from her anymore. He was trying, working through his past demons. She appreciated it now more than ever.

She was fortunate. More fortunate than most. To have her family members continuously taken from her only to see them again. She was certain the gods were at work.

“I’ll have more chairs brought.”

“That would help get things started,” she said. “Along with introductions.”

“Conall,” the male said. “And you’re Saoirse of Brónach, and Raevina of Fiadh.” He continued, going through each face in turn. “Talon of Levea, Zylah, and—” The male paused when his eyes met Gavin’s. “You—you’re the High Lord’s grandson. Gavin of Pádraigín.”

“Ashling,” Gavin corrected. Conall raised a brow. “The current High Lord is a usurper.”

“I’ve never heard you renounce the name.”

Gavin’s face heated. “Well, it’s not like I can say such things in his presence.”

Only royal Fae carried the name of their nation. The rest bore the name from their city of origin, wherever that may be. For Gavin to willingly give it up …

“Wait—” Saoirse said. “He’s not the rightful High Lord?”

Conall shook his head. “He wiped out the royal family centuries ago. None are left to claim such titles.” Fae emerged from the cabin carrying chairs and set them in a circle so that everyone would face one another. They also brought out a few more small tables and refreshments before disappearing again.

Saoirse found the entire display a little unnerving. They seemed more than willing to serve Conall. It reminded her too much of Niall and the way his servants had done the same. Was it fear or loyalty?

Gavin stepped forward, his chains rattled, and Arianna’s gaze snapped to them. “Why is he in iron?”

Talon chose to answer. He’d been the one to command it after all. “Because we didn’t have the time or patience to worry about whether he could be trusted.”

“Take them off.”

“My Lady,” Conall said, bowing his head slightly when she turned to him. “Perhaps it might be wiser to keep them on.”

“Spoken from someone who’s never had to suffer in them.”

Conall’s lips parted and he bowed his head further before his gaze drifted to her wrists. Sometimes, it was hard to believe Arianna had ever been a slave. To think she’d spent over a year in chains herself and has still been kind enough to show her brother mercy. Saoirse glanced to Zylah, watching as the half-breed withdrew the key and unlocked the heavy manacles around Gavin’s wrists. The male was smart enough not to summon his magic.

Arianna continued, “He’s already pledged himself to me and …” her voice broke, “my sister.”

“Why your sister?” Conall asked, his tone skeptical.

“They’re mates,” Saoirse finished. “And we have full intentions to use any information he can give us to get her back.”

“We can help,” Conall said. All heads turned to him. “Please, sit, let’s have a long overdue discussion.”