Page 3

Arianna

Arianna stared at the desk and the stacks of papers waiting for her. She’d already visited the infirmary tent for an hour to heal any who needed it. Most were small wounds from training exercises. She always chastised the warriors to be more careful and they’d bow their heads in shame.

She settled into the chair and picked up the first pile. It was the simplest of the bunch, with handwritten requests from the village elders asking for approval of any changes they wanted to make. She honestly didn’t know why they needed her input at all.

The next stack was a series of reports that she rarely got to read. Rion usually filled her in. It was everything from attacks on nearby towns to the location of Dark Fae that’d been spotted roaming the roads at night. Then there were the reports of movements from any large forces that seemed like they could be problematic. Thankfully, all those groups were still too far to the north, likely just patrols. She hoped. The other reports regarding decimated villages concerned her more, but her father said it was outside their territory and there wasn’t much to be done.

Unseating the High Lord of Pádraigín would do a lot of good, but they had a long road to travel before then.

One report from two nights ago claimed Talon would return today, hopefully with news about her sister. If he came back empty-handed again, she wasn’t sure what their next move would be.

They’d been sedentary too long, stuck in a limbo of decisions.

Her father wanted her to convince the village elders to move to Móirín where they’d be safer and better able to defend the masses. But Levea still had a crowd of refuges outside its border that would need to be brought inside if they hoped to fortify the area. Adding more mouths to feed would only serve to stress the already overpopulated community. She supposed they could scatter them between the various villages across their territory, but that would be unfair to those villages, and she couldn’t be in fifty places at once. Not to mention, splitting up friends and comrades didn’t seem like the best move when they might be on the brink of war.

Arianna sighed and rubbed her temples. Not to mention the fact that village elders didn’t want to move at all. She’d thought about leaving, just to make this place less of a target, but if she chose to move silently, as everyone would advise, then Niall would still think her here, which would defeat the entire purpose.

Arianna picked up another handwritten request. A group of nobles were asking for housing to be built on the far side of the village, outside the wall, then another wall to be erected around them. They’d been asking for the same thing for weeks, but Arianna knew the real reason. They wanted to be separated from the half-breeds. Her father said it might be best to let them have what they wanted in order to keep the peace. Just temporarily, but if she gave in to the segregation now, then it would continue and thrive until they were right back to where they started.

There’d only been a few small skirmishes between the nobles and half-breeds, but what would she do if it escalated? What would happen if someone were killed like the noble in Ruadhan? Not that he hadn’t deserved it.

She set the note aside unanswered and moved onto the next. A request for where to place farm land. As if she were the most apt person to ask such a thing. She didn’t know the first thing—a shrill alarm cut through the mid-morning bustle.

Arianna’s heart leapt into her throat, but she remained still, listening for another. It didn’t come.

One alarm. That meant an unfamiliar group had been spotted approaching the gate.

Arianna let the paper fall from her hands and marched outside. Her guards had their weapons drawn. People had paused everything and were staring toward the northern gate, wondering if it were just a passing traveler or someone more sinister.

Many watched her and she could scent the fear floating through the air. They had little more than a wooden fence as a means of defense. Something they desperately needed to change. Perhaps she could work with Rion on creating a stone wall around the village instead, though they’d also have to teach the villagers how to properly man it in the event of a siege.

Arianna’s magic sparked at her fingertips, already creating a trail of frost in her wake as she marched toward the edge of the village. She’d taken one step up the stairs when she felt her mate beside her, his magic mingling with her own.

Her heart skipped a beat, then their eyes met. For reasons she couldn’t explain, her magic quelled her fear. So long as the beast lurking in her veins was awake, she could tolerate the presence of Rion’s magic. It practically purred in her mate’s presence, drawing him closer. His magic answered in kind.

Rion allowed her to walk in front of him. The guards parted, and she peered over the edge, only to find a lone figure walking with a cloak obscuring their face and hands held up in surrender.

Alone. Why in the gods’ name would anyone be traveling alone right now? The factions were in an uproar and the entire continent was on the brink of civil war. Then there were the Dark Fae themselves. Creatures they hadn’t even been able to name, let alone understand how to deal with.

Her heart jumped with the possibility of Niall, or worse, the High Lord of Pádraigín himself. Both could likely level this place in an instant. But if they’d planned to attack, they wouldn’t announce themselves. Unless they just wanted her.

The wind shifted and Arianna scented the air, her shoulders stiffening when she found Pádraigín’s magic floating through the breeze.

No, no, they weren’t ready.

The warriors beside her drew their weapons and magic tore from their bodies, all preparing for a fight.

Arianna glanced behind her briefly, wondering how fast they could evacuate the villagers into the underground safe houses. Were the supplies ready? Could they get to them fast enough? Would it even matter in the end?

She turned back right as the figure pulled their hood down and everything in Arianna’s body relaxed a fraction.

Gavin.

But Gavin was—she didn’t have time to react as a fierce snarl ripped from Rion’s throat. Then he was moving. The earth came up to surround his body, rocks floating in all sizes and shapes as he closed in on the male faster than she’d ever seen him move.

Anger flooded the tiny room containing the bond and Gavin stepped back, fear plainly written across his face as The Demon of Alastríona barreled toward him.

Gavin stepped back and Arianna had the sinking feeling that Rion wouldn’t show the male any mercy.

Gavin had disappeared the same night Ellie had gone missing. Their only conclusion had been that Gavin helped Niall escape, or, in the best-case scenario, was forced to go back with him. But Gavin could lie. He’d admitted it himself. There was the possibility that Gavin had never been on their side to begin with. Regardless of his loyalty, he’d know whether Niall had Ellie.

Arianna yanked on the bond hard enough that she saw Rion falter. It wasn’t a movement anyone else might have noticed, but she saw the way his magic jerked all the same.

Don’t kill him , she tried to convey.

Rion’s fist collided with the side of Gavin’s face and a resounding crack echoed across the field, followed by Gavin’s howl of pain. He tried to fall to his knees, but Rion grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him up, slamming another fist into the male’s torso.

No one dared intervene, not even her, though she wasn’t sure she wanted to. If Gavin had helped Niall escape—if he were the reason Ellie was taken—she might very well kill him herself.

Rion struck him again and Gavin fell to the ground, scrambling backward away from The Demon, his face pouring blood. He held one hand up, begging Rion to listen.

Rion growled in response and made to lunge for Gavin again, but ice tore across the ground at Gavin’s feet. Rion jumped back, his magic drawing closer around his body as he searched for the threat.

Then Arianna saw Talon jogging across the field. His clothes were torn around his legs and left arm. Blood stained the fabric. Even so, her friend kept moving until he stood between Rion and Gavin.

Arianna’s heart tightened all over again as she remembered the last time Rion and Talon had been at one another’s throats. She placed one hand on the edge of the wooden fence, prepared to leap over the edge in order to separate them.

They stared at one another, then Talon turned toward the male on the ground. Gavin almost looked relieved, then Talon planted his boot in the male’s face.

FOR THE briefest of moments, Talon feared Rion might outright kill Gavin, but he should have known the male was more calculating than that.

Gavin might very well be the only one able to tell them where Ellie was being held.

Talon had looked around for Arianna and was surprised to find her standing at the top of the wooden wall, looking down on them. She’d given Talon the briefest of nods and his chest swelled with the trust. She’d always trusted him, but he’d been failing her at every turn. To know he might finally be able to bring her some good news was a relief.

Rion grabbed Gavin by the back of his neck, ignoring the male’s pleas for mercy. This was mercy as far as Talon was concerned.

Talon turned to the warriors in his unit and gave them the signal to freshen up. His second would inform Avalon of their findings, which amounted to pretty much nothing, at least where Ellie was concerned, but there were other things Avalon needed to know about. Like the amassing Dark Fae and all the destruction they’d caused. And where they were likely headed.

Arianna was already gone by the time he looked back, likely preparing herself to tend to the warriors in his unit. There was only one that could use her help. The other two had been lost on the way home, bleeding out long before their arrival.

Rion was a brewing storm the likes of which Talon hadn’t seen since they’d fought in Levea. He followed in silence, almost relishing in the fear pouring from Gavin as they moved away from the village. If the male had hoped to plea his case before Arianna, he’d been sorely mistaken.

When they were far enough away that a wandering villager wouldn’t overhear their conversation, Rion slammed the young male’s back against a flat rock and stood with his hands at his sides, fists clenching and unclenching.

The old Rion might have very well already taken off a leg, Talon had seen his methods before. But again, he was a calculated male and likely thinking about the possibility that Gavin might have to lead them to Ellie.

But if Gavin proved useless, well, Talon wouldn’t be hanging around to find out what Rion had in store for him.

A traitor. That’s exactly what Gavin was to them now. He might have helped everyone escape Ruadhan, but if he were involved with Niall, there was no sparing him.

“Where is Ellie?” Rion growled.

Gavin cowered on the ground, trying to staunch the blood gushing from his broken nose. “In Ashling.” Tears rolled down the male’s cheeks and Talon wondered if he’d ever been struck before.

“With Niall?” Rion spat the name.

Gavin did a poor job of shaking his head. He gasped for air through the pain. “Worse, she’s with the High Lord.”

Talon’s stomach dropped. He’d hoped she’d escaped the High Lord’s notice, but it’d been a fool’s hope from the start.

“Why are you here?” Rion demanded. Gavin’s next answer would likely seal his fate.

“I-I was branded a traitor. The warriors who saw me leave with Evelyn and the half-bred reported to Niall. He put a warrant out for my arrest.”

Talon crossed his arms. “So you turned tail and ran? How heroic.”

“I came for help,” Gavin sneered, showing the first real sign of aggression. He regretted it immediately when Rion’s boot collided with his face. “Why do you keep hitting me?” Gavin shouted. “I haven’t done anything wrong!”

Rion grabbed the front of Gavin’s tunic and slammed him against the rock again. “You left with Niall, who conveniently escaped and took Ellie with him. You expect me to believe it was a coincidence?”

“They had Evelyn, what was I supposed to do? I couldn’t just leave her.”

“You’re here now,” Talon said, his own anger threatening to boil over. A tinge of fear accompanied it, wondering if the reason Gavin had left—

“Because I need your help. If you’d stop punishing me for a second, I could explain.”

“Explain faster,” Talon warned. “Before you’re not able to talk at all.”

Gavin eyed the two males then began talking as fast as Talon had ever heard anyone speak.

“Niall was already out of his bonds when I brought the civilians back from Ruadhan. He was hurt thanks to Arianna. He said we needed to get back to Ashling as quickly as possible. I couldn’t refuse, you know how strong he is.” Gavin glanced between them and sat up slowly, his back against the wall. He looked away.

“That’s when I saw her in chains. Niall already knew she was my mate. I almost slipped up. Almost ran and begged him to let her go. But somehow he didn’t know about my betrayal yet. Or maybe he thought I was doing everything for his benefit. I don’t know. I stayed in control and played the part he wanted to see. I thought that maybe I could unlock her bonds on the road, but Niall kept her unconscious the whole time. The half-breed was instructed to care for her. I didn’t dare show that I might be concerned lest Niall feel my loyalty was threatened. So I waited but there was never a good time and Niall had her under his magic. He’d know if I moved her and then we’d both be in chains.

“Then we got to Ashling. I thought he’d take her to the dungeons, but she went right to the High Lord. Even her cell was too closely guarded for me to break her free.” Rion had turned a shade paler. “If you thought Niall was bad, he’s nothing compared to the High Lord.” Gavin was shaking now. “I promised her I’d find help.”

“You talked to her?” Talon asked.

Gavin nodded.

“What did she say?”

“To rot in the deepest pit of hell.”

Talon couldn’t stop the small smile that spread across his face. “Well, I’d say she’s hanging in there.”

“She’s not.” Talon’s smile fell. “He—he’s doing things to her.”

“What things?” Rion growled. Talons stomach turned sour.

Gavin tapped his head. “He’s messing with her mind. She’s not right. She’s different. You have to get to her before—”

Thunder rumbled overhead and Talon glanced at the cloudy sky before he scented a familiar magic. He turned slightly to see shards of ice crackling around the High Lord of Móirín as the male marched toward them.

The very air pressure seemed to shift, reminding Talon of Arianna’s magic when she lost control. The first raindrops started to fall and Talon stepped to the side.

Avalon’s guards marched at his side, each with fury written across their faces. Ellie was their future High Lady. She’d known each of their names by heart and had made a point to get to know their families too.

If Gavin thought Rion was the worst of them, he was sorely mistaken. Talon gave Gavin a sympathetic look. “Good luck.”

Gavin visibly paled as the Avalon closed the distance. He was only a few feet away when he demanded in a menacing tone. “Where is my daughter?”