Page 46

Arianna

Arianna woke in a warm bed with a heavy blanket draped across her torso. Her chest hurt, throbbing as though something had pierced her heart. She sat up slowly, her back aching from a wound she couldn’t remember.

The room was strange yet comforting. A chair sat beside her bed with a blanket laid over the armrest as if someone had been sleeping there. She sniffed the air around it, but didn’t recognize the spicy scent.

Her gaze shifted to the wooden table at the bedside. A glass of water rested on top, condensation rolling down the sides. Arianna didn’t dare reach for it. Pictures hung from the walls depicting images of the forest and the various animals within.

She was definitely in somebody’s home, but at least she wasn’t nursing a nearly fatal wound this time.

Arianna prodded the tender area on the back of her head and neck. No broken skin or lumps, which meant someone had likely been using runes to treat her. Zylah? Sive? Were they back in the rebel’s camp?

Images of the last few days came rushing back. She remembered being chained to a table. She remembered escaping and finding Ellie with Vairik. But the rest—Arianna cradled her head. Had they gotten Ellie out? Had they killed Vairik, or—or was she still at his mercy?

Kirian … Tears welled to the surface and Arianna covered her mouth. Gods, Kirian was gone and the way Ellie had looked at him. Her stomach twisted. Did that mean her sister was gone too? Had Vairik corrupted her mind beyond repair? Was there any hope?

The door creaked open and Arianna started. She gripped her blankets, staring at a male she didn’t recognize. Thankfully Talon followed right behind him. Her shoulders relaxed a fraction.

Talon had cleaned up, changed clothes, and had his hair pulled back in his usual fashion, but both were staring at her with concerned looks on their faces.

“How are you feeling?” the male asked. He moved closer, but carefully, as if afraid to startle her. Was he a healer? A Weaver?

“What happened?” Arianna asked.

Talon sat at the foot of the bed and clasped his hands together. “What’s the last thing you remember?”

She tried to bring the memories to the surface, but it was … difficult. As if they were too heavy. Each slipped from her grasp, one after the other.

“I remember Ellie,” Arianna clenched her jaw, fighting to prevent the tears from falling. “And Kirian.” Talon nodded, but she saw the emotions in his gaze. The grief. “I remember the Dark Fae and—how did we escape? Is Ellie—Did we get her—”

“She’s in the other room.” The way he said it had dread settling in the pit of her stomach.

“Is she okay?”

“She’s … resting and alive. We don’t know what Vairik might have done to her yet.”

“I want to see her.”

“Okay, but can you rest a bit first? Maybe get something to eat?”

Her stomach growled in response. “Are we safe?”

Talon nodded. “For the time being. We’re hoping Vairik believes we were all caught in the blast.”

“What blast?”

“You don’t remember running?”

She pressed a palm to her temple. “It’s coming back, but … I think I blacked out at some point.”

“Ashling is gone. Apparently there was a volcano under it. It erupted.”

“The timing seems a little convenient.”

“We think your magic triggered it. Saoirse mentioned something about pressure building beneath the surface.”

Arianna did recall her magic burying into the ground, digging deep, but when she reached for the memories it was like a white hot poker slashed through her brain. She grabbed her head again and winced. The stranger in the room stepped forward then paused.

“Don’t push yourself,” Talon said then exchanged a glance with the other male. “When we were separated, do you remember where you were?”

“Yeah,” Arianna said, a familiar anger rising to the surface. “They caught me.” The male stiffened and she clenched her fists. “I can still—he was in my head. They both were.” She hated the lingering oily feel of Vairik’s presence. As if he’d scarred her with his essence.

“Both?” Talon questioned.

“Niall and Vairik.”

“And you feel okay?”

Arianna met his gaze. “I think so.” After seeing what Ellie had done, Arianna understood perfectly well what he was asking. Could Vairik have altered her mind without her being able to tell?

“You think he did something to me?”

“It’d be surprising if he didn’t.”

“Do I seem different?”

Talon hesitated and her stomach sank. “When we escaped, you were behaving … oddly. Even now …” he trailed off and looked at the male beside her again.

“How, exactly?” If Vairik had done something to her mind, she needed to puzzle through it as fast as possible.

“What do you remember about,” Talon hesitated again. “About when you were taken?”

“Taken?” She tried to clarify.

“When you were a slave. How did you escape?”

Arianna blinked at him, confused. “I’m not really sure why that matters.”

“Indulge me. Please.”

“I was taken from the celebration—” she started.

“And how did you escape?”

“You came and blew up the camp. You got us out.”

“Who is us?”

“Me and Zylah and the other slaves.”

His jaw clenched again. “And afterward?”

“You took me back to Levea. Father threw a celebration then Fiadh attacked and Brónach came to our aid.”

“ Why did Brónach come to our aid?”

“Because they wanted to rekindle the alliance.”

“Because?”

Arianna threw up her arms in frustration. “What does this have to do with anything? Because I’m the Divine, I guess. Isn’t that why everyone comes to help?” she gestured toward the stranger in the room. “And why is he standing here gawking at me?” She lifted her gaze to the male. “Who are you?”

Arianna had never seen two males go so still. Both stared at her, but the stranger gasped as if she’d physically struck him. Something like sorrow tugged deep in her heart but was quickly washed away by shadow.

Then Arianna scented magic drifting from him. Not the usual sort, this was something different. Something that demanded she rise to attention. Particles skittered across the floor then around his boots, moving in a slow jagged pattern.

Particles of … earth.

Arianna’s heart began pounding faster as she lifted her gaze to study the male’s auburn hair and piercing green eyes. She’d scented the trace of Brónach on him before but—

Memories of their escape came flooding back. The Demon.

Arianna scooted her legs up and winced from the pain in her back. The Demon’s hands clenched and her magic strummed through her veins, pulsing in time to her rapid heartbeat.

Talon was saying something, but she couldn’t hear him above the roar in her ears.

“Arianna.” Her name fell from his lips like a plea. As if she were the goddess she worshiped. But she knew better. The Demon took a single step forward and Arianna sent him flying back, her magic exploding out of her with half a thought. His body slammed against the wall and she scrambled off the bed. Talon’s hand reached for her, but she shoved him away with another burst of ice.

Arianna stopped at the doorway, turning to ensure she hadn’t hurt her friend. She needed to get him out of here too. If he stayed—Talon stood slowly and brushed the ice from his hand. Why wasn’t he panicked? Why wasn’t his magic out? Where were his weapons?

The Demon remained on the floor, staring up at her with devastation written across his face.

“He’s not going to hurt you,” Talon assured.

Arianna gaped at him. Not going to hurt her? What did he mean? Talon extended one hand and melted the ice from The Demon’s body. The male still didn’t move, as if she’d actually frozen him to the spot.

But Talon knew exactly who he was. He’d been the one to tell her stories about the creature that tore through battlefields without remorse. He’d been the one to warn her to steer clear of him at any cost.

Talon stepped, but not toward her. He placed himself between her and The Demon. As if that monster were the one that needed protection.

But—but—

Gods, was Talon a traitor? Is that how they’d escaped? Had Talon made a deal with Vairik? Was The Demon working with him too? Was her sister even free, or were they using a glamour to fool her? Maybe she wasn’t even really in a house. What if this was a dungeon and they were all still inside the castle?

Arianna stepped back.

Talon spoke in a near whisper. “You’re safe. Give me a chance to explain.”

Her heart wouldn’t slow. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t—

Not Talon. Talon wouldn’t—he couldn’t—

“You’re helping him.” Her voice broke.

“I’m just making sure you don’t do something you’ll regret.”

Regret? What the hell was he talking about? Arianna stepped back again and darted a glance toward the stairs. The Demon placed his hands on the floor, as if he might rise and give chase. Could she even outrun him?

Ellie. She needed to find Ellie.

The Demon’s magic flickered to life and Arianna bolted. She took the stairs three at a time, each impact jarring her body so much it threatened to collapse.

She had to get to her father. He would know what to do. She wasn’t strong enough as she was now, but if she could make it to Levea—

Talon’s voice followed her down the stairs and Arianna paused upon seeing Raevina seated in the room with a glass halfway to her mouth. Saoirse sat across from her, but she’d half risen, her eyes wide as she stared at Arianna.

Arianna veered for the door. Tears stung her eyes. Talon was a traitor. They were all traitors. No, that wasn’t right. Raevina had pledged her life to her, hadn’t she? Unless they’d all turned together. Did she have no one? Was this even real?

“Arianna, stop.” She didn’t. She raced straight into the trees, just like she should have done when she’d first been taken into slavery. She just needed to find a water source. If she could do that, maybe she could lose them.

Talon’s footsteps closed in, as if he were purposely making noise, but then The Demon appeared in front of her, easily cutting her off. She skidded to a stop, panting from the pain radiating through her back and neck.

Gods, he was going to kill her. One strike of his magic and she’d be dead.

Arianna backed away a step, but Talon and Raevina blocked her path.

“It’s all right,” The Demon whispered, his voice a strange sort of music that called to something in her soul.

Arianna shook her head and spun to find Talon too close. “Stay away from me,” she shouted before summoning magic to surround her body. She morphed each droplet into a tiny spear.

Talon backed away and lifted his hands. “No one here is going to hurt you.”

“What did you do to me?” she shouted again. Something was wrong. Something was missing. She needed time to sort through the facts and figure out exactly when it’d happened.

“Please, Arianna,” Talon pleaded. “Just come back inside. I’ll explain everything, I promise.”

“Explain him!” She jerked her head toward The Demon.

“I’m your mate.”

Arianna scoffed then anxious laughter bubbled to the surface. “You’d like that wouldn’t you? To be crowned king over the land after everything you’ve done.” He visibly flinched.

Talon stepped and she shot four icicles at his feet. “Have you been working with Vairik this whole time? Are you the reason Ellie was taken?”

Talon furrowed his brow. “No.”

“I don’t believe you.” She looked around. “Is Gavin hiding around the corner, ready to twist the truth for you?”

“Gavin is upstairs with Ellie.”

Her lips trembled as she desperately tried to scent the lie. If they had Ellie, she couldn’t leave. She had to get to her sister first. But she wasn’t strong enough.

“I want to go back to Levea. I want to see my father.”

More pain covered Talon’s face. “We can talk about it, but you have to calm down first.”

“Please, Arianna.”

She whirled on The Demon. “Do not say my name.” He hadn’t moved through the entire exchange. She might be able to kill him, but Talon. She couldn’t fight the male who’d always been there for her. She couldn’t—she couldn’t—

Her chest rose and fell faster than she could draw breath. Her mind spun, the colors around her blurring. Spinning. She needed to run and yet couldn’t. They were going to put iron on her, use her for their own gain.

Arianna faltered and Talon dared a step closer. “Let me get you back inside.”

“I don’t—” Air. She needed air. Arianna gripped her chest, doubling over. Everything was moving too fast, too fast, too fast. “Don’t—” She tried again.

“Let me assist you, My Lady. Tell me what you need.” Arianna looked up. Raevina. Could she trust Raevina? Was she with them too? But … there was no one else. No one—

“Keep them … away.” Then breath left her entirely.

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