Page 21

Chapter Twenty-One

brIAR

I woke as I had every morning since I stopped praying: sandwiched between Tanyl and Sylvie.

Five days.

Five days since the festival where we pretended to be other people. Five days since Siltmark, where I crawled to Tanyl and sucked the taste of Sylvie’s pussy off his dick. Five days since I bent for him, spread for him, offering my body and sobbing my gratitude when he took it. When he let me take his wife.

I hadn’t prayed in five days, but I’d done a whole lot of offering…and taking. I left my disguise in Siltmark, but I still wore someone else’s skin. Because I wasn’t Father Briar. Not anymore.

But could I be who Tanyl and Sylvie wanted? Wanting them was easy. Living with what it might mean… Well, that was getting harder. Being stormbound to Tanyl was no light decision. There was a reason the practice led to the humans rising up against the elves.

If I bound myself to Tanyl, I’d be subject to his will. But I was there already, my cock swelling at the mere thought of spending my days under his thumb.

Numbered days, a little voice reminded me. A binding would extend my lifespan, but I wouldn’t live forever.

The sky outside the windows was still dark, stars twinkling on the sea of inky black. A banked fire glowed in the hearth. Tanyl’s chest rose and fell against my back. His breath fluttered over my nape, and his hand rested on my hip. Sylvie faced away. The sheet rose low on her waist, exposing her rounded shoulder and the delicate sweep of her spine.

I smothered the temptation to pull her into me. Tanyl had kept us occupied well into the night. Even hours later, his commands lingered deep inside my body.

Sylvie stirred, unfolding her body in a slow stretch. I saw the moment she came fully awake, and my heart sped up as I waited for her to face me.

Instead, she pushed upright and eased from the bed.

I caught her wrist, and she gasped as she swiveled her head. I’d surprised her.

Where are you going? I mouthed. She still kept the Hours, but it was too early for Eura.

Her eyes softened, and she leaned over and kissed my cheek. “Just the privy,” she whispered. “I’ll come right back.”

I kept her hand a moment longer. Then I released her, and I stared shamelessly as she crossed the chamber, bands of moonlight silvering her curves. She pulled a dressing gown from the wardrobe and slipped from the chamber. The door clicked shut, and silence descended.

Tanyl slept on. After a moment, sleep tugged at my lids. Nestling deeper into the pillow, I closed my eyes.

The blast of a horn made me bolt upright. The sound came again, the mournful sound shaking the glass in the windows.

Tanyl left the bed in a blur. “Scarrok,” he said, rushing to the wardrobe. He frowned as he stabbed his legs into trousers. “Where’s Sylvie?”

“Privy,” I said, scrambling from the bed and into my clothes. The chamber was lighter, purple light spilling through the windows. Unease gripped me. “But I don’t know how long she’s been gone. I fell asleep.”

“We’ll find her.”

Someone pounded on the door. “Your Grace?” a deep voice said on the other side. “It’s another Scarrok attack. They’re swarming. And something is wrong with the River Gate!”

“Fuck,” Tanyl muttered, stuffing a dagger in his boot. He rushed to the door and flung it open.

A knight stood with his chest heaving and shock in his eyes.

“What’s wrong with the gate?” Tanyl demanded.

“It’s stuck,” the knight blurted. “We’ve tried everything, Your Grace, but the doors won’t budge. And the Scarrok are pouring through.”

“I need to find the queen,” Tanyl said, shoving past him. I followed, my heart knocking against my ribs. Tanyl raced through the royal apartments, finally stopping before a door discreetly painted to disappear into the wall around it. “Sylvie?” Tanyl called, knocking rapidly.

Nothing.

“Sylvie!” he called. With a glance at me, he yanked the door open. The privy was empty.

Sylvie was gone.

Tanyl’s expression went from worried to furious. “She means to fight them again.” He whirled from the privy and stalked to the main chamber. The knight who’d fetched us hovered near the door.

“You!” Tanyl barked, pointing. “Search the castle. Find the queen.”

The knight saluted, then rushed from the chamber. Another horn blast split the air, followed by more shouting.

“Come on,” Tanyl said grimly, catching my eye as he followed the knight.

“Already with you,” I said, falling into step beside him.

He stopped, emotion flitting through his eyes. “I know,” he said softly. Emotion shivered between us. Words trembled on my tongue, but it wasn’t the right time to say them.

The horn sounded, and the moment passed. We rushed from the apartments and plunged into the chaos in the corridors. We tore through the castle, knights racing past us. A few stopped when they saw Tanyl, but he ignored them, a determined look on his face. Finally, we reached the River Gate stairs. As we hurried down the steps, the sounds of a battle drifted upward. When we burst into the underground chamber, chaos reigned. Knights battled Scarrok. Dozens of men stood on other men’s shoulders in the water, palms pressed to the two halves of the gate, which were locked in place.

“Your Grace!” a captain exclaimed as he jogged toward us. His face was bleached of color, and sweat matted his hair to his head. “We’ve tried everything, sir. The gate won’t budge.” He pointed to the ceiling. “The gears have melted into the stone.”

Tanyl’s face went as pale as the captain’s. “How…?”

Pale shapes moved under the water behind him. Seconds later, Scarrok burst from the river and flung themselves onto the stone platform. The captain spun, his sword flashing. Scarrok parts splatted on the ground, and blood sprayed as he sliced at them.

I gripped the back of Tanyl’s jacket and dragged him backward. He twisted, anger leaping in his eyes, but I tightened my grip.

“This is no place for you,” I hissed, hauling him toward the stairs. “You’ll be trapped.”

“These are my men,” he said, struggling.

“You have more upstairs. From the sounds of it, they’re fighting for your kingdom.” We reached the stairs, but I didn’t release him. “They’re dying for it, too. And we still haven’t found Sylvie.”

Tanyl’s nostrils flared, and fear flashed in his eyes. He darted a look toward the platform, where more knights had joined the captain in the battle against the Scarrok. A man closest to the water yelped as pale fingers wrapped around his ankle. Another knight raced to his side and slashed at the Scarrok’s arm, severing it.

Tanyl gave me a grim nod. “All right.”

Relief pumped through me. We bolted up the stairs, taking them two at a time. My lungs burned, but I stayed on his Tanyl’s as the sounds of battle grew louder.

Moments later, we emerged into a courtyard thrown into chaos. A sea of Scarrok writhed through the castle grounds, pale bodies surging forward like the tide. I’d never seen so many. Knights fought in tight formations, but there were too many Scarrok and not enough men. Screams tore through the air as the creatures swarmed over the defenders.

“We have to get to the riverbank,” Tanyl said.

“And do what?” I asked, but I knew the answer. Sylvie.

Tanyl must have seen it in my eyes. “She’s down there.”

He was right. I’d seen Sylvie fight. She would never hide while her people were dying. And Tanyl wasn’t going to let me drag him to safety. He’d leashed his magic just now at the River Gate. But I could never hold him unless he allowed it.

“Stay close to me,” I said.

Arrogance flashed through his eyes. “I could say the same to you, Sir Briar. Let’s go.”

We raced across the courtyard, dodging skirmishes and panicked horses that had lost their riders. A Scarrok lunged at us from behind a cart. Tanyl’s sword flashed, and the creature’s head rolled. We didn’t slow.

The sounds of battle grew louder as we approached the river. When we reached the bank, the sun struggled over the horizon. And the scene before us turned my blood to ice.

Knights formed a defensive line at the water’s edge, but it was breaking. Scarrok clambered over each other, pale bodies slick with river water. Blood soaked the grass, and men’s agonized screams filled the air. A distance away, a knight lay on his back, his mouth agape and his eyes blank as a Scarrok savaged his throat.

Tanyl charged forward, his hair flying behind him. With a curse, I followed. A Scarrok staggered toward me. Without slowing, I flipped my sword in my hand and smashed the hilt against its mouth. Teeth and blood exploded between its lips as it flailed backward and crashed to the ground. Not dead. But killing it would have slowed me down.

Ahead, Tanyl fought in a blur of grace and cunning. His sigils gleamed so brightly they hurt to look at. Lightning flashed from the tip of his sword. More streaked the sky above us. Thunder boomed after it. Clouds raced across the sky, plunging the riverbank into shadow.

Tanyl’s lightning struck a Scarrok in the chest. The creature burst, raining blood and flesh on the ground. Tanyl’s thunder rattled my bones. His golden hair flew as he cut a swath through the monsters.

A Scarrok leapt at him, its fanged bared. I lurched, the sounds of the battle swallowing my warning shout. I swung my sword, cleaving through the Scarrok’s misshapen skull. Blood sprayed my face. When I wiped it away, Tanyl had spun, and he stared at me with wide eyes.

“You saved me,” he said, his voice barely audible above the chaos.

“I love you.”

My voice was muffled too. But he heard me. We stared at each other, the world fading for a moment.

The moment shattered as the thunder of hooves sounded behind me. The ground shook, and I whirled as a sea of knights appeared. They were like a second army, but their banners weren’t Tanyl’s. Silver standards fluttered atop their lances. They surged onto the field, swords swinging and sigils gleaming at their throats.

“It’s Crispin,” Tanyl said. “He’s brought reinforcements.”

My heart lifted.

A flash of silver made me turn toward the river. A boat sailed into view.

No, a ship , its sails bloated with wind. Silver banners snapped atop its masts. The vessel’s side swung down, the wood smacking against the riverbank. Knights on horseback clattered down the gangplank and onto the blood-soaked grass. They galloped toward us, visors down and swords drawn. Scarrok fell under the horses’ hooves. And, still, the knights kept coming.

Not to reinforce us, I realized, my gut clenching. They flanked us on both sides.

“Move!” I bellowed, swinging toward Tanyl. “Back to the castle! Now!”

Tanyl’s eyes widened—and then filled with fury. Lightning split the sky above us, and my vision went white. Pain stabbed at my eyes. Blinded, I gave my head a hard shake, willing my sight to return. Wind blasted me, its howl filling my ears.

BOOM.

Thunder rocked the world onto its side. I staggered with it, stumbling over my own feet. If I fell, Scarrok would rip me to shreds. Damn Tanyl and his hotheadedness.

Spots danced across my eyes, and I blinked the last of the blindness away in time to see him charge toward a knight mounted on a horse next to the river. The knight’s armor sparkled in the morning sunlight. He raised his sword, the tip thrust toward the sky. Lightning wrapped around the blade.

Crispin.

Tanyl was going to get himself killed. Clenching my jaw, I sprinted after him. Silver banners fluttered. Scarrok shrieked. Claws and fangs appeared out of the gloom.

I saw none of it, my focus narrowed to Tanyl racing toward Crispin. A scream split the air—a woman’s. It cut through the thunder and blood, stopping me cold.

I swung, and Sylvie appeared from behind a clump of knights and ran toward Crispin. She wore armor but no helm, and her pale hair rippled behind her. She shouted something, the words snatched by the wind.

Everything slowed.

Scarrok swarmed, their jaws wide.

A path opened before Tanyl as he charged Crispin.

Sylvie ran toward her brother from the opposite side. She and Tanyl were going to reach him at the same time.

Tall in the saddle, Crispin raised Skycleaver. Lightning danced along its blade. Behind him, the ship’s sails blotted out the sky.

Tanyl pumped his arms. Slipped in blood. He went down steps from Crispin. My heart lodged in my throat as I waited for Crispin’s horse to rear. The beast would trample Tanyl under its hooves.

But Crispin brought the horse under control. He swung from the saddle and stood over Tanyl, who had risen to one knee.

I shoved knights from my path, but I was still too far away. The scene unfolded through gaps in the fighters.

Sylvie ran faster.

Tanyl frowned up at Crispin, his chest heaving. His words rose above the clamor of the battle.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Crispin lifted his sword.

“No!” I bellowed, flinging men out of the way. I charged forward, my heart pounding out of my chest.

“Ask the gods,” Crispin snarled. Then he swung.

Tanyl surged to his feet, his sword a blur as he blocked the blow. But Skycleaver sliced through it. Tanyl’s sword snapped. He stumbled, blood arcing from his hand. Droplets splashed in the river like rain shaking from a wind-tossed tree.

Crispin darted forward.

A scream ripped from my throat.

Crispin plunged his sword into Tanyl’s chest.

Tanyl’s jaw dropped. Blood spilled from between his lips. He looked down, his brow furrowing as he blinked at the sword. Crispin yanked it free. Then he stepped back and swung. The blade bit into the side of Tanyl’s neck.

NO!

The scream boomed inside my head, and I didn’t know if it came from me or someone else. Lightning flashed, and this time it fired over and over, heat and pressure throwing me to my knees.

Men hit the ground. And it didn’t fucking matter because Tanyl was dead.

Tanyl was dead.