“I think she’s over there,” a gruff voice said.
I darted toward the archways. My boots pounded hard on the cobblestones as I did little to mute my sound. There was no use, not when their enhanced senses were turned on. Even if I crept, they’d know where I was. Might as well charge.
A hand wrapped around my shirt as I skidded into the courtyard. It pulled me back toward the building, but I lurched away, throwing a kick at his head. He grunted and dropped my shirt, but several more attackers appeared behind me, blocking my way.
I glanced around, counting. Eleven this time. Their number had grown, but not by many. Wetting my lips, I cast a quick glance toward the western defences. The twins weren’t back yet.
“There’s no one here to help you.” The female fae stepped out in front of the rest, her face still obscured by the black cloth. “Give up, Moira.”
My hands clenched. “Where’s Saoirse? What have you done with her?”
“Saoirse is alive, which is more than I can say for you.”
“Nice try with that Sapphire,” I shot back, steering the conversation away from my impending death. “Where’d you get it?”
Maybe if I could get her talking, it would give me enough time for the twins to return to the courtyard. We’d still be outnumbered, but they had weapons. Together, we had a better chance of fighting these fae than I did alone. Mostly because these wankers had stolen my damn sword.
She chuckled. “Unlike you, I’m smart enough to know that nothing said in this castle can be kept a secret. You might not live to tell about it, but there’s no telling who is lurking in the shadows listening in.”
I mean, um, she had a point, but she was kind of missing an important part of the equation. If someone on my side was lurking in the bushes, they definitely wouldn’t just squat there and watch me die!
At least, I hoped not. That would be a pretty jackass thing to do.
Wetting my lips, I took a step back, desperately trying to come up with another way to stall her. But I couldn’t go far. The circle of traitors had now surrounded me, trapping me right in the center of the courtyard, next to the blackened statue.
I wasn’t going anywhere. I had no weapon. They all had swords. I cut my eyes toward my statue. Nothing there I could use as a weapon. The best I could do was scrabble up and perch on the top, but they’d be able to yank me down easily enough.
I. Was. Screwed.
And every single one of them knew it.
The female leader drew closer, lifting her weapon. Heart hammering, I raised my fists before me. Even though I would never survive this thing, I wouldn’t go down without a fight. I’d at least give her a broken nose for her efforts.
With a roar, she sprang toward me. I darted to the side, letting my training kick in. Even without my weapon, my magic slithered through my veins, moving my body at an impossible speed.
When she pulled back, I tried to dart to the right, but a traitor blocked my path. Narrowing my eyes, I glared at him. He didn’t move. He didn’t even blink. He just stood there like a stone guard, unmoving, unfeeling.
“What’s this all about?” I jerked my thumb toward her fellow traitor as she tightened her grip on the hilt of her sword. “There’s one of me and eleven of you. Why not attack me all at once?”
She chuckled. “Do you want to get yourself killed?”
“No, I am honestly curious.”
“You’re Moira Talmhach, one of the best warriors alive. I want to take you down myself. One on one. A fair fight.”
“Not really a fair fight when you won’t let me have a sword,” I mumbled.
But she didn’t care. She swung her sword at my face. I ducked just in time to avoid losing my head, but the sword just kept following. It ripped through my shoulder, slicing deep into my skin. Pain lanced through my entire body as blood spurted into my face.
I fell to my knees, screaming. If the Sapphire had dulled pain and fear before, it didn’t now. I couldn’t even think around it. I could hardly even breathe.
Grabbing at my shoulder, my hand slipped against the thick blood coating my skin. I pulled my hand away and stared down at the red. There was so much of it. I was down on my knees. I was weaponless. All alone, surrounded by a dozen enemies.
I was going to die here tonight.
A deep-throated roar echoed through the courtyard, sending a new wave of panic through my gut. The stench of blood and char filled the air as the darkness flashed with light.
Gritting my teeth, I pulled my gaze up from the cobblestones to see the traitors scurrying away from me, like ants away from rain. The female leader hesitated, flicked her gaze down at me, spat, and then ran.
The cobblestones rushed up to meet my eyes as I collapsed forward. Inwardly, I was desperate to see this new terror that had entered the castle, but my body refused to remain upright. My head was fuzzy, and a distant ringing had filled my ears.
Two strong arms wrapped around my body, and a dark pair of eyes peered into mine. Lugh. My heart constricted. He was here.
“Go after them,” I let out in a hoarse whisper. “They have Saoirse. Don’t let them get away.”
His mouth set into a grim line, but he didn’t move from my side. “You’re hurt.”
“But Saoirse—”
He cut me off by lifting me from the ground. The cobblestones fell away, causing a new wave of dizziness to rush through my head.
“You have to go after them,” I said in a muffled voice as I realised that he was carrying me away from the square. The scent of char grew strong, and I caught sight of his five-pointed spear over his shoulder, smoking into the icy wind. “I’ll be fine.”
“You won’t,” he said firmly, jaw clenching. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. She got you with the same weapon she wounded me with.”
“Oh.” My eyes slid shut. That made sense. No wonder I felt as though my life-force was flowing out of my body like a river. Because it was.
I cracked open my eyes to see the healing ward disappearing behind us. Frowning, I whispered, “Drop me off with the healers. You might still be able to catch the traitors.”
“No. You’re coming with me. They’re busy with Uisnech. And besides, they don’t have the antidote for this magic.”
My mind tripped over his words. “Uisnech? Who the hell is Uisnech?”
“The hobgoblin.” He cast his gaze down at me. “His name is Uisnech.”
“Why do you have a hobgoblin named Uisnech in your Court of Wraiths?”
He gave me an incredulous look. “That’s what you’re worried about right now? Why I have a hobgoblin here?”
I tried to shrug, but it was kind of difficult with his arms wrapped so tightly around me. “He might be the most surprising part of this Court. Him and you.”
“Me?” The pace of his footsteps quickened as the looming shape of the Royal Palace came into view.
“Yes, you. One minute, you’re the most cruel fae I’ve ever met, and the next you’re cradling a hobgoblin.”
“Uisnech is a strange, little creature, but I owe him my life.”
Huh. That was not what I had expected him to say. There was a story there, one I was desperate to hear, but my head felt as heavy as lead. Tongue thick in my mouth, I asked, “How’d he save you?”
He cast a concerned look at my face as he reached the palace. With a quick kick, the door slammed open, and he rushed inside. Instead of heading into his quarters, he raced up the curving stairs and deposited me on a guest bed covered in very expensive looking silk sheets.
Silk sheets now stained with my blood.
Opening my mouth, I tried to snark about the price tag, but I was too tired. I flopped back onto the pillows and let my eyes slide shut.
I could still feel him moving around me, mostly because he kept shouting curses and stumbling into things. Why was he being so clumsy all of a sudden? He was Lugh, as smooth as steel and as unbothered as a lion stalking its prey. Something heavy pressed against my arm, and a magical war
mth suddenly spread through my body.
The pain ebbed, though it didn’t disappear. Instead of a piercing stab through my shoulder, it now felt like a dull, distant throb. Something else pressed heavily against the wound, and then, Lugh let out a long, shuddering sigh.
The pressure on my shoulder eased, and I felt, rather than saw, Lugh lean over me. “You’re going to be okay. I got more antidote from the sorcerer after the attack in Barrie’s Close, and it’s stopped the bleeding. You’ll feel weak for a day or two, but you’ll be fine. You’ll live, Moira.”
His voice held much more raw emotion than I expected. My heart flipped over, and I was desperate to open my eyes. I wanted to look into his face. I wanted to reach out and touch him.
He wrapped his strong, warm hand around mine, and his forehead pressed lightly against my cheek. “I thought I’d lost you.”
My throat was raw, but even if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have known what to say. Did Lugh...have feelings for me? Terror swept through me at the thought. The prophecy. Caer’s vision of my future.
The terror suddenly died.
The prophecy only mattered if Lugh was my mate, and he wasn’t. We had no bond. There was no magic connecting the two of us together. When I closed my eyes, I didn’t feel him there, deep inside of my soul. It was okay for me to reach out to him. It was fine for us to get involved.
Because if he wasn’t my mate, I would not end up killing him.
My mouth went dry at the thought of the old familiar prophecy that had haunted me all of my life. A druid had once told me she could see my future, one I could never avoid. I would one day meet my mate. Our bond would be so strong that every fae who met us would know what we were.
And then I would murder him.
When I awoke, it was dark. I shot up straight in the bed, heart pounding like a runaway horse. Memories flashed through my mind. The traitors trapping me in the dark. The pain of the sword slashing into my shoulder. And then Lugh’s terror-filled plea for me not to die.
I wasn’t sure what scared me more.
Swinging my feet over the side of the bed, I stood and padded over to the window. I was still inside The Royal Palace, in the guest room where Lugh had tucked me for the night. The wound on my arm had begun to heal. The dull throb remained, covered by a thick bandage that I could poke without keeling over from pain.
I still wore my clothes from the fight, though Lugh had removed my thick leather jacket at some point. Along with my shoes and socks. Wiggling my toes, I pulled the elastic band from my wrist and piled my golden locks onto my head in a high bun.
I found my way down the stairs and knocked lightly on Lugh’s open door. He sat on his sofa, surrounded by books. He was flipping through an old tome that wafted dust into the air, his tongue stuck out between his lips.
Lips that had been all over my body only hours ago.
He glanced up, and then snapped the book shut. In an instant, he was on his feet and crossing the room, concern painting his sharply-cut features. “Moira? How are you feeling?”
I swallowed hard, awkwardness rushing through me. After our little make-out session and his strange emotional reaction to my wound, I didn’t really know how to act around him anymore. We almost felt like strangers again, in a different dance than the one we’d been in before. That one had been easy. A snarky jab there, an angry outburst there.
Now, I felt...well, shy might be the right word, even though I’d never felt shy a day in my life.
“I’m okay,” I said in a weird squeak. “Don’t worry about me. You still might be able to catch them if you go now. At least search the castle grounds.”
A strange expression flickered across his face. “No, I won’t be able to catch them now. It has been two days, Moira.”
My mouth dropped open. “Two days?!”
He gave a solemn nod.
“Two. Days?” I pushed at his chest. “You let me sleep for two bloody days?”
“You were drugged with Sapphire, and then you were given a fatal wound.” He stepped back warily, clearly not expecting my angry reaction. “Your body needed time to heal.”
I let out a frustrated grunt. “What about Saoirse?”
“Our team is looking into it.” He took my hands in his, squeezing tight. “We’ve found a few leads. Hopefully, one of them will lead us straight to her.”
My anger deflated a little. He’d been searching while I’d been out cold. At least that was something. “And, um, the hobgoblin...I mean, Uisnech. How is Uisnech?”
“He’s fine.” Lugh’s lips twitched. “Though he’s very worried about you.”
“The hobgoblin is worried about me,” I said flatly.
“It seems you’ve earned his very grudging respect,” Lugh added. “First, you saved me in Barrie’s Close. Then, you took on a gang of traitors alone in order to help Saoirse. And when you earn Uisnech’s respect...”
“Oh. Well.” I swallowed hard and stared down at my bare feet. “Thanks for saving my life in return. I guess we’re even now.”
“It’s not a game, Moira. We don’t have points we can score. I’d do the same again for you in a heartbeat.”
I lifted my eyes to his. “Even though I came here to spy on you for the Morrigan.”
He nodded.
“Well, thank you.” My cheeks flooded with heat. Clearing my throat, I said, “I’m feeling much better now, so I’ll get out of your hair. I’ll just grab my shoes and head back to my room.”
“That is not happening,” he said quietly.
“What? Why?”
He motioned for me to join him in his room. I picked through the piles of books and found a clear spot on the same armchair I’d chosen the last time I’d been here. Lugh settled back in on his sofa, placing the book he’d been reading on the table, a yellow bookmark poking out from the middle.
“I heard part of the conversation in the courtyard. The traitors want you dead.”
Swallowing hard, I nodded. “Yep, sure seems that way.”
“It seems their original target was Saoirse. At least, that was the plan for the night.” He cleared his throat, eyes narrowing. “I have reasons to suspect they’ll go after you again.”
“It wouldn’t surprise me,” I agreed. “Though their main target is you.”
“Perhaps.” His eyes raked across me, sending a new swarm of goosebumps across my body. “They had a chance to attack us when we were...distracted. But they waited to go after you when you were alone.”
My neck warmed. “Yeah, but you, uh, had your, uh, spear.”
Why did that sound way dirtier than it was?
He leaned forward, bracing his arms on his knees. “They took Saoirse. They didn’t try to harm her. I’d guess they plan to use her for her prophecy skills.”
“But they tried to kill you in Barrie’s Close,” I argued. “Even if they wanted to use her for her prophecy skills, why the sudden change—oh.”
He gave a slow nod, expression grim. “The only reason they wanted to kill me was because they were worried I’d get to the cauldron first.”
“And if they’re no longer trying to kill you, then they aren’t worried about you finding the cauldron.”
“Because they already have it.”
My heart slammed against my ribs, knocking the breath from my lungs. “But...how?”
He held up a hand and slid his cell from his back pocket. Dialling a number, he put the phone on speaker and laid it gently on the coffee table. After a few rings, the call picked up.
“Alpha speaking,” Anderson’s familiar voice crackled over the line.
“Anderson, this is Lugh. I was hoping you’d have some progress to report on for me. In regards to the cauldron. Eoin, one of my associates, mentioned you have a lead on its location.”
A long moment passed before Anderson grunted. “I’m afraid it’s a dead end. I won’t be able to help you.”
And then the line clicked off.
Slowly, I rose my eyes to meet Lugh’s. �
��Anderson was pretty short there.”
“He was indeed.” Lugh steepled his hands beneath his chin. “Seems someone else got to him and offered him a higher price.”
“Bollocks.” I jumped to my feet and paced to the large window overlooking the Crown Square. The fae sat atop the bronze horse, the statue as regal as ever. The exact opposite of my twisting insides.
“There is some hope,” he said quietly.
Lugh didn’t know. We’d never had that talk. I whirled to face him, my entire body trembling. “Nemain killed my friend.” I shut my eyes. “No. Friend is too light of a word for what she was to me.” I flipped them back open, spearing his gaze with mine. “My soulmate. My platonic soulmate.”
Sadness filled his expression as he stood and crossed the room to wrap his arms around me. Shock flittered through me, but then relief. With a sigh, I leaned against him, giving in to the desire to take comfort in his touch. I breathed him in, fire, mist, and pine cones. Soothing scents, ones that massaged some of the ache in my heart away.
“If they’ve taken Saoirse, and they’re targeting you, then they still don’t have everything they need to bring Nemain back,” Lugh said roughly, his mouth against the top of my head. “And I don’t want them to get another chance at harming you. You’ll stay here with me tonight.”
15
I tried to argue my way out of The Royal Palace, but Lugh wasn’t having it. After about five minutes of protestations, I finally gave up, partially because...well, I didn’t fully want to leave. The room on the top floor of the residential halls was ice cold, and the temperature had plummeted over the past few days.
I didn’t hate the idea of staying with him.
Together, we changed the sheets, tossing the blood-drenched set in the wash—probably in futility. The things were heavily stained. After helping me slide the final pillow into its sleeve, he strode to the doorway and gave me a gruff goodnight.
Confessions of a Dangerous Fae (The Supernatural Spy Files Book 1) Page 13