by Victoria Zak
“Godspeed, Wolf,” she whispered.
Smoke billowed up ahead in the forest, alarming Kendrick. He slowed his horse. Through the night he’d tracked Leana’s sisters through the glen in hope he’d find the fae mound. Had the queen found them before he had?
God’s bones, he prayed he wasn’t too late.
Kendrick dismounted at an abandoned campsite. His heart sank like rock when he eyed the destruction. The tents were tattered and burned, some still smoldering. Hoofprints were everywhere. Someone had attacked this camp.
But where were the people?
Kendrick pulled his bow from behind his back, ready for whatever came his way. The place reeked of terror. Walking with an arrow at the ready, he continued to search the camp. Where were the bloody bodies?
Then he stopped. He couldn’t see anything, but he heard footsteps. Shite, he had to find a place to hide.
Kendrick darted behind a tree. With his back against the trunk, he took in a deep breath, then peeked over his shoulder. Two men. Kendrick kept his eyes on them.
“He has to be here,” the taller one said.
“Aye, he’s here.” The second tipped his chin at the tree where Kendrick was hiding.
Damn. Kendrick stepped into the open, his arrow aimed to kill. “Who are ye? What do ye want with me?”
The men held their hands up. “We mean no harm. Are ye Kendrick?”
“Aye, and if ye dinnae tell me why ye’re here, I will kill ye.”
“Adaira sent us to find ye. Leana is in trouble. She needs ye.”
Kendrick lowered his bow. “Ye know where Leana is?”
“Aye.” The taller of the two men approached him. “I’m Rafe, Adaira’s husband. This here is my brother, Teg.” Rafe held out his hand.
Kendrick eyed both men before he shook their hands. “Ye know Leana?”
“Aye,” Rafe said.
“What happened here?” Kendrick asked.
“The queen’s guard found us before Masie and Adaira returned from your home. We were all taken prisoner.”
“What about Leana?”
“She’s alive but needs you. The queen has arranged her to wed.”
“Does she want this marriage?” Kendrick asked.
“No.”
“Then we must stop it.”
“Aye, we have no time to waste. The ceremony is tomorrow.”
“Then let’s make haste.” Kendrick whistled and his horse came running.
“Follow us,” Rafe said.
The two men shed their clothes, and their skin turned to fur. They growled and snapped at the air as if they were going to rip Kendrick’s throat out.
“What the devil?”
Before Kendrick knew what was happening, the wolves ran into the forest. Kendrick followed as the beasts weaved between trees and jumped over fallen logs and ice-covered streams. It was hard to keep up at times, but Kendrick had good reason to fight his way back to Leana—he must save her.
The air thickened as they went deeper into the forest, making it hard for Kendrick to breathe. Forced to slow down, he lost sight of the wolves.
“Rafe, Teg!”
He came upon a circle of six tall trees that looked to belong to the fae. He followed his instincts and entered the circle.
Once inside, the trees disappeared, and a grass-covered mound appeared.
From behind the mound, he caught a glimpse of one of the wolves’ tails.
“Wait.” Kendrick gasped when he saw the wolf jump through a clear wall of ripples, then disappear.
He knew he had to go through the portal to reach the fae realm. He paused and stared at the wall, annoyed at himself for being scared. “It would be more inviting if ye had a door,” he yelled out of frustration.
There had to be an easier way in. He didn’t know what kind of magic sealed outsiders from going in. What if the fae knew he was coming and cursed the portal to kill Druids?
His Leana was in there somewhere and needed him.
Kendrick kicked his horse into a run, making a lap around the mound to gain speed. Entering the portal with speed was the only chance he had to protect his body from the power of destructive fae magic, though it wouldn’t guarantee his safety.
The entrance was drawing near. He pushed faster, closed his eyes, then leapt into the fae realm. God help him.
18
LEANA STARED out into the great hall full of Unseelies. Their judgmental gazes would watch her every move, for she wasn’t a true Unseelie. She was a Seelie turned.
Alder stood in black at the altar next to his brothers. Adaira and Masie waited on the other side. Leana couldn’t stop shaking. She didn’t want to be there and most definitely didn’t want to marry the dark prince and become princess of the fae realm. She closed her eyes, but nothing could change this nightmare.
A vision hit her…
Her family gathered underneath a yew tree. A canopy of branches shaded them from the sun. Birds sang and danced from tree branch-to-tree branch welcoming a new season, a new beginning.
The guests parted and bowed as Leana walked down the pathway behind Anna and Allie who were sprinkling white rose petals on the ground. As she reached the end of the aisle, a man with long, gray-streaked hair smiled at her. Kendrick. She lost herself in his dark smoldering gaze. Nothing existed but Kendrick and her. This was the man she was destined to marry.
Music from the present reminded Leana of what she was about to do.
Kendrick was a dream she’d forever keep with her.
“Leana, are ye ill?” Her mother was standing next to her.
Leana didn’t want to open her eyes. She’d rather dream a wee bit longer.
“I’m fine.” She opened her eyes and smiled, but Helen saw through her it.
“Ye dinnae have to do this,” Helen said. “We can find another way.”
Hours ago, Helen had pleaded with her not to marry the prince. However,
Leana had meddled with fate one too many times. In her dream, she’d seen her future, but it would never come true. This was her punishment, and a sacrifice she was willing to make in order to keep peace with the queen.
She’d live in the fae realm to keep her family safe.
“Please, Leana, think twice about what yer giving up.”
Every plea from her mother broke her resolve not to run, for that was what the old Leana would have done. She’d never outrun the queen. No more blood would be shed because of Leana.
“Mum, ye know I can no’. This is me home now. Promise to take Masie and Adaira home. I dinnae want ye to stay here. Ye deserve better.”
“Leana, ye’re me daughter. I can no’ leave ye alone to suffer. We’ll find a way to bring ye home.”
“Mum…”
Asher looked around the corner, signaling it was time for them to walk down the aisle.
“Ye are a beautiful bride,” Helen said.
Leana felt like a princess in her off-the-shoulder, blue grown. Two long, red braids framed her face and the rest of her hair had been gather in neat bun on the back of her head. The braids were wrapped in jeweled clips, and a band of snowdrop flowers and ivy sat upon her head. The queen had insisted she wear them.
She took in her mother’s comforting smile.
“Leana, I’ll always be with ye. I love ye.”
Her heart tightened. Leana couldn’t give in, she had to do this. “I love ye too, Mum.”
One foot in front of the other. She reached the altar where Alder eagerly took her hand. Her mother’s glare spoke louder than words; she wasn’t handing her daughter over to him willingly.
“Mum, everyone is watching,” Leana whispered. “Please.”
Helen kissed her cheek, then took a seat.
Leana’s knees threatened to buckle as she turned and faced Alder. He brought her hands to his mouth and kissed them. “I will make you very happy.”
Leana forced a smile, then turned her attention to the queen who was standing in front of them.
“On behal
f of the winter court and realm, I, Queen Snowdrop, welcome you to the wedding between Prince Alder and Leana Keith. The fact you all
have traveled so far to join us, is a testament of your support and loyalty to the crown.” The queen took both their hands. “Leana, Alder, a marriage not only unites the two of you, but brings the promise of new life. A new life the two of you will share. And from your union will spring new life that will ensure its people remain pure, strong, and powerful.” The queen raised her arms to the audience. “Before I begin, is there anyone here that objects to this union?” The queen’s icy glare blazed over her guests, daring the Unseelies to challenge her.
“I do.”
Surprised, Leana whipped around to find Kendrick perched in the balcony with an arrow aimed at the queen. “I’m here to take back what’s mine.”
An arrow, glowing like a star, whizzed through the air and hit the queen in the chest. The queen clutched her breast and gasped. Black blood gushed from the wound.
“Druid,” she hissed as she removed the arrow.
The hall grew eerily silent.
Then an army of horses arrived, shaking the hall.
Leana stared at Helen in disbelief. “Mother, what have ye done?”
A ray of light blasted through the arched entrances, blinding Leana as she tried to make sense of what was happening.
The bright light dimmed and what Leana saw next was breath taking. At least a hundred Seelie fae on white horses with their swords drawn were ready for battle.
“Sister,” Helen confronted the queen. “I will only ask ye this once, stand down and leave peacefully. I dinnae want to kill ye.”
The queen burst into laughter. “The Seelie’s are weak. Ye cannot best me.” The queen motioned for her guards. “My men will have your heads.”
Helen signaled to the commander of the cavalry. Another unit of Seelie soldiers charged into the hall with a pack of wolves, each soldier carrying a spear with an Unseelie head skewered on it. Leana cringed at the sight.
The queen snarled.
“Stand down,” Helen commanded.
Ash and Aspen drew their swords and shielded the queen. “You will fight for your queen,” Ash yelled out to the Unseelie guests.
The hall roared as the Unseelies gathered to protect their ruler.
“Leana!” Kendrick’s voice rang out.
Looking through the throng of fae, wolves, and humans, she found
Kendrick fighting his way to her. Her fear melted away. He was fighting for her. She looked at Alder as he protected his queen. If there was any chance of her making it out of here without him or the queen noticing, it was now. She grabbed a sword from a fallen Seelie and took off toward Kendrick, ducking arrows.
A body dropped next to her and bright red blood splattered on her face; a drop landed on her lips causing her to stop abruptly. She licked her lips. The blood was sweet and human. Her chest tightened and she burned for more.
There was so much blood in the hall, she could feed for days.
A Clan Keith lad who had just slayed an Unseelie won her attention. His veins pumped fiercely. She narrowed in on him. He was healthy and strong.
Her gums throbbed as she imagined his warm, thick blood rolling over her tongue.
“Nay,” Leana shook her head, fighting the Baobhan sith urge to sink her fangs into the lad’s flesh, but it was too strong. The battle between her human side and blood drinker side raged inside her. She held on to what little resolve she had left. She wouldn’t kill the lad.
“Control it, Leana.” She took a deep breath.
“Leana!”
She heard Kendrick’s voice but couldn’t see him. Her blood hunger had left her in a daze.
“Lass.” He cupped her face. “Can ye hear me?”
Slowly, she recovered.
“Are ye well?”
She began to answer him then realized her fangs were out. She shook her head, and he wrapped his arms around her. She melted against him.
“I’m going to get ye out of here.”
“Ye’re no’ safe.” Leana stepped from his embrace. A snarl escaped her mouth revealing her fangs.
Kendrick cupped her face. “Look at me, lass. This is no’ who ye are.
Fight it.”
She shook her head and averted her gaze. She couldn’t “Please, Kendrick, I dinnae want to hurt ye.”
“I didnae come all this way for naught. Look at me.” He held her firmly, making her look at him. “I love ye, lass. All of ye.”
The ice surrounding her heart melted at his confession. He loved her, even the beastly side. He was risking everything for her. She blinked,
recovering control of her senses. Reaching up, she caressed his stubbled jaw and lost herself within the depths of his dark eyes. He was her destiny. He was home.
With each breath the beast faded away. “Ye shot the queen,” she said in disbelief.
Kendrick smiled. “Me aim is always true and me arrows deadly.”
“I always knew there was something different about ye, Druid.”
He dipped his head and claimed her lips. Tingles raced down her body, straight to her toes.
“Leana,” he murmured against her lips. “We need to get out of here.”
Numbness spread throughout her body and she went limp. What was happening? This was more than a kiss. She couldn’t move. A sharp pain nipped her back as if she’d been stung by a bee. A tidal wave of pain crashed through her. Maiden, Mother, Crone!
She clutched her chest and felt something sharp—metal. She looked down at her blood-soaked hand. She’d been struck with an arrow.
She looked up at Kendrick. He was screaming. Nay, this couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be dying. She fought to keep her eyes open, for if they shut, she feared they’d close forever.
Darkness claimed her as she fell against Kendrick. I love ye, lass were the last words she heard.
19
“NAY!” Kendrick yelled as he grabbed the arrow sticking from Leana’s back.
He broke the shaft off. “Shite!”
He stared at the glowing shaft. One of his poison arrows had struck her.
He fell to his knees, holding her in his arms. “Wake up, lass!” He pushed her hair from her face. Her veins glowed with poison. If he didn’t remove the arrowhead quickly, Leana would die.
“Her love for you was strong. I never had a chance to feel it.” Alder said as he stood in front of Kendrick, lowering the bow in his hand.
Kendrick gently laid Leana on the ground and stood. He fisted his hands as rage unleashed inside him. “Ye did this?”
“I had no choice. I’m through cleaning up her messes.”
Kendrick couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “She left ye no choice? I dinnae understand.”
“Leana could never be human. She’d never let the dream of being your wife and the mother of your children go.”
“She shouldn’t have to. I want her in me life, need her like the air I breathe.”
“We both want what we cannot have, Druid.”
With lightning speed, Kendrick drew an arrow from his quiver, notched it, and aimed at the prince’s heart. “Leana will be avenged.” He released the arrow.
The prince dropped to his knees. “Killing me will not bring her back.”
“Aye. But killing ye will make me feel much better.” Kendrick launched arrow after arrow into the prince. The bastard would die for what he’d done.
Kendrick continued firing until the prince fell to the ground.
Then he retrieved the arrows for reuse. “Kill them all,” he roared, firing into the crowd, needing to satisfy his growing rage.
When the last Unseelie begged for his worthless life, Kendrick had an arrow for him, too.
He lowered his bow, exhausted from the fight. “Leana,” he exclaimed and ran over to her. He abruptly stopped as Masie and Adaira held their sister.
“What happened?” Masie asked. “She’s immortal. An arrow can no’
Kendrick shoved his hand through his hair. “We must remove the arrow.
’Tis poisonous. She’ll die if we dinnae.”
Kendrick unsheathed a dagger from his boot. “’Tis will no’ be pretty, lass.”
“I dinnae care about pretty. Save her,” Adaira cried.
“Masie, roll Leana onto her stomach. I need to see how deep the arrow is lodged.”
Masie nodded, and with help from her mother, they turned Leana over.
Kendrick ripped the back of her wedding dress open. He paused when someone tapped his shoulder.
“Here.” Kerr handed him a skin. “’Tis whiskey.”
Kendrick poured the whiskey over the wound. He knew right where to cut and readied the dagger. He looked up at Masie. “Hold onto her, lass.”
“Aye.”
Leana winced as he cut into her flesh.
“I’m sorry, lass,” Kendrick said. “It will be over soon.”
He slid his finger inside the incision, following the shaft to the arrowhead. The tip wasn’t bent, so extracting it would be easier than he first thought. Holding his breath, he eased it out.
He poured the rest of the whiskey over the wound, then yanked his tunic off, soaking up the blood. “We need bandages.”
Adaira and Helen tore strips from their gowns.
“This should help.” Adaira said.
“Masie, can ye sit Leana up?”
“Aye.” With Kerr’s help, she repositioned her sister.
Kendrick wrapped the strips around her chest, covering the wound. When he was done, he took her into his arms. Her skin was paler than before. Her breathing was steady, but slow. He needed the remedy to the poison.
“Let’s get her in bed, Kendrick,” Helen said. “What else can we do?”
As much as he wanted to take Leana home, he knew in her condition she’d never make it. He scooped Leana in his arms and stood.
“I’ll take ye to her bedchamber,” Masie said.
“Thank you. I will also need some salan lus, self-heal.”
“I will see what I can find,” Adaira said.
Kendrick followed Masie out of the hall and down a corridor. Everything carved in ice began to melt and facture. By the time they reached the end of the hallway, Kendrick noticed something peeking out from the crack in the floor. “Masie, what’s going on. Are we safe?”