Ivy threw her hands in the air, sighing heavily. “Fine. Send me off to the middle of nowhere.”
“Okay,” was all Finn replied as he began digging in the trunks, tucking items into the deep pockets of his black cargo pants that I recognized from the first night we met.
“Argh.” Ivy stomped toward the door where Dain was patiently waiting, staying out of the arguments. “Even though I’m really pissed off at you, I love you, brother.”
Finn paused and took a deep breath. I could tell from the strain in his eyes, he was having a hard time pretending like separating from Ivy wasn’t killing him, but he was smart enough to know it was the best option.
He stood and walked over to her. I watched in fascination, taking in their relationship I didn’t really understand. Finn wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, too, Ivy. I just need you to be safe.”
She nodded, and the smallest of smiles graced her face. “I know.”
They embraced each other once more, and then she was gone with Dain.
I couldn’t even begin to understand how Finn was feeling. I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to. The interaction I’d just witnessed made me second-guess everything I’d been considering just moments before.
That’s right. Why would you ever want that in your life? It only puts us at risk, the darkness said, but I ignored it and focused on my own thoughts. Sorting out things with Finn once and for all needed to wait.
With my mind back on the coming battle, I used my fae magic to fabricate my warrior’s outfit into existence, replacing my regular clothes. It had been a long time since the material graced my skin, but it still fit me like a glove. The bodysuit changed from ebony to charcoal like my wings, depending on how the light reflected off the lonsdaleite stone. I’d magically embedded one into the spider’s silk fabric I paid a hefty price for, and it made my suit nearly impenetrable.
My boots were made from Kevlar and had two pockets perfect for the daggers I’d taken from the trunk. Once I had those tucked away and confirmed my outfit was properly in place, I braided my hair and twisted the long strands into a tight bun that was secured at the base of my neck with a bit of my power. I didn’t need anyone trying to yank out my locks.
Finn was done as well by the time I headed for the door. I reached for the handle and cracked it open. More than five minutes had gone by, and we needed to be prepared for an instant attack.
Power pooled in my hand, and I pushed it out the door, toward the forest, searching for anyone who might be lurking in the shadows. It was late afternoon and the sun was shining down on the trees just enough to give plenty of hiding places for the attacking fae.
“What are you waiting for?” Finn murmured from behind me.
“You might think I’m reckless, but this isn’t my first fight. Always knowing where your enemies are is key,” I replied as my magic began picking up supernatural signatures.
“Some of those could be friendly, so watch who you’re aiming at,” he added gruffly.
I sighed. “And how am I supposed to tell the difference?”
“Just stick to the ones who are trying to kill you, and I’ll worry about the rest.”
Edgar appeared in front of the house. He was there in full armor with magic already swirling around him. “I think it’s time we finished our fight, Lucinda.”
I couldn’t have agreed more.
Chapter 23
I double-checked the grenade I’d found was still safely tucked into my side pocket before opening the door. There were nearly thirty of Edgar’s followers surrounding the area, most of which still kept to the shadows.
“Would be nice if Maddox was around to help,” I grumbled.
“He’d be here if he could,” Finn said confidently as he positioned himself at my side.
Edgar stepped forward then. “Oh, Finn. You’re aligning with the wrong side. Your death will be such a waste.”
Finn held his head high. “The only wrong thing I ever did was ask for your help.”
Edgar laughed. “And you don’t think asking for hers was a mistake? She’s made you blind, boy, but don’t worry. I’ll be putting you out of your misery soon enough.”
I moved closer, ready to shut the idiot up, but Finn’s fingers wrapped around my wrist. “Wait.”
Instinctively, my hand jerked back, and I was about to continue out the door anyway until I heard thumping from above.
My head tilted up, catching sight of an additional twenty or more fae swooping in from all areas. Most of them had leather wings, though a few had gossamer ones, but what caught my attention most was all of them wore teal ribbons around their arms.
“They will fight for you,” Finn whispered in my ear while I watched Edgar’s face turn from shock to fury.
The new arrivals wore the color of my magic, but I was still stuck on Finn’s words. With Edgar distracted by the new arrivals, I turned toward Finn. His eyes were full of something I couldn’t recognize.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because even if you don’t know them, they somehow know you. There’s a reason I sought you out, and even though I fought accepting who you are at first, I don’t any longer. You are worth fighting for, Lucinda.”
He grabbed my face with both hands and quickly pressed his lips to mine, momentarily making me forget we were about to begin a battle that could get one—or both—of us killed.
Finn pulled back, a fierceness set in his face. “You are worthy.” His hands were still holding my face, and he forced me to nod. “Let’s finish this.”
This time, he didn’t need to make me agree. His words had struck something within me that needed to be dissected at a later time, but I wouldn’t soon forget his choice of using “worthy” to describe me.
Nobody had ever done that, and I’d spent nearly my whole life trying to prove that I was. Not only to those I thought I needed acceptance from, but also to myself.
Finn nudged me forward as the new arrivals landed out in front of us, taking on the fae who were going to give up their lives for an insignificant piece of shit like Edgar. It was almost sad.
During Finn’s impromptu pep talk, Edgar had already moved closer, and his power pressed down on me. It was the reminder I needed to get my head back into the battle. I had a fae asshole to kill, and nothing else could matter for however long that took.
As Finn and I charged forward, fae-on-fae battles began happening around the yard, in the trees, and in the sky. Nobody was holding back, and as Finn darted left, I knew he was leaving Edgar for me to deal with, likely because I needed it more than he did.
I stalked toward Edgar, drawing my power to the surface, fighting back against his own, which was building by the second.
Yessss, the darkness inside me hissed with glee as I dropped all walls that I’d erected to keep it contained. I might not have been in agreement with my inner power lately, but I knew I couldn’t do this without all parts of me.
My wings were extended as wide as they’d go, and the feathers hardened until they became razor sharp. By the time I was within striking distance, teal magic spun around me, matching the fury I had on the inside.
Edgar lashed out first, his power striking hard and fast, but I was prepared. My steps didn’t falter, and I returned the hit with just as much strength. We circled each other, both of us seeming to be appraising the other and taking time to decide each move we needed to make in order to have the upper hand.
Finn roared from behind me, but I didn’t let the sound break my attention on Edgar. I had to believe Finn could handle himself. He wasn’t a distraction. I couldn’t let him be, no matter the feelings he’d torn from me without permission.
“Your boyfriend won’t last much longer. I think I’ll keep you alive just long enough to see him be torn apart, piece by piece,” Edgar sneered.
I laughed. “Oh, how little you know me, Edgar. The only thing I care about right now is seeing your dead body scattered across the ground.”
> His dark eyes narrowed as I pushed magic from my hands, feeling the vibration of my impact as it slammed into his chest.
“It’s going to take a hell of a lot more force than that to kill me, Lucinda,” he growled.
I smiled in return, already preparing for my next move. “I was hoping so.”
Feigning right, I kept my sole focus on Edgar and swooped low to the ground before spinning on my heel, allowing my left wing to slice at his armor, which barely even took on a scratch.
“Good luck getting through.” He grinned.
Little did he know, I didn’t need to get all the way through. I just needed to get in, and the area around his neck was wide enough that it wouldn’t be a problem to drop the grenade in. Well, as long as I could get close enough without him getting a solid hit on me that would take me down with him.
While I was considering how best to make that happen, my wings snapped closed in front of me, saving my face from being melted off after Edgar had taken advantage of my fleeting distraction.
Damn, he had gotten stronger since the last time I’d killed him.
My shoulders stung from the impact on my wings, but I ignored the pain and pressed forward. Edgar dodged my attempt at slicing his head off but wasn’t able to avoid the blast of heat I dumped into his shoulder while he was distracted by the feathers I sent flying toward his eyes and neck.
“I might not be able to cut through whatever metal you’ve used, but I can melt the shit out of it,” I said as I heated the right shoulder joint of his armor. My intention was to take out his good arm, but apparently, the asshole was ambidextrous.
His left fist slammed into the side of my head before I could dodge out of the way, and power rocked through my core as he magicked a blade into his palm, slicing at my suit.
Thankfully, the knife didn’t do any damage to my protective clothes, but I was still disoriented from the head blow.
“Not so powerful now, are you?” Edgar jeered as I backed up, trying to regain my composure.
Finn was now in my peripherals, fighting two of Edgar’s men, and even though his chest was bleeding and something had scorched his forehead, he appeared to be holding his own. Glancing the other way as Edgar advanced, bodies lay scattered on the ground from both sides. Edgar’s team had the experience, but whoever Finn had called upon seemed to have the drive for survival. Sometimes, that was more important.
“Are you ready to concede?” Edgar taunted and lashed out, but I dodged out of the way. “If you do, maybe I’ll let you live and use you to lure King Zephyr,” Edgar called out as he moved closer.
My moment of rest was over, and I kept my wings pulled in close for added protection as I moved in, knowing I couldn’t afford to let him get another solid hit on me.
Let’s finish him, the darkness drawled.
For the first time in a while, we were in agreement.
“Nobody will be conceding today,” I replied as I slyly pulled the grenade from my side pocket and lunged for Edgar.
His eyes widened at my move. Clearly, he hadn’t expected me to come in for a more hands-on attack, but I was done playing games with him. It was time to see just how many times this asshole could come back to life.
His right arm couldn’t move much, but his hand still produced magic I needed to be leery of. So, when I was close enough, my hands latched onto his shoulders, and I spun around behind him, pushing his head forward as far as it would go and dropping an elbow to the base at the same time that I shoved the grenade down his armor.
I would have rather sliced his stomach open and let the mini-bomb go off inside him, but hopefully this would be just as satisfactory.
Edgar grabbed hold of my wing and jerked me back around to the front of him. My wings cut at his hands, but he didn’t seem deterred by the blood pouring from his grip on me.
“Not so fast,” he snarled as he managed to tug me even closer back to him.
A sliver of fear trickled through as I fought against his hold that didn’t seem to be letting up. I had no idea what was in the grenade and really didn’t want to be within the blast radius. I cleared my mind and let instinct take over, trusting myself to know what to do.
My arms reached down and snagged one of the daggers from my boots. Without hesitation, I raised the blade and slammed it into his neck, cringing as his blood spurted all over me, but it had done the trick. His left hand released me in an attempt to staunch the blood flow, and I jerked out of the right one.
Edgar’s hand glowed red as he tried to close up the wound I’d made while I backed up. Finn was close and breathing hard, so I pumped my wings several times, sending him and his opponent tumbling several yards away.
My eyes stayed on Edgar’s, and I heard the click of the grenade at the same time he did. “What did you do?” he hissed.
I raised my hand, wiggling my fingers. “Here’s to hoping I never see you again.” Then, I wrapped my wings around me to avoid as much of the impact as I could. Though, I still peeked through my feathers to see the proof that the grenade actually did what I needed it to.
Edgar’s body shook, and the ground began to quake until fissures appeared in the dirt. All the fae I could see from my spot began flying for the sky except Finn, Edgar, and me. I would see this through until the very end.
First, Edgar’s armor started to crack until golden light shone through from the inside. Then, that same light beamed from his eyes and mouth.
Holy hell, why hadn’t I known I had this? It would have been more useful on the king.
Then, for the finale, Edgar exploded just like I’d hoped, and I tightened my wings around me to avoid the metal of his armor from slicing my skin open. The blood and gore, though, I wasn’t so concerned with.
Momentary silence settled over the farm as Edgar’s army took in their leader being blown to bits. After what felt like minutes, chaos commenced once more, but it wasn’t enough to have me worried. Finn’s friends, or whatever they were, easily took control of the situation and began capturing as many of Edgar’s army as they could. Those left alive, anyway.
I glanced around and breathed a sigh of relief that at least one of our problems was taken care of. I couldn’t imagine Edgar was important enough to whoever had brought him back before that they’d spend the time collecting the millions of pieces that I’d obliterated him into.
I moved to go to Finn but was intercepted when a dark-skinned fae with a teal band around his forearm approached. He reached out to me, taking my forearm. “We’ve never officially met, but I’m glad our time has finally come. I knew you would be the help we needed.”
My brows pinched in confusion. “And you would be?”
“I am Mosi.”
My eyes turned to Finn, plenty of questions running through my mind as to how he had set all of this up and what else I might not know about, but it would have to wait for later. I was more curious about the fae before me.
When my attention went back to Mosi, my chest tightened at what my eyes were trying to process. The fae hadn’t had his wings out when he approached me, but they were on full display now. Platinum wings unlike any color I’d ever seen before were spread out behind him.
More importantly, they weren’t leather or gossamer. They were feathered. Just like mine, but also different, because he wasn’t a dark fae. The magic pulsing off Mosi had the energy inside me warring for power, but I managed to keep it locked down.
“Well, Mosi. I think I’m going to need more than a name to know who you really are,” I said once I had my composure in check.
He smiled until wrinkles lined his mahogany eyes. “Yes, there is much to discuss, but first, we must clean up our mess here. My people will take care of the remaining Renegades, and you’re—”
Mosi disappeared before finishing his sentence. In shock, I turned to Finn to ask what the hell that was. Then, a thud sounded from behind us and Finn’s energy burst to life beside me. I swiveled around and let my fury soar like never before.
Ch
apter 24
King Zephyr stood behind us with Dain at his side and no Ivy in sight. Rage flowed in waves from Finn in the form of magic, allowing mine to rise even higher as I soaked it in. Dain had been working against us all along, and neither of us had seen it. While I hoped Ivy was still okay, I paid Dain no attention as I stared down the fae who had turned me into a killer.
I was not prepared to fight him, but I wouldn’t bow down to this king ever again. The weapon that might have been able to at least hurt the king, if not worse, had just been used on the only person who hated King Zephyr nearly as much as I did. Besides the fact that I’d once killed Edgar, he should have worked on trying to get me on his side, not holding on to something I’d done more than seven years ago.
“Hello, Lucinda. It’s been a long time,” King Zephyr sneered, then added, “Or has it only been a day? You never were good enough at doing what needed to be done. Always too emotionally involved. Even after all these years, you couldn’t help calling me Zephy and giving yourself away. Though, I will admit, you nearly had me fooled.”
Gods, I hadn’t even considered the consequences of the nickname. The name had slipped so easily from my tongue. Apparently, I was still holding on to some residual effects from the years of mental torment.
Kill the king!
The darkness within me exploded more powerfully to the surface than ever, and my wings widened of their own accord, nearly taking out Finn with their sharp edges while he was having a stare-down with Dain.
“What do you want?” I snapped, pissed the hell off that King Zephyr clearly hadn’t eaten the soup and phase two had been botched.
He shook his head. “I should be asking you the same question. You’re the one who came to the only place you were banished from. I’d like to know what made you think you could beat me this time, considering you’d failed at killing me before.”
I seethed. “I never tried to kill you. I saved your life from that shifter you called a pet and you punished me for it.”
Emotions were rising within me that I hadn’t experienced in years. Emotions I’d fought hard to stuff away and overcome before they made me too weak.
Dark Fae Cursed (Broken Court Book 1) Page 18