Knights of Souls and Shadows, Book 1

by Kristie Cook

  “Son of a bitch!” I jumped to my feet, releasing my grip and the fire, too. Thankfully, the chair remained intact, though a little smoke-stained now. “Still need to master control.”

  “I’d say that has more to do with the mating bond than your power,” Tor drawled.

  “So what are we going to do about Sadie?”

  “I’m working on it.”

  “Working on it?” I echoed, then slamming my hands on his desk and leaning in his face, I yelled, “Working on it! There better be a gods-damned patrol all over her ass!”

  He glared at me. “My. Desk.”

  Shit. A blue crystalline frost spread over the polished wood surface. I jerked my hands to myself, fisting them and tucking them under my armpits.

  “What are you doing about Sadie?” I grit out between clenched teeth.

  “First of all, I brought her back here to the Court of Souls, where she is protected by our wards. Secondly, her future husband—” I couldn’t help it—I growled at the words. “—has gone back to the Court of Shadows as a distraction. As long as she doesn’t go anywhere, she will be safe. In the meantime, I did get a lead on your parents.”

  “It’s not good enough—wait. What?” My heart stopped. “Where are they?”

  “W—” he began, but then his door flew open with a bang.

  “The wards have been breached,” Saoirse announced. “Sadie’s—” Her eyes cut to me, and it was all I needed. “I can’t find her,” she finished while I was already running out the door. “Nobody’s seen her since this morning.”

  No. No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening.

  “Elliana,” Tor called after me.

  “You just said she was safe here!” I snarled over my shoulder.

  I ran to her room and charged right in, hoping to the angels she was simply in the bathroom, but already knowing she wasn’t. My gaze swung around, trying to catch any pertinent detail without wasting a single second. All I noticed was her cloak, quiver, and bow were missing. As I was about to run back out the door, I noticed a vase of stems, the tops of the flowers all picked off—except for one. Glancing around the room, I walked over to it, and as soon as my finger brushed over the tops of the petals, they became paper. A piece of parchment had been rolled and folded to look like a flower. And I already knew this was meant as a private message for me.

  Elliana,

  We’re in danger here. Everything has been a lie. Tor is setting us both up with his father and the Winter Court. We must get out of here immediately. When the ward alarms go off, that’s your signal. They’ll be busy searching for the problem, so fly. Fly high, up and over the falling steps. Find the outpost. Farran will help us. I’ll meet you there. Be safe! All my heart ~ Sadie

  My heart thundered so loudly, I almost didn’t hear the footsteps behind me. I quickly scrunched the letter in my hand, allowing just enough water from my palm to dissolve it before turning around.

  “The breach is somebody leaving, not coming in, to the north. Would Sadie have any reason to leave?”

  I shook my head, swallowing, forcing my shoulders to sag as though with relief. “Of course not. We’re safe here, right?”

  He glanced around the room, though whether he really saw any of it, I didn’t know. His mind seemed somewhere else. Which was good for us. “It doesn’t make sense that she’d leave without you.”

  I forced a smile. “She absolutely wouldn’t. I’m sure she’s fine. She probably went out to practice her archery in the park. I’ll find her.”

  “I’m going with my men to double-check the wards. Find Sadie and come straight back here. Don’t leave until we know for sure it was a false alarm.”

  I nodded, and he sifted. I could finally inhale a much needed deep breath. Then I hurried to my room to grab the weapons I wasn’t already wearing, tucking them away in my pants and boots, then headed out the back of the manor and toward the park, watching for Tor’s men. Everything seemed calm—they’d had enough time to go their way. Calling on a cloaking spell, I snapped my wings out and took high to the sky, flying in the opposite direction of their destination, toward the giant steps up the side of the mountain, and over into the dark mists of the Shadow Lands.

  Chapter 27

  Confusion, rage, and fear rushed through me as I flew over the mountain. Could it possibly be true? Had Tor—and even Saoirse—been lying to me this whole time? Had this all been a set-up so I’d be more docile and cooperative for him? Charm me into thinking we were working for some greater good, only to hand me over to the Shadow king? And what was this about Winter Court? That’s where the fear came in—the fear of Tor being so cruel as to just hand Sadie over to the Winter Court. My imagination tried to run wild with what they would do to her—what Maeve would do to her in retaliation of her parents—but a red haze of hatred and anger filled my vision, making it difficult to see below me.

  A gust of wind nearly sent me reeling, forcing me to snap out of it and focus on my goal. I needed to calm down and search for the place of our rendezvous. Tor and I had never passed an outpost when he’d brought me to the Court of Souls. Or perhaps I’d been too blind, too taken up with the thought that the Tormentor was actually a good guy, to notice. What a fool I’d been.

  Spotting a smattering of tents and buildings on the top of a ridge, I soared for what I assumed to be the outpost, banking left at the last moment to alight at the top of a tree. From here, I scoped out the situation. There were two permanent buildings, one quite a bit larger than the other, and the smaller one seemingly stables for various faerie beasts. I couldn’t identify them if I tried. A few open structures made of wooden poles and roofs stood here and there with a couple of Shadow fae under each one, some working on weapons, another on armory, and another preparing food. A dozen or so canvas tents created the perimeter, a half-circle dipping down the side of the mountain. In a somewhat flat clearing to the far right, several fae practiced hand-to-hand combat techniques.

  Sending my senses out for her, I couldn’t find Sadie anywhere, not her physical self nor her energy, not even that bond that had formed between us. Had I beat her here? Or was I not fast enough and she’d already been forced to flee without me? She wouldn’t have left me unless coerced. Right?

  Watching for a while longer, I used my keen hearing to try to listen in on any conversations, but I heard nothing useful. Such as, whether I could even trust these soldiers. Did they work for Tor or for King Caellach? Was there ever really a difference? Not according to Sadie’s note. I tried to identify Farran, but nobody I saw from here fit the description Sadie had given me. She’d only said to come to the outpost, though. No warning about who or what I’d be running into here.

  Finally, with a sigh, I dropped to the ground, releasing my sword and calling on my beast to be ready. As soon as my feet hit the snow, several Shadow fae surrounded me. I immediately crouched into fighting stance, sword held out with both hands as I turned, measuring each one. They just kind of stood there, eyeing me as though confused.

  “You’re Tor’s bride-to-be, are ye not?” one asked, his English not as smooth as other fae I’d spoken with.

  Shit. I hadn’t expected them to recognize me.

  “I was sent here for Farran,” I hedged.

  A deep, commanding voice barked something in Faelic from behind me, making me jump. The others disappeared into thin air as I spun to find a tall, broad fae with a goatee, just as Sadie had described.

  “You’re Farran? Sadie—”

  “I am,” he said before clamping his hand over my forearm and sifting us away.

  We transported to a snow-covered field, the sky near dark, whether with dusk or that constant darkness of the Shadow Lands beyond the Court of Souls, I couldn’t tell.

  We also appeared right on the edge of a raging battle—dozens of fae fighting each other with both weapons and magic.

  Farran tried to keep his grip on me as he surveyed our surroundings, as though he searched for somebody specific and not at all surpr
ised at the fighting around us. Zapping him with a touch of my power, I jerked myself free, but barely made it one step before he tackled me into the snow. Damn, he was fast. I shot a fireball at him, but he had some kind of shield around him deflecting it, so I shoved my foot into his groin while trying to scramble the rest of my way out from underneath him.

  “What the hell?” I muttered. “I thought—”

  Pain ripped at my scalp, and at the same time, I was suddenly jerked back to my feet.

  “You thought what?” he snarled quietly in my ear as his hand gripped tightly on my hair. This was the man Tor was going to give my Sadie to? I would slaughter him right next to his father. “You thought I would go along with this dangerous game you and that elf are playing? You thought I would betra—” He fell silent mid-word, every muscle in his body tensing against my back.

  “I knew you would betray somebody,” Tor said, “though I wondered who it would be. Too bad you chose poorly. Now, please remove your hands from my bride.”

  I’d been trying to lean away from Farran, so when he released me, I stumbled forward before catching myself and whirling around. Tor stood behind Farran, a blade pressed into his cousin’s throat, crimson beading along the silver edge. The prince’s skin was no longer dark tan but that shimmery dusky color with fae runes on full display. His hair had bleached white, and the beautiful aqua of his eyes was pure silver now as his gaze traveled over me, as though ensuring I wasn’t hurt. When his eyes returned to my face, relief flickered in them, and I wondered if it was real or still part of his game.

  Then his focus returned to Farran.

  “What is your plan?” Tor demanded. “Why bring us to Winter Court for this?”

  “Because I asked him to.” The familiar female voice rang across the field.

  The fighting suddenly stopped, half of the fae dropping to a knee as she glided past them toward us, the other half—Shadow soldiers, the Skaelach—appearing to be in a stupor. I knew how they felt. She looked like a warrior goddess, dressed in armor rather than a ballgown, her ebony skin glowing in the moonlight against the snow.

  “Maeve?” I breathed.

  Her bluish-silver eyes fell on me, and her mouth curved in a slight smile. She also seemed to be assessing me for any injuries.

  “You’re not harmed,” she said, confirming it out loud before turning her attention on Farran. “Thank you, shade. Your deed is done.”

  She flicked her hand dismissively, and Farran suddenly collapsed against Tor, who dropped him to the ground, his full focus on Maeve.

  “What have you done?” he demanded.

  “It is nice to see you, too, Toridhan. It’s been too long.” She gave him a coy smile full of cruelty and hatred. She barely glanced at Farran, who was on the ground, clawing at his throat, his eyes rolling back in his head as his mouth moved like a fish’s while his heels dug into the ground. He appeared to be choking to death on nothing but the princess’s power. Maeve’s upper lip curled in disgust. “I asked him to fetch the girls for me, and he did. I’m done with him.”

  We both stared at her in utter shock for the length of a heartbeat.

  “Where’s Sadie?” Tor demanded, recuperating faster than me.

  Maeve cocked her head. “She’s important to you? An elf?”

  She practically spat that last word, and I stiffened, seething. Something flickered in her expression, but so quickly, I wasn’t sure if it was in reaction to me or something else.

  “Where. Is. She?” Tor bit out.

  Maeve studied him for a long moment, and it almost seemed like she was purposely ignoring me while not ignoring me at the same time. Like I could feel her monitoring every muscle twitch, every blink, every breath without actually looking at me. Finally, she shrugged. “She’s back at the castle. Along with Elliana’s family.”

  My breath caught. My jaw dropped open. My heart pounded in my ears, growing so loud, I thought I must have misheard her.

  “My . . . my family?” I managed to fumble out.

  She turned toward me, and the smile she bestowed on me was completely different than the one she’d given Tor—beatific and warm, seductive in more ways than one. “Of course, doll. I thought you would want to see them. To know that they’re safe.”

  I blinked, then looked sideways at Tor. He was studying the Winter princess, calculating, trying to figure out her game.

  Maeve rolled her eyes. “Go see for yourself, Toridhan. Take your men. Mine will escort you. I’ll even let you take your stupid, disgusting elf back—but then you can get the fuck off my lands.” She snarled those last words, the threat clear, though her gaze remained locked on me. Did she see my body tense when she spoke of Sadie that way? Did she hear my heart stammering? If so, she didn’t let on. “Go on while I’m feeling generous.”

  Tor glanced at me, then at Saoirse, who stood off to the side with the Skaelach, all of them full-on Shadowy with dark skin and white hair. Saorise lifted her chin slightly in acknowledgment or agreement of some kind.

  “Elliana?” Tor asked.

  “Oh, she stays here with me,” Maeve replied, her voice turned seductive and full of all kinds of promises—promises I wasn’t sure I wanted her to keep. “The elf for Elliana. I think you’re getting the shit end of the deal, but that’s really all you Shadows deserve anyway.”

  Tor’s eyes narrowed, but then he quickly glanced at me. I inclined my head, trying to tell him to go, to save Sadie. I didn’t know what the hell was going on here. If Farran had betrayed Tor—and apparently King Caellach, too—then Sadie’s note must have been a lie. Regardless of what he’d planned to do with me, it was obvious now that Tor had no intentions of turning Sadie over to Winter Court. I had to trust he would take care of her until I could figure out what to do with Maeve myself.

  Tor must have understood my expression, because he and Saoirse exchanged some words in Shadow Faelic, then he took off, half of his men leaving with him. Saoirse and the others remained with me.

  Maeve turned her nose up at the Shadow fae before striding toward me.

  “Close enough,” Saoirse warned, and I understood. If Maeve could touch me, she could sift with me.

  “Would you like to end up like that one?” Maeve glanced at Farran.

  Saoirse smirked. “I’d like to see you try.”

  Maeve’s chest heaved, and I thought she was going to meet Saoirse’s challenge, but then she must have decided the Shadows weren’t worth her time, because she angled her back to all of them, facing me fully.

  “I’ve been so worried about you, doll,” she said, true concern ringing in her voice. “I couldn’t come to the Shadow Lands to rescue you. I’m so sorry. I’ve been working ceaselessly to get you out of there, though.”

  My brows gathered. “What do you want, Maeve?”

  She took another step forward. Behind her, Saoirse’s hand landed on the hilt of the sword hanging from her hip. Maeve stopped. “I want you, Elliana. What else? Who else? Only you.”

  I shook my head. “I . . . I can’t.”

  “Of course, you can, darling. We can work this out. We can be together like we’re meant to be. When I walked in your dreams while you were here and saw your memories of the elf, I have to admit I was disgusted at first. But I realized you didn’t understand at the time how awful the elves are. You were in a different realm, under different circumstances. I tried to ensure she wouldn’t be a problem here, in this realm, even before you were taken from me. I’d already sent our men to the Elven Lands.”

  “You attacked the elves because of me?” I asked in disbelief.

  “Yes, doll. I needed to eliminate her and ensure she was removed from your life for good.”

  My beast growled, the sound nearly escaping my throat as she clawed at me to let her take control. Not yet. Not now. But hell if I didn’t want to rip this fae’s throat out for even saying such a thing, let alone actually doing it. Never mind the invasion of privacy of walking through my dreams. Walking through my fucking dreams. S
craping details to use against me. The nerve!

  Maeve didn’t seem to notice the anger churning in my chest and boiling through my veins, though, because she continued.

  “The filthy bitch ran away like a coward, and we would have had her on the borders of the Shadow Lands, but I saw my opportunity. A hostage trade. They can have her. I just want you back, Elliana. When she went to Tor instead of the king, well, that threw a little kink in things, but I figured it out. Found the weak link and made my move.” She glanced at Farran’s prone body, lifeless now.

  What the actual fuck? Want me back? As though I would have any interest after all this!

  “I can’t come back to you, though,” I said, the words grinding out from a clenched jaw as I tried to hold on to every bit of self-control I could muster.

  “You cannot be with her,” she snarled, making me flinch.

  I couldn’t let her know just how much Sadie meant to me, though. She couldn’t know the truth. “I know I can’t—if I actually wanted to be.” Her lips trembled as though she suppressed a smile, though her eyes remained cunning, sharp as daggers. “I have a deal with the king.”

  She scoffed, waving her hand in the air. “Oh, that. I’m practically queen myself. I can get you out of that.”

  My heart stuttered for a moment. Could she really? She said it so easily, so confidently. Tor had promised his own solution, but I wasn’t sure if I could trust him anymore. And he kept asking for time, more and more time. For what? It wasn’t like he’d shared his plan with me. Did Maeve really have more power than him to be able to finagle me out of the deal? Did she have a better one to offer the king in exchange? Or was it a scheme that would only land me in bigger trouble? Trust Maeve or trust Tor?

  Trust your intuition.

  My intuition was screaming at me loud and clear. Tor may have been known in outer circles as the Tormentor, and he’d violated me in ways I’d never forget, but never like Maeve had done, now that I knew. He’d used his seductive fae power over me to prove a point that in the end helped me—and with the ultimate goal to save his people. Maeve had used her powers to plunder my mind and then manipulate me for her own personal pleasure and gain.