by Billi Jean
The Faye reached up and she was almost torn off but seemed to fear she’d fail because she made a wild sound and stabbed him repeatedly. As if in slow motion, the man fell to his knees, then flat on his face. Maeve rolled off and scurried backward, eyes wide and blood on her hands and gown.
He thought she’d break down, cry, lose her nerve, but she stopped as soon as she cleared the body, chest heaving, and stared at him. Almost immediately, she crawled to him, knife still clutched in her hand.
“I couldn’t use my voice on him. I was afraid you would sleep, too. I had to kill him. They planned to hurt you. Torture you and hurt you.” Her voice shook, and so did she, but she crawled behind him, sawing at the rope around his hands.
He was in shock still, but managed to choke out, “It’s okay. You did okay. You’re okay.”
“I’m okay.” She was breathless and quaking so badly she dropped the knife then fumbled to pick it up.
He wanted to reassure her, but if he did, he feared she’d fall apart. “Mae, you need to get the ropes off.”
“I’m trying.”
“How long will they sleep?”
“I’m not sure,” she cried, sounding excited, then quieter added, “I’ve never done this before.”
He knew that. She’d killed, because of him. He wanted to hug her so badly he couldn’t wait. He pulled and the ropes broke. She fell with a cry of dismay, but before he could turn to her, she was there, facing him. Her hair was in tangles, her eyes wide, in shock, he sensed, but she watched him closely as if to check that he was safe. He caught her in his arms and held her tightly, so he could reassure himself she was really okay.
“How did you find me?” He smoothed her hair down. He’d been caught by surprise, settled, thinking of ways to make up for whatever had upset her. He’d not even know the Faye were there until they were inside.
“I followed marks left by a Tracker. We need to hurry, Stephano.” Her warm breath hit his neck, making him shudder. She could have died. She could be dead right now, unable to breathe, unable to smile or laugh at me. “They might wake at any time.”
He knew that. They had little time and none for how much he needed to reassure himself she was fine. He released her, but when he rose to his feet, he wasn’t able to resist pulling her in and hugging her once more. Gods, don’t ever put her in that situation again. Don’t ever let her do this again. She kept her hands off him, probably because they were covered in blood, but he felt her breathing turn ragged. Her bones were so small, so delicate, he could feel them under her skin. Even her muscles didn’t amount to much. He stroked down her spine to feel the heat of her body through her gown.
“Don’t hyperventilate. We don’t have the time.”
“I’m trying…not to,” she half-laughed, half-gasped against his chest.
I could have lost her. They could have taken her and overpowered him without any losses. Instead, she saved me. Again.
“I have no idea where we are,” she added.
He dropped his arms but kissed her quickly when she tipped her head to stare at him. He kept it fast, but wanted reassurances she was here, solid and safe. Not now. Not yet. “It doesn’t matter where we are. We’re leaving. We go west, right?”
“Yes, I think so…”
“Then we go west.” He took her hand and pulled her along. She tugged his hand.
“I left our things back there.” Her voice shook and through their linked hands she trembled. He’d have to get her somewhere safe. Preferably out of this realm. Everywhere they ventured was dangerous. Even the seemingly safe cottage.
“You brought my weapons?”
“Yes. They’re this way.” She pointed to his right and he signaled for her to hurry. She walked ahead, being quiet but he could tell she was running on adrenaline. He needed her somewhere safe so she could fall apart. I might join her.
After only a few minutes, they arrived at a bush. She ducked inside and emerged a few seconds later dragging her pack, his satchel and unbelievably his sword belt and sword. As soon as she straightened he kissed her again. “Good girl. Now, let’s get out of here.”
She gaped at him, but after a second of that, she smiled. “I saved you again.”
“Damn, I should have known you’d keep count.” He buckled his belt and tucked the satchel into place then took her pack as well. “Here, jump on. I want to move fast.”
He could tell she wasn’t going to go along with him, so he merely gave her his back and crouched for her to get on. “It’s easier and faster, Mae. Do it.”
Hesitantly, as if she feared hurting him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and boosted herself on. He hooked her legs tighter around his hips. “If there’s trouble, you do whatever you have to do to stay hidden, or better, sing something.”
She breathed into his neck, but said, “I will. But I need to clean my hands.”
The quiet statement held such feeling, he patted her leg. “I know, angel. Hold on.” He took off. The trees were a hindrance, but he wanted to stay within the forest at least for a few hours. “How long did they travel?”
“The night.”
“You’re tired.”
“I’m not tired.”
Liar. He found himself smiling, but checked the emotion. “They were headed back toward the Faye lands?”
“There are Faye lands here. The city of Skye. It is close to the outpost, but they are not allowed within the borders of the free towns.”
“Who keeps them out?”
She didn’t answer right away. “I’m not certain. Maybe magic. But I have never seen them near the last outpost, nor near the gate.”
“So we go to the outpost or this Skye?” He navigated them over a brook without dropping her. Once on the other side he stopped and listened. There were no shouts of pursuit. He bent at the knees. “Let’s clean your hands here.”
She slid free, but stumbled. He caught her. Her eyes were swimming with tears but she didn’t cry. Not yet at least.
“Here, sit down.” He set her on a rock and scooped up water with his hands and cleaned her until her hands and neat little nails were free of any sign of such horror. “Take off that dress. Put the other one on.”
She spluttered, but lacked the energy to really put up a fight. He pulled the gown from the pack and shook it out. She took it, but didn’t move.
“Hurry. I need you to eat something too.” He dug out two of the squares of honeyed oats, devouring one quickly in a few bites.
“But… I didn’t try it on. What if it doesn’t fit?”
The ordinary worry made him capture her hands and force her to meet his eyes. “It laces up the back. I can tighten it so it fits, yes?”
She nodded slowly, as if she didn’t have the strength for much more.
“Here, stand and I can even turn around so you can have privacy.”
All he got was another small nod. He gave her his back, smiling at the oddity of it all. She’d brought him pleasure, slept in his arms, freed him from a certain death, but didn’t want to change her dress in front of him? Women.
“We’ll get up high. See if you can’t locate where we are. If we’re close to Skye, then we’ll head there.” He heard the rustle of clothing, then a sigh.
“Can you unlace me?” The question was said quiet-like. He discovered her struggling to reach the back of her gown. Is this why she always wore it? She couldn’t get out of it?
“Here, let me.” Careful of her hair, he began picking at the laces. He ignored how each inch exposed the exquisite line of her back, and tried to unlace her. It proved difficult. Her skin glowed, each delicate inch of her more desirable to him than any woman he could ever recall bedding. “Here, that’s good.”
He had to stop, step away and turn away. Folding his arms, he concentrated on forming a plan, not on the woman stripping down behind him. She used his arm for support, quietly grumbling as she did. A rustle of fabric made his imagination fill in the details of her curvy body wiggling into place. Finally, she released him an
d cleared her throat.
“Can you lace me?”
The gods were truly torturing him. Not only had she saved his life, when he was the warrior, but now she expected, no trusted him, to merely lace her up not drag her to the ground like an animal and rut over her. He shuddered at the mere idea of fucking her.
“It’s too big.”
He swore his shaft tingled at her words. She’d be tight, so hot and wet and ready for him his size wouldn’t matter. He bit back a groan at the mental image of her body sliding open for his shaft
Trying his best to rein in his rising erection, he faced her and caught his breath. She was stunning, he knew that, but the yellow color seemed to bring out wisps of red he’d never noticed in her hair. He gathered the laces and began to gently tug the material closed.
“See? It’s too big.”
“It’s fine.” It was beautiful. A soft fabric of ultra-fine cloth, woven with small dots of white in the yellow. It looked as if it was made for her. She faced him. His breath left on a heavy groan that he covered with a cough. The neckline of the dress was lower, allowing plenty of her ample bosom to pillow up and along the fabric. “Beautiful.” He rubbed a hand through his hair and reminded himself of all the reasons he couldn’t have her right here, right now. There weren’t nearly enough, but he managed to try. “Now, jump on. We’ve wasted enough time.”
She didn’t move at his gruff words, but since he didn’t either, she finally picked up her old gown, stuffed it in the bag at his waist, then climbed on the rock near them and onto his back a moment later. He clenched her hands together under his chin then hitched her legs higher on his waist.
“I’m going to get us up and out of here, then we can rest.” She would need it. He could hear the exhaustion in her voice. She walked all night for me. All night, to save me. No one had ever done that for him, and certainly not a woman. “We’ll find Garret and the men in no time now. Trust me.”
“I do.”
The whispered words only solidified his determination to get her to safety. Once protected, he was going to make love to her until she was begging him not to stop. He could give her that. Pleasure. She deserved anything he could give her.
As soon as we’re safe and she’s rested. He patted her leg and started. She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. The gesture did odd things to him. What would it be like to have her with me all the time? To come home to her? To a safe cottage, where she waited, a meal ready for me?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Maeve’s cheek slipped along Stephano’s sweaty neck and she jolted awake.
“Easy, you fell asleep.”
“I’m not too heavy?” She sounded groggy still.
He snorted. “You weigh less than my sword.”
She lifted her head and stretched as best she could. “I need down, Stephano.” Her legs were numb, her arms tingled to the point of pain. She ached all over.
“All right. Hold on. Here, this is a good enough spot.” He crouched and she slid off, wincing at the pull on her tired inner thighs. She might never walk again. Hiding her discomfort, she slowly sat down, trying not to grimace at the stiffness as she lowered herself onto a rock.
Stephano seemed to guess because he crouched in front of her and tilted his head with a bemused smile. “Tough ride?” Before she knew what he was about, he had her leg in his hands and was rubbing it firmly. “Better?”
It wasn’t better. It was the most wonderful thing in the world. She felt like begging him to keep going, but didn’t have to. He didn’t stop. His big, firm hands were perfect. Not too rough, not too gentle.
“I’m guessing that’s a yes.” She lifted her head enough to see him wink at her. “We have to think of where we are, angel. Any clue? Because I’ve got none.”
“I can look—” She tried to pull her leg from him, but he held on tighter.
“In a minute. I’ve been thinking. If what you say is right about Skye being so close, and I’m not doubting you,” he added quickly with a laugh in his voice, “then if the men are being held, they’re being used in the competitions.”
“They do that, yes,” she agreed. “Skye is a big city though, Stephano. We can’t go in there and…and find them, just like that.”
He kept massaging her leg. “We entered this realm to free a witch. We ended up having to save Garret and another companion, a Vampire named Jacob. The Vampire…didn’t make it. Garret did. We all did, but barely. I know about the Dark Faye and their cities and arenas.” He shook his head. “What I don’t know is how you managed to put a squad of them to sleep. Or how they didn’t find you. I was certain they already had you. But I wake up and there you are, saving me.”
She smiled and reached out, patting his head to see him grin. “I did, didn’t I? Ellaine thinks I am powerful.”
“Ellaine?”
“The Siren in the mirror. But there was a Tracker there, Stephano… A man who’s used to find people. He found me, but didn’t tell them. Instead he showed me marks to follow so I could find you. He wasn’t at the camp, with the others, when I sang to them, either,” she rushed to add. I should have told him all this, right away!
Stephano paused, his hands at her knee then worked his way back down to her boot, a worried frown pulling at his features. She shivered as he kneaded her calf muscle. “A Tracker. And he didn’t turn you in.” His frown deepened. “So they were after me?”
She shrugged, unsure on that.
“I can’t fathom why. Unless we pissed them off getting Garret out of that prison…”
She could understand why the Faye would want him. Stephano was beautiful. They loved beautiful things that they could distort and ruin. They would spend years molding a person, until they were ugly inside, and the beauty became a shell, hiding the hideous evil beneath. Then they would set them free on their families. I will never let that happen to Stephano or Brennan.
“Well, either way, we still need to figure out a way to reach the outpost. Do you think Garret would have left you sign?”
“Yes. He would have left something for me. I would need to know where to go, but…” She hesitated, not wanting to voice her ideas again so soon.
“Go on, Mae, I won’t make the mistake of misjudging your size again.”
My size? “I was only going to stay that if my brother was safe, he would never have left me, even if I fell. He would have done the same thing you did, and come to find me.”
Stephano was nodding as she spoke. She tried to sit up straighter, but he began on her other leg, making her melt into the ground. All the horror of what she’d done began to dim, falling further and further from her conscious self. All the while, he rubbed her muscles, easing the aches there so that her emotions could fall back to a more manageable level. If only we could become invisible and sneak in, find the men and free them without anyone knowing.
“We need to decide where we are.” Stephano patted her leg. “Garret was meeting us today, but that canyon could be anywhere.” He stood and held out a hand. She took it, feeling as if there were invisible bonds between them, ones that weren’t going to be so easily severed when they’d rescued her brother and his men and he was safely back in his realm. When he is back home, will he even think of me?
“Tell me if anything looks familiar.”
She ducked her head, avoiding his gaze so she could control her thoughts before she straightened and peered out at the landscape. He’d taken them up so high she could see all around them. Turning in a circle she tried to find something that looked familiar. After looking to her left he grabbed his arm in excitement.
“There! Witch’s Peak. Down below that mountain, see the whiter side? It’s a rock fall. Under that and between the arms of the mountain is the Free Town. And there!” She pointed to the north of the town, but much closer to where they were, where a haze of dark spilled out as if from under the mountain. “That’s Skye and beyond it is the sea. See that?” She directed his attention back to Free Town and pointed to a distant b
lur of blue. “That’s the sea, and before we reach that, is the gate that will lead you back home.”
“Miles from Skye and in the opposite direction. But Skye is close. Hell, we’re almost there. Today we could reach it, but then what? Race to this Free Town with a horde of Faye at our backs?”
At his grumble, she winced. “There is a gate nearer to Skye, but…we’ve only ventured there once. I am not sure Brennan will chance it for any amount of money.”
“If he’s being held in Skye already, he might. Where is this other gate?”
“The gate lies on the Silkies’ land. They guard their realm zealously. The price of entrance…” She shook her head, vividly remembering the cost the last time. “Is quite high.”
“We’ll pay double. I’m sure that will soothe whatever costs he incurs.” Stephano shaded his eyes with his hand, not understanding that the cost wasn’t in gold, but something much more precious. He was lost in his thoughts, no doubt already planning on how they could sneak in the Dark Faye realm. He’d done it once before. She could barely comprehend how, but then she wasn’t a warrior.
“But this time, we will be alone. You won’t have Darren, Alrick and Ajax.” She bit her lip, then burst out, “And what of Garret? Where is he?”
“He’ll be where they are, or nearer to them than we are. Have you used this mountain pass to reach these lands before?”
“No. Never. We always come in from there.” She pointed behind her where they could make out a jagged mountain top. “That peak would have been before us when we left the canyons. There is a bridge below it that spans the river. On the other side is desert, then we would have reached Free Town and the last outpost from the northwest.”
“So we skipped a desert.”
She squinted at him to see if he was serious.
He didn’t look down for a few seconds, then glanced at her and winked. “All right, you fell down a cliff and got your arm turned to stone, but still, we’re better off not in a desert, right?”
She sighed heavily at his teasing but did feel better. Still, she had to caution him not to be so sure of himself. “These lands are rumored to be filled with different peoples. We have no idea who lives here, or what they will think of us crossing their lands. And we—”