Fergus’ nostrils flared. “I very much doubt it, since I’m up here trying to save my people.”
The venom in Fergus’ voice stopped me dead, as did the insinuation that I no longer cared for his people. I narrowed my eyes. Jax had said he was angry I’d left him. Well, he wasn’t the only one. I was angry at being forced to go. I was just better at keeping a lid on it. “Hate me all you like, Fergus. But you didn’t come up with another option that would keep us both together and alive. It may have been me that suggested removing our bond, but it was you who facilitated it.” In fact, it had seemed like record time between my suggestion and the dryad arriving to remove our bond.
He glared at me, fists balled, for the longest time before blowing out a breath and turning his back so he stood face-to-face with the castle wall.
I stared at him. He wore no cloak, just his pants and shirt sleeves. He’d lost so much weight this past year that his clothing hung off him. What I wouldn’t give to have an actual conversation with him. To find out how he’d coped with being the leader of the Unseelie fae. I imagined it had been hard on him. Just as my year had been difficult. More difficult without him to run the hard decisions past. But I asked none of those things. “I don’t want it to be like this between us, Fergus. The cutting words and half-hidden accusations.” I wanted it like it used to be, and since that was unlikely, I’d settle for somewhere in between.
I braced myself for the barbs Fergus’ retort would contain. He dragged a hand down his face and answered in a quiet voice. “Neither do I.”
A flash of grey magic flew out of the darkness. It hit the top of the castle wall far to our left, causing the top stone to fall to the ground with a heavy thud. That was the noise we’d heard from inside. I hadn’t quite believed it until I saw it. “Someone is firing at you? I thought you had wards in place to stop such an attack?”
“We do.” He turned to look at me. “Can you remove that spell from your face? I feel like I’m talking to a stranger.” His voice wasn’t as hard as before. It wasn’t quite the Fergus I knew, either, but it was a step in the right direction.
I took the pin from against my skin, dropping it into my pocket.
Fergus seemed to let out a breath as my face changed back to my own. “We have wards. They are firing rocks at us from a very long distance. The best I can tell, the magic is helping the weapon to traverse the distance. The magic gets caught in the wards, but the rock—or whatever they are using—isn’t spelled and can still get through.”
“Why? I asked, staring at the toppled stone from the wall. What was there to achieve? Although the rocks could do some decent damage to the walls and the castle itself, their aim seemed patchy and there wasn’t—thank the stars—enough rocks being fired on us to make us truly scared.
He shrugged. “I have yet to figure that out.” His voice was soft as he scanned the distance for the next magic wrapped rock coming our way.
“Do you think Rhiannon is behind this?” It wasn’t red magic, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t asking her followers for help.
Fergus shrugged. “I can’t think of anyone else who would try to destroy my castle this way.”
Another ball of grey magic came out of the darkness. I watched closely, and as Fergus had said, the magic burned away right before the rock hit the wall. “I guess they don’t have good control of their aim since they can’t hit the same spot twice.”
Fergus gave a wry smile. “Thank goodness for small mercies.”
“Why don’t you blow up the rocks with your magic before they make it to the castle?” Seemed like a better option than standing here, watching it happen.
He held out one hand and his deep blue magic appeared on his palm.
I jumped backward, throwing my hands out in front of me, as if that would protect me. “Fergus! Stop! You can’t use your magic around me.”
He blinked, and his magic flickered away. “Yes. Right. Of course.” He glanced at me, before returning his magic to his palm.
“Fergus?”
He shook his head. “There is no danger that our magic will combine, Bria. She has put a freeze on my magic. I can call it up, but I can’t do anything with it.”
I stared at him, wondering how I hadn’t considered the problems Piper was having with her magic earlier was something that affected everyone. “Not only yours. Piper can call hers up, but can’t use it either.” And Kaylor had called hers up but hadn’t tried to use it. I was certain that had she tried, nothing would have happened. “And I’m pretty sure if I tried to use mine, it wouldn’t work.”
“Rhiannon’s blocked the entire castle?”
I shrugged. “Wouldn’t some of your guards have tried to stop this attack with their magic if they were able?”
He nodded. “Jax is down there somewhere trying to make that happen. I wondered what was taking so long.”
“And Willow is where?” I wanted to make certain she wasn’t about to get hurt.
“Making sure Mother is safe.”
She was safe, then. That was good.
“Just like old times.” He gave a shy smile, as if he was unsure how I would take his words.
I smiled back. “You mean, trying to work out what Rhiannon’s next move is before she makes it?”
“No.” His smile grew. “I mean working together to find the best way around a problem.
I liked that he was smiling. Every part of me wanted to see it again. Or worse, to lean into him and feel his hands resting on my body. Since neither was an option, I turned away and walked to the balcony railing. “You don’t need me to find a way around your problems. I’m sure you’re doing fine on your own.”
He joined me at the balcony, resting his forearms on the stone railing. “If I could make a half-decent decision without you, we wouldn’t be in the middle of this ridiculous competition.”
I turned to stare at him, trying to work out if he was serious. His face was solemn, and he seemed to mean what he said. “You love everything about this competition.” That’s how it seemed, anyway.
He sighed. “You know me better than anyone, Bria. What makes you think I’m enjoying this?”
I stole another glance at him, recalling him interacting with the other girls and listing all the reasons he seemed to be enjoying himself inside my head. The smiles, the flirting, all the different dates. Then I recalled the version of Fergus I knew before I met him. The one where he had a different girl warming his bed every night, and how desperately unhappy that had made him. How had I not seen through his act? I sighed. “Nothing at all.” I shook my head. “Why do it then?”
“Why did you come here and pretend to be someone else?” One eyebrow lifted in question.
Because it seemed like the right thing to do. Because I wanted to help. Because I wanted to set eyes upon him. The first reason was the answer he was looking for. I didn’t give it to him. “So, how does this end?”
“With me married and a crown resting on my head, I guess.” His voice was flat.
“And unhappy for eternity.”
His eyes roamed over my face, and the strength disappeared from his voice. “I had a thousand times more happiness than I ever expected in the days I spent with you, and they will last me through the rest of my life.”
I turned away. This was a far heavier conversation than I’d expected, and I didn’t know how to he wanted me to react.
When I didn’t speak, he added, “Plus, I have a plan.”
A small smile crept over my face. This was the Fergus I knew. “Of course you do.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, an eternity of unhappiness doesn’t really do it for me.” The heaviness lifted from his tone, and an uncertain smile played at the edges of his lips.
“Understandable,” I murmured. “And this plan? Is it a good one?” There was no chance he would tell me about it—we were on different sides now—but if I didn’t ask, my only other option was to stand quietly and watch the rocks hurtl
ing toward the castle. And I wasn’t doing that. Not when I’d wanted nothing but to talk to Fergus as Bria for these past few days.
“The best.” He looked out into the darkness. “I think you would like it. I mean, I know you would.”
I glanced at him. “I’m sure you’re right.” The silence stretched out. I wanted to fill it. I didn’t want to waste the few minutes I had with Fergus that I might never get again. I wanted to pretend nothing between us had changed. But the question I asked proved everything had. “And have you decided which girl you will choose?”
He shook his head. “But there are a couple I already know aren’t for me.” He shrugged. “Kaylor, for one.”
She was one of Piper’s friends. I could understand him not wanting her. “What about Essie?” She was cute, but also had dubious taste in friends, if Piper was anything to go by. Perhaps Fergus saw something else in her, though.
He shook his head, his movements determined.
I couldn’t help but smile. I liked more than I would admit hearing about the girls he wouldn’t choose. Which made me a horrible person. I didn’t want Fergus to see that part of me, so I joked. “Oh, I don’t know. You and Essie would be perfect together.”
He let out a quiet chuckle. “I’m not sure Essie knows how to exist without first checking with Piper.”
“Samara, then?”
He shook his head. “Too human. Reminds me of this girl I once dated. She was a little crazy.”
I turned to face him, looking at him properly for the first time. His eyes were dancing, and the lines around his mouth were gone, softened by the almost smile on his lips. He can’t have been too worried about the attack, or there would be no time for joking. If he wasn’t worried, I wasn’t either. “Crazy?” I lifted my eyebrows, knowing he wanted me to bite, knowing I shouldn’t. I stabbed a finger at his chest. “That craziness saved your butt. More than once.” Okay. So much for not biting.
He tilted his head to one side. “Funny. That’s not how I recall it.”
“Really? You don’t remember being unable to escape Rhiannon’s cells, and needing my help to do so?”
“I recall having to call Obsidian because you collapsed the dungeons and almost killed us both.” His eyes dipped to my lips, and my mouth parted as he did so. In my dreams, we’d stood this way so many times, and most of me wanted to stay this close to him. But, my rational side said we couldn’t. He was standing too close. Not to mention, I couldn’t think properly when he was there.
I took a step back. “What about when I rescued you from Rhiannon’s soldiers, then brought you to Iadrun to heal?”
He matched my step, standing so close again, I could feel the heat of his skin. “Funny. I thought it was Willow who provided us a place to stay that night.”
I was so tempted to lean into him, but one of us had to stay sane, and it currently didn’t seem to be him. I stepped away again, my heart racing so hard he must surely hear it. “What about when—” I backed into the wall. “When we used our magic together that first time and stopped your father?”
He followed me, planting a hand on the wall on either side of my head. “You know, I think we’ve proven how crazy that human is.”
I shook my head, his breath warming each cheek as I did. “Not human.”
A wide grin spread across his face. “Is that so? Here I was thinking you were still in denial about your heritage. I guess your acceptance of your fae side proves one thing.”
“It does?” My voice didn’t work properly, the words coming out like a whisper.
“That you are crazy.”
I shook my head, wondering how long he might stand this close. I could happily stay this way forever. “Accepting that I’m fae proves no such thing.”
“Oh. My mistake.” He leaned in even closer, our lips almost touching. “That’s what we’re about to prove right now.”
“We are?”
Fergus kissed me.
He’d stalked me across the balcony, his decision made long before he leaned in. Tremors of panic flooded my veins. We weren’t supposed to do this, and there was a good reason for that. I just couldn’t recall what it was right now. A low noise rumbled from the back of his throat, sending a shiver of pleasure through my body, and I forgot to worry.
I leaned in, and our kiss deepened. He pulled me closer until there was nothing between us. We were pressed together the entire length of our bodies. His hands ran down my arms to the small of my back, his fingers rucking up the bottom of my shirt until they found the skin beneath. His hands were warm on my bare skin, lighting a fire inside me. I might have stopped breathing, or the surrounding air grew thinner. Either way, I couldn’t draw anything into my lungs, and I didn’t care.
I wound my fingers in his silky hair, before bringing my hands down over his chest to stop at the band on his pants.
His breath was rough. Like mine. I yanked on his shirt, untucking him and running my hands up his muscular back beneath it. I brought my hands around, searching for the buttons to get the shirt off of him. He moved away from me just enough to find them. I undid the first one without breaking the seal on our lips. I didn’t want to stop kissing him ever again. I almost had the second one, when behind my closed eyes there was a flash of light followed by crunching of stone against stone. Something fell beside us.
We pulled apart, breathing hard.
Fergus stared at the hunk of rock lying at our feet, then gave me a shy smile. I smiled back—that had been intense. Then I came back to myself with a thud. “Our bond!” Kissing made it return. I stepped away from him, even knowing it was too late now. I’d ruined everything because I’d stopped thinking for a few moments. Not that I’d started this. I pressed the heels of my hands to my temples. “What were you thinking?”
Fergus shook his head, his eyes shuttering, like he expected me to behave exactly this way. “It’s okay.”
“No.” I shook mine, too, harder than he had. “It’s very much not all right. I walked away from all this to keep you alive. Now, if anyone finds out what we just did, that our bond has returned, you’ll die anyway.” If that happened, this entire year had been for nothing.
He ducked into my line of vision, taking hold of my shoulders. “Bria. Listen to me. If we can’t use our magic, how could it combine?”
I stared at him, mouth agape. Could that be true? Had we stolen a moment on a technicality? If so, I could kiss whoever had frozen the castle magic, but it wouldn’t be anything compared to the kiss I’d just shared. I doubted any kiss ever again would compare to that one.
He held out his hand and called his magic to it. “If you don’t believe me, bring your magic out. You’ll see.”
“Or we’ll be bound together for eternity.”
Fergus’ stare was amused. “If that’s the case, we’re bound anyway after what just happened.”
I guessed he was right. I called on my magic and it came to my hand immediately. But it did nothing else. There was no pull from it to join with Fergus’ magic, and when I tried to throw that ball of magic at the rock heading for the castle wall, nothing happened. “I can’t use it.” I grinned. “I can’t use it!”
“I’ve never seen anyone so pleased that she can’t use her magic.” He smiled. It lit up his face.
My eyes moved to his lips. If there were no consequences, I wanted more. He stepped toward me, looking like he wanted the same. Then his gaze shot off to something behind me.
I turned to see what he was looking at as another rock came out of the darkness, this one surrounded by both grey and yellow magic. It arced over the wall, its fall mesmerizing in its beauty, and hit the roof two levels below us. But it wasn’t yellow magic surrounding it. It was fire. And after a moment of smoldering, the yellow flames lit and licked across the rooftop.
I gripped Fergus’ arm, coming suddenly back to my senses. “It’s on fire.” As if that wasn’t obvious. “Can you do something?” I already knew the answer t
o that. I wasn’t sure why I even asked. We’d just proven our magic was useless.
He shook his head. “Not from up here.” He nodded past the flames to where two winged fae flew. “But the water nymphs will put it out. That’s what they’re here for.”
I released my grip on his arm, watching their flight.
The two nymphs drew so close to the flames, I was certain they would burn. I must have gasped, because Fergus said, “Don’t worry. The closer they get, the more accurate their water spray will be.”
We watched in silence as the tiny nymphs darted into the fire. But rather than the flames growing smaller, they grew larger. I glanced at Fergus. Was that supposed to happen?
He shifted on his feet, a frown lining his forehead. I much preferred looking at him when there were no worry lines on his face. “Any minute now,” he whispered.
The two nymphs suddenly appeared out of the flames. They hovered a little way off, gesturing their arms like they were speaking to each other.
“Their magic,” I said, suddenly understanding. “They have none, either.”
Fergus’ body went rigid. “I have no way to put those flames out. And if they … she … sends more flaming weapons…” He shook his head. “We’re in trouble.”
“There’s always the old-fashioned way of putting the fire out.” So long as we could get water to the roof. He stared at me, waiting for me to elaborate. “With a chain of helpers passing buckets of water.” Maybe it was the human way rather than the old way.
He nodded, backing toward the door as another ball of fire rushed through the wards. This one landed in the middle of a stone path near the stables. With nothing to catch alight, the flame fluttered out. Fergus and I let out a relieved sigh at the same time. At least the horses were safe.
“I need to get everyone out of here.” Fergus spoke more to himself than me. “We’ll use the tunnels and keep a few here to fight any flames.” The frown between his eyes deepened.
“What’s wrong?” Other than the obvious.
Kingdom of Future's Hope (Royals of Faery Book 4) Page 16