by Unknown
“Then so be it,” Morpheus shrugged. “I've betrayed her already, I deserve it.”
“I won't let that happen, brother,” Phantasus growled. “If you won't protect yourself, I'll do it for you.”
Phantasus pulled a wicked looking sword out of thin air and lunged at me. I saw the glint of steel as the blade lowered and lifted my arm to block but I wasn't going to make it. He'd caught me unaware, mid-conversation, the bastard. I saw my arm moving upwards too slowly and tensed in preparation for the cut.
Metal rang on metal and I stared at the crossed blades grating against each other in front of my face. Then I threw myself out of the way. Morpheus slid his sword back from Phantasus and settled into a stance.
As a swordswoman, I was able to appreciate the gracefulness of Morpheus' swings, his lightness of foot, and the way he parried like it was all just a dance. He was fast, much faster than his brother, and I realized that he was merely humoring Phantasus, giving him the physical exertion he needed to satiate his anger.
The clang of metal went on and on, echoing through the honeycomb of caves, and I watched each movement with tense focus. Then a soft body leaned against me and I looked over to see Trevor standing beside me, still in his wolf form. He jerked his nose towards an area across the fighting and I followed his motion to find Hypnos and the God Squad gathered on the other side of the cave. Kirill stared across at me with both relief and frustration. I wanted to go to him but there was no way to get to him without crossing the fight. So we waited and watched.
Morpheus finally knocked the sword from his brother's hand and set the tip of his blade to Phantasus' throat. Phantasus swallowed hard and nodded curtly in defeat but when Morpheus put up his blade, Phantasus lunged at him with the syringe. It didn't dawn on me that the drug wouldn't kill Morpheus, I simply saw a man attacking another from behind and I reacted automatically.
I jumped on Phantasus.
We tumbled and hit a wall heavily. I took the brunt of it to the head and while I reeled, the coward sank the syringe into my arm and pushed down the plunger. The sweet feeling of Net filled my veins with lethargy and I fell limply to the floor with Phantasus on top of me. I didn't care though, Net had taken hold. Everything was sweet and beautiful. Then the weight lifted from my chest and I stared up into misty eyes.
“Not again,” I whispered and faded away.
Chapter Fifty-Five
“I think I need to go to rehab,” I groaned as I sat up in bed.
“Minn Elska,” Trevor was beside me in an instant, his hand sliding around my waist and his forehead dropping to mine. “You're okay,” I wasn't sure if he was talking to me or himself.
“Trevor,” I shifted so I could see him. “I saw the nightmare in the cave. I saw what you did to yourself.”
“You did?” His voice was barely a whisper. “I've never considered the possibility that I may survive the severing of our bond. It wasn't something I was prepared to face.”
“But suicide?” I slipped my hands around his face and kissed him. “I won't be able to erase that image from my head. If I did die and you were able to live, I wouldn't want that. Promise me you won't take your own life.”
“I can't,” his face fell into lines of grief. “I honestly don't know what I'd do. If I make you that promise, it would be a lie because now I know that in the moment of your death, I'd lose my mind. The image of your death broke me, it broke me so completely that I'm shocked to be sitting here with you now. I'm shocked that I was able to return from it.”
“It wasn't real,” I leaned into his solid chest and his arms slid tight around me. “Morpheus saved you from the nightmare.”
“I know,” his voice took on a sharp edge. “It's one of the reasons he's still alive.”
“His brothers?” I looked up at him.
“They live as well,” Trevor sighed. “Though we might come to regret that decision.”
“And their parents?”
“Hypnos lives, as I'm sure does Pasithea, though we haven't found her,” he shrugged and settled back into the bed. I went with him, lying across his chest. “The poppies are gone but we'll need to go after Pasithea eventually, try and find her stores of Net. Hades said he'd keep an eye on Hypnos and his sons for now, make sure they don't start growing the poppies again.”
“No more Net,” I heaved a relieved breath. “That would be helpful.”
“Drugs are hard to banish,” Trevor didn't sound too hopeful. “And this drug has been distributed so much that I wouldn't be surprised if another god figured out how to make it. I wouldn't count on Net being gone for good.”
“Can we provide Morpheus with immortality?”
“Just Morpheus?” He angled his head down to look at me.
“No, of course not,” I rolled my eyes and sat up. “In fact, I think we should ask Hades to approach all of the Greek gods and see if Zeus has been abusing the rest of them as well. That needs to stop.”
“I thought you were the Godhunter?” He grinned lopsidedly up at me. “Since when did you fight for the gods?”
“Since I fell in love with one,” I slid back over him and fell into his kiss.
There was so much relief in that kiss. That it was Trevor I was kissing, that he was alive and sane, that he loved me and I loved him, and that it all wasn't just a dream.
Chapter Fifty-Six
Later that day, I decided to visit Faerie. I'd been gone too long and I needed to check on the dark fey. Morpheus' words were haunting me but I pushed away the notion that I was attracted to Rowan. So what if I was? There was a lot of attractive faeries, it didn't mean I was going to cheat with them.
When I appeared back in Faerie, it was just after I'd left the last time, so Arach was still next door in his office with Isleen. I was about to head over there when there came a tap, tap, tapping at my window pane. I frowned and looked out the window but nothing was there. I unlatched the glass and swung it open, hanging my head out the window to see if there was an animal in distress outside.
Something grabbed me and pulled me out. I gasped but then a blade was pressed to my throat and a pair of strong arms held me tight against a male chest. I was lifted into the air, Castle Aithinne falling away as I was carried off over the mountains that marked the border between the kingdoms of Fire and Air.
“Fight me and I'll cut your head from your body,” a familiar voice hissed into my ear.
“Craigor,” I ground out between my clenched teeth, not even bothering to glance behind me.
“How nice,” he pressed his cheek to mine, “you remember me.”
“How could I forget?” I thought back to his acrid accusations of me being the reason for winter coming to Faerie, for every bad thing that happened in Faerie actually. “Aoife's cast off, right?” It probably wasn't a good thing to taunt an air-sidhe holding a knife to my throat but what the hell?
“Watch your words, human,” he spat, “or you'll be taking her place. If only for a short time until I kill you.”
“You and I both know that you're not strong enough to hold me,” I kept watching the mountains, wondering when he'd take us into the mists of the Air Kingdom. “As soon as you remove that knife, you're dead, and if you kill me, Arach will track you down with the Wild Hunt. So I'm wondering how it is you think you're going to rape and murder me?”
“Maybe I'll have some help,” his voice was smug and when we passed into the Dark Kingdom, I realized why. He was being fueled by darker emotions and it looked as if he were in league with the dark itself.
“Who's helping you?” I knew Rowan had been mad when I'd caught him in the Human Realm but mad enough to orchestrate my death? I hadn't thought so.
“King Rowan,” Craigor declared gleefully.
Well, I was often wrong.
We arrived at Castle Tempest, Craigor alighting right before the open gates. Rowan and the rest of the dark fey were already there, waiting for me with grim yet gleeful looks. Rowan was holding a pair of manacles in his hands, pure black
metal shackles with a chain connecting them. As Craigor held the knife pressed into my throat, a thin line of blood trickling down from it, Rowan secured the manacles around my wrists.
“It's so nice to have you back with us, Queen Vervain,” Rowan nodded to Craigor and the blade fell away from my neck. “That'll be all, Craigor.”
“That'll be all?” Craigor scoffed. “Hardly. I'm going to help you kill this human upstart.”
“Rue,” Rowan called.
A dark fey man stepped forward and lifted a hand towards Craigor. Craigor fell like his strings had been cut, dropping to the ground to stare at us in shock. He looked at me, at the blood on my neck, and blanched. His moth wings drooped around his shoulders, making him look a little like a sad puppy.
“Queen Vervain,” he whispered. “I didn't... I'm sorry.”
“Yes, yes,” Rowan waved his hand at Craigor. “Run along now, Moth Boy, before we decide to play with you too.”
Craigor's face settled into hard lines, he looked at me and frowned, a battle waging within him that I was surprised to see. He hated me but I guess he wasn't down with killing me. Or maybe it was the part about being manipulated. Whatever it was, he ground his teeth and started to step forward. I forgave him instantly then. He was brave enough to try to right his wrong and that was enough for me.
“Stop,” I held a hand out to him. “I forgive you for the part you played here. There's no reason for both of us to suffer. Go, Craigor.”
His face fell into shocked slackness, his eyes wide. Then his gaze steadied and he bowed to me before launching himself into the air.
“Well, good riddance to that,” Rowan grinned. “Come in, Vervain. You don't mind if I drop the title do you? I feel like we're so close now. You reprimand me like I'm a child and I torture you in return. Definitely close.”
“You're mad because I told you, you couldn't kill humans?” I huffed a harsh laugh. “Pathetic, Rowan,” I dropped his title too since we were going there. “What are you, three? You were behaving badly, jeopardizing all of us, and killing innocent people. What was I supposed to do? Give you a pat on the head and a biscuit? No. Bad dog. No biscuit.”
“And she keeps doing it,” he turned to the others with amused astonishment. “You've got to give her points for courage.”
I pulled at the manacles, straining my arms, but they didn't even creak. What the hell? How did I keep ending up in super-chains?
“They're made of Darkness,” Rowan observed my efforts with bright eyes. “They're unbreakable. Oh and I wouldn't try changing into a dragon if I were you. Not if you fancy keeping your hands.”
“You're a part of Faerie,” I growled. “And Faerie requires balance. You're supposed to maintain the balance, not throw it out of whack.”
“Balance?” He laughed. “You speak of balance? You think you've tamed the fey with you human ideals and words of equality? You haven't. The fey need what we give them. They're still the same beneath their bright smiles and sickly-sweet kindness. Their hearts are wild, capricious, and they need the release that only the dark can give them.”
“Stop with the bullshit and just tell me what you're planning to do with me already,” I ignored my thudding heart. Was he right? Were the fey the same as they'd always been? Was Arach still an elitist beneath his new caring persona?
“So eager,” Rowan grinned and a wave of magic rolled over me. His eyes suddenly seemed softer, his lips curved in a sensual smile. A shiver coursed through me, turning my limbs to mush. Damn, he was hot. “Don't worry, love,” he took my hand as if I weren't wearing chains and we were just going for a stroll. “I'll take care of you.”
I followed him into the castle in a daze, part of my brain registering that this was wrong and didn't I just go through something similar? Was I dreaming again? Was this really Morpheus? Maybe the castle was an illusion. Maybe I'd never escaped the cave.
“There is no spoon,” I whispered. “There is no spoon, there is no spoon.” Nothing changed.
“What about spoons?” Rowan glanced down at me with real concern. Probably wondering if he'd driven me insane.
“Have you ever had a dream that you were so sure was real?” I giggled, not helping the question of my sanity at all. “What if you were unable to wake up from that dream? How would you know the difference from the dream world and the real one?”
“You're not dreaming, Vervain,” Rowan blinked and for just a moment I saw something honorable there. Maybe he wasn't completely lost.
Of course he's not completely lost.
“Oh good,” I rolled my eyes. “It's about time you showed up.
“Vervain?” Rowan led me into his bedroom and eased me down upon the bed.
I fear we made a mistake when we created these fey.
“You think?” I started laughing and Rowan backed up a step.
Shut up and listen, you simpleton. We didn't think about how condensed the element was. We made sidhe and animals but we forgot something.
“What's that?”
“If you think you're going to dissuade me by feigning madness, you're wrong,” Rowan lifted my hands and secured the chain to a hook on the wall behind his bed.
Well that's interesting.
“No, it's not interesting,” I growled at her and then another wave of lust rushed through me and the growl turned into a purr. “It's fantastic.”
“Yes, there you go,” Rowan smoothed the hair off my face. “Just relax. Soon you'll be begging for me to make love to you and you know what?” He leaned down to whisper in my ear. “I won't. I'm going to let you scream and beg all night and maybe in the mourning I'll let you beg Ash. Then Dahlia, then all the other dark fey, and when you're done groveling to them all, maybe I'll consider it.”
How rude!
“You're telling me,” I narrowed my eyes on Rowan. His Lust may be powerful but my anger was finding a way around it. “Do something, will you?”
What do you want me to do?
“Not yet,” he smiled and ran his hand down my stomach. My muscles clenched in response. “You feel that? The heat building in your belly that has nothing to do with your element? That's what I need, that's what you kept me from consuming and so now, you will help me feed the need. You will help all of us feed our element. Tonight will be Lust, tomorrow Shame, then Anger, Hunger, Loneliness, Heartache. On and on it will go because you failed us as a maker. You failed to guide us properly.”
We did fail him, a sigh. We failed to stem the Darkness off into other fey. All the Houses of Faerie have numerous fey. We left Darkness with only one race, the dark-sidhe. Stupid, so stupid.
“In my defense, I've never created a race before,” I offered.
“And we've never been faeries before,” he shrugged, still thinking I was talking to him. “Yet you threatened us over our behavior. Why should we not punish you for yours?”
“Oh shut up, you little brat,” I snarled at Rowan. “You think you're the only one with lust magic? Try some of your own medicine.” My lust magic had been boiling inside me, rising in response to Rowan's attack. It had enjoyed the feel of the similar power for awhile but it wasn't a submissive magic and it didn't play the victim well.
I freed it suddenly, a burst of red exploding from me and hitting Rowan straight in the chest. He fell back, arms flailing and legs splaying wide. A low moan came from him as he rolled to his knees and crawled to the bed. His hands were shaking when he lifted them to my face.
“Vervain, you're so beautiful,” he sighed. “I'd do anything for you.”
“How about undoing these manacles?” I asked with a fair amount of sass. Yeah, okay, I'm a bad winner.
“Oh, of course,” he jumped up and undid the restraints.
Impressive.
“Thank you,” I sat up and rubbed at my wrists.
“You're welcome,” he smiled at me like a fourteen-year-old boy smiling at Scarlett Johansson, then sat beside me on the bed.
“Oh shut up!” I rolled my eyes and reined the Lu
st back in. “I'm not talking to you.”
He shook his head and jumped off the bed, staring at me with wide, horrified eyes. He gaped at my unchained wrists, looking over my irritated expression, and I watched the realization of how much trouble he was in roll over his face. Then he made a valiant attempt at regaining his composure. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders.
“I've clearly underestimated you.”
“You forgot that I'm more than a dragon-sidhe,” I added. “You should have done your research.”
“You're a goddess of lust?”
“Among other things,” I shook my head. “Relax, I'm not going to keep the circle of hate going.”
“What?”
She's not going to kick your ass.
“Faerie?” He cocked his head.
Wassup.
“So that's who you were talking to.”
“Yeah, she likes to make me look insane,” I shrugged.
I'm sorry, Rowan. You're right, we didn't handle this well, but that's about to change. Vervain, you gonna let me in, or what?
“Oh, right!” I got off the bed. “Come on in, girlfriend.” I opened the gates, as it were, and Faerie rushed inside me.
I/Faerie walked past Rowan, out into the hall and through the castle. As we walked, we pulled the dark fey to us. They came out of the doorways we passed and fell in line behind us, following us to the central hall. When we reached the dais at the far end, we stepped up beside the throne and turned to face them. They stood before us with matching expressions of fear and awe, Rowan standing stoic in the center of them.
We reached out a hand and I felt Faerie grip the element inside them. All of the dark-sidhe fell to their knees as we pulled the Darkness out of them. Not all of it, just enough to lessen its dominion. It was meant to be a spark not an inferno.
We took the excess Darkness and began to mould it, shaping it into new forms, new fey. First there came the farinne-sidhe. Faerie named them before I had a chance to steal that honor from her-her words not mine. Evidently she was still pissed about me naming the dark-sidhe without consulting her but seriously, what else could we possibly have called them?