“It won’t be long,” Tayla said solemnly. “First, we acknowledge the pain and loneliness of the stars.”
Shocked by my own emotions, I wiped my wet cheeks with my sleeve. The women around me swayed, some of them moving closer to touch my shoulders. I caught Brendan’s eye. I expected him to laugh at me, but his expression was so serious that I couldn’t hold his gaze for more than a few seconds. I stared into the fire, trying not to feel the music in my bones so much.
Without warning, the song burst into something jauntier. The villagers cheered, many of them getting to their feet and dancing. An old man approached, his tanned skin so wrinkled and saggy, I could barely make out his eyes. He bowed and held out his hand.
“The elder chooses the first dance,” Tayla whispered. “You have to honour him by agreeing.”
The girls shoved me to my feet. I gripped his hand and let him lead me around the bonfire. We danced. He was so short that his eyes were on my chest. I laughed as we spun around the fire. This was the part of the fae that I loved, that I would hate leaving behind. My hair came loose from the plaits, locks of it falling over my face, but I didn’t care. The bonfire was hot, and the night cool. I threw back my head and looked up at the stars.
“Is this what they like to see?” I asked my dance partner.
“Well, personally, I think they like to see a bit more flesh, but I’m always outvoted on these matters.”
I laughed. A bit later, the elder’s hands moved a little too far south, but I was saved by a king.
Brendan broke in. “Technically, I’m an elder, too,” he called out, pulling me after him.
The villagers laughed and jeered, and many of them joined in the dancing. Brendan spun me around and lifted me into the air. I grinned as I looked down at him.
“It’s good to see you smile for a change,” he said.
I giggled then spotted Drake sitting off to the side. My smile faded.
Brendan lowered me. “Ah.”
“I’m sorry, I…” I shook my head. “Dance with me. It might be the last time.”
With a strange smile, he took my hands. “I’ll make sure it’s not. Now it’s the other king’s turn. I have an elder to charm.”
He left me there and found a new partner. Ignoring the traditions because the villagers seemed to have thrown all of their rules out of the window, I made my way over to Drake.
“Are you tired?” he asked politely as I sat next to him.
“You’re older than I am,” I said. “You have to ask me to dance.”
“I don’t want to dance.”
My lips trembled. “It might be the only dance we ever have.”
He sighed. “Then we should make the most of it.” He stood and held out his hand.
I took his slim fingers and let him pull me to my feet. He led me away from the others, into a shaded area under the trees. My head was spinning from the drink and heat and atmosphere. There was something heady about the way the villagers embraced the stars and put on a show for them. Something unrecognisable filled the air, some kind of mystical force that said unseen eyes really were watching us all. Anything could happen on such a night, and a large part of me welcomed the magic that would help me forget the worries of the world.
Drake moved closer, his hands on my waist. I closed the distance and slid my arms around his shoulders. His eyes were intense, and his fingers splayed across my hip, right where my faery tattoo began.
We swayed together for a long time, never speaking but having epic conversations with our eyes.
An epic goodbye.
Chapter Thirty-One
In the morning, the trackers returned. I had slept in a tangle of bodies. Everyone had fallen asleep outside as part of their celebratory ritual. I had a terrible hangover, but I couldn’t stop smiling. It had been one of my favourite nights with the fae. I got up and went over to where Brendan and Drake were sitting.
Three trackers approached us. They were shorter and slimmer than the rest of the people. They all had dark brown eyes and wrinkled, sun-beaten faces.
“We are to lead you past the Darksiders,” one said. “But you must walk and lead the horses.”
“We don’t have a problem with that,” Brendan said. “But we need to get back and deal with this Darksider king.”
The tracker nodded. “Then we shall leave immediately.”
The villagers began stirring, ready to help us leave. Bundles of food were pressed into our hands and strapped to our horses.
“It was a good night for the stars,” Tayla said. “They saw love and loss.” She took my hand. “If you come this way again, there will be a place for you under the stars.”
After saying our goodbyes, we set off with the trackers. The leader stayed with us. The other two separated and moved out of our sight.
“I’m Dwyer,” the lead tracker said. “The surrounding area is clean, but there are plenty of Darksiders roaming farther out. You may be forced into a confrontation, but we’ll do our best to avoid that.”
“Thank you, Dwyer,” Brendan said. “Have you news?”
Dwyer shrugged, his keen gaze moving constantly. “We heard first that the king had disappeared. Some said he had lost his mind, others that he had taken on a quest. The daoine sídhe kept control for a time, but then Sadler announced that the realm was lost. With no king, he was next in line, and even if there was a king, in his absence, Sadler would be the closest living relative.”
“And be required to rule in his stead,” Brendan said thoughtfully. “And the fae fell for this?”
“First there was panic, but then the Darksiders began to infiltrate. Sadler promised to control them. The elder fae begged him to take the throne before the daoine sídhe declared war on the invaders. That was all on the surface. The truth is a different story. While Sadler makes deals and alliances, his men are a scourge on the realm. The daoine sídhe have protected as much as they can, but they need a leader with the power of a royal.”
“I shouldn’t have left,” Drake said. “I caused this.”
A whistle sounded nearby. Dwyer whistled in answer. “Ah. Looks to me that Sadler caused this. There was no chance of him lying down peacefully, not after what happened to his… son.”
“It’ll be two against one soon,” I said. “With both of you…”
“There’ll be a war,” Dwyer said. “We’re all expecting it. The realm is in a state of panic. I think many would rather neither king returned than for them to come back and declare a war.”
“And that’s the way of it,” Brendan said. “Who has declared fealty to Sadler? Do you know?”
“The water fae. At least, the selkies and sirens. The Darksiders, even the ones caught up in the spread. There are others, some solitary, but fae are still moving, biding their time before they make a final choice.”
“What about the banshees?” Brendan asked.
“No,” Dwyer said. “The banshees haven’t declared their allegiance yet. The daoine sídhe refuse to acknowledge Sadler as king, and that has a made a significant difference.”
“And your village?” Drake asked. “Who do you pledge fealty for?”
“We do not pledge,” Dwyer said. “Not unless there’s someone worthy. It’s been a long time since we gave our loyalty to any one leader.”
Sweat ran down my back. I was constantly alert, struggling to hear anything at all that might warn us of unwanted company. The undergrowth was thick. I tripped over roots far too many times. Dwyer occasionally communicated with the other trackers by whistling. After a couple of hours, a bird song sounded.
Dwyer held up his hand, warning us to stop. “Someone’s ahead,” he whispered. “Wait.”
Four low whistles sounded.
“Only four,” Dwyer said. “We can confront them now, or we can veer around them, which will take up more time. It’s your choice.”
Brendan’s hands opened and closed into fists. “Confrontation.”
“Then go ahead,” Dwyer said. “We are a
peaceful people. Do as you will.”
Brendan put his hand on his sword and strode away. Drake followed, not hesitating for a second. I glanced at Dwyer before shrugging and following my kings. With only my puny dagger, I wouldn’t be much help, but I wasn’t standing there with Dwyer while I waited for them to get their arses handed to them.
Ahead, Brendan held out his hand then splayed his fingers. He moved to the left, Drake to the right. Brendan gestured for me to go straight ahead.
Fantastic. I was bait. As I obeyed, I kept my hand in my pocket, desperately holding on to my dagger. My breath hitched as I came upon a camp of some Darksiders. They were tall, muscular fae. Obviously warriors.
A twig crunched under my foot, sounding like a bomb to my ears. The four warriors jumped, and all of them looked my way.
A helmeted giant nudged the fae next to him and nodded at me. “That’s her, isn’t it?”
“Giving herself up,” his winged companion said.
The three males got up and started walking toward me.
“Don’t be idiotic,” the female scoffed, holding back.
The only unarmoured warrior rushed at me, his sword in the air. I stood there like a deer frozen in headlights, barely able to form a thought. The sound of something whipping through the trees made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I had heard that sound before, right before an arrow shot through my chest, and later before one hit my shoulder.
The warrior froze then collapsed to his knees, three arrows sticking through his neck. The woman whirled around, but Drake was already there, aiming a sword at her throat. She conceded and took a knee.
Helmet and Wings circled me, looking all around for whoever else might be out there. The dagger felt slippery in my sweaty palm.
“Duck!” Brendan called from my left.
Time slowed. I dropped to the ground, but Helmet gripped my hair as if to pull me toward him to use me as a weapon. Without thinking twice, I shoved the dagger into his crotch. Warm blood drenched my clothes. I heard a swish and turned around, holding up my arm in defense.
The winged one fell on the ground next to me. I stared in horror as his head rolled away from his body and landed beside my foot. I looked up to see Brendan’s eyes filled with the joy of bloodlust. He leapt over me to reach Helmet, who lay on the ground, groaning, his hands pressed against his bloody crotch. Brendan shoved a sword through the fae’s chest, putting him out of his misery. It had all happened so fast.
“Well,” the woman said. “Aren’t you spectacular?” She sneered at Drake, her eyes dark and hateful.
“What are you doing here?” Drake asked.
“You obviously already know,” she replied, glancing over at me. “Sadler requests an audience.”
“If he wants to meet with a king, there are other ways to go about it.”
She laughed. “Who ever said he wanted to meet with a king? It’s the human he wants to see.”
Drake’s expression changed. “And what then?”
“I don’t question my king.” She spat on Drake’s shoe. “Behead me already. Sadler doesn’t keep anyone informed of his plans. He doesn’t trust a soul.”
“Fine,” Drake said then shoved his sword through her eye.
I smothered my scream of horror. It was different in battle, different in the heat of the moment. Watching him kill an unarmed woman in cold blood made me want to vomit. He had no regret in his eyes, no sense that he had done anything worth thinking twice about. Doubt wound its way around my heart. Did I know him at all?
Dwyer arrived, leading our horses behind him.
“I thought you didn’t get involved,” Brendan said.
“He would have killed the human in his enthusiasm,” Dwyer said. “We merely stopped that from happening.”
I wanted to scream and ask him why that mattered to him. Why did the fae do any of the things they chose?
“We should move on.” Dwyer stepped over the bodies. “The blood will bring scavengers, and her fear can be felt a mile away. She needs to calm down. I don’t think another meeting with Darksiders will help with that.”
“I have blood on me,” I whispered.
Nobody answered.
We didn’t stop to eat again, and I grew a little light-headed. Drake at least made them pause beside a brook so I could wash the worst of the blood away.
“If the bodies are found, the Darksiders will know we came this way,” Drake told Dwyer.
“Perhaps they won’t find them. The forest has a way of protecting its own.”
“We’ll be long gone,” Brendan said.
We climbed a hilly embankment, where we got a good view of the forest. Dark figures ran on the road and amongst the trees.
“They’ve found the bodies,” Dwyer said. “And we’re almost to freedom. We can aim for the road. We’re so close to—”
He froze and held his finger up to his lips. A few whistles later, he relaxed. “Not a Darksider. But watch out. Someone approaches on foot. And fast.”
A few minutes later, a tall, muscular woman burst through the trees. I barely had time to see that she was covered in blood before Brendan tackled her and slammed her to the ground.
“You,” she panted as she stared up at him. Hope blossomed in her eyes. “You’re back. Thank the—”
“What’s happened?” Drake asked. “She was with the daoine sídhe, Brendan. Let her go.”
“Yes,” she gasped out. “I was. I mean, I am. A group of us were patrolling the woods in the hopes we would meet you before the Darksiders got in the way, but they outnumbered us, destroyed my group. I managed to run while they were…” She swallowed hard. “I don’t know if they’re following, but—”
“What’s going on out there?” Drake asked.
“Sadler’s been branded,” she squeaked, avoiding his eyes. “It’s official. We did our best to stop it, but we don’t have that kind of authority here, and the Darksiders have caused hysteria among the pure-bloods. We stalled him as long as we could, but he left days ago.”
“And he’s attacking the daoine sídhe?” Drake asked.
She shook her head a little. “Not just the daoine sídhe. They’re picking off anyone who dares come through the woods. It’s the bloodlust. They’re uncontrollable.”
“I need to return to the village,” Dwyer said. “I need to take word to them. If you keep riding east, you’ll find your way around the Darksiders.”
“They’re in the Forest,” the daoine sídhe said. “All over it. They surrounded us, blocked us in so we couldn’t escape. They’re… enjoying the hunt.”
Brendan looked at Drake. “We need to move fast. You can take Cara. We’ll avoid them and get to where we need to be. One of us will make it, at least.”
Drake nodded then looked at the daoine sídhe. “We don’t have enough horses for you, too, but if you leave with the trackers, you’ll be safe with the villagers. We’ll clean out the Forest when we can, drive the Darksiders back, and send for you when it’s safe.”
Dwyer agreed to take her. They left noiselessly.
“Back on the horses,” Brendan said. His face was a mask again, as if he had forgotten about everything but getting back to his throne.
“Is this a war?” I whispered to Drake as he helped me up onto his horse.
“Not yet,” he said. “Not yet.”
We rode fast and didn’t stop until we left the forest and were running through meadows. I noticed a familiar-looking willow tree. I wasn’t sure if we were in the fae or human realm until we entered Brendan’s garden. His house loomed in the distance. We were home.
A huge amount of daoine sídhe and other followers rushed forward to greet him.
But Drake rode right past them and farther into the garden. “I need to talk to you, without him hanging on to our every word.”
Excited, I tightened my grip on his waist as we rode away.
Chapter Thirty-Two
We stopped in a part of the garden I didn’t recognise. I knew I l
ooked a state, but when we dismounted, Drake gazed at me with so much tenderness that my heart swelled with emotion. He took my hands, and I forgot all of my doubts and worries.
“It’s going to be dangerous here,” he said. “I need you to understand a few things, okay?”
I nodded, absentmindedly rubbing my thumbs across his fingers.
He sighed and cupped my cheek, leaning toward me. The air tightened, and I held my breath, remembering the way his soul had once made me feel. He kissed me, his hand splayed across my back. I wrapped myself around him, inhaling the magic.
He pulled away after a minute, his eyes heavy with some kind of pain. “No matter what has happened, no matter what will happen, I need you to know, to always remember, that I love you, Cara Kelly.” He kissed my jaw lightly. “I will never forget this. Never.”
I opened my mouth to question him, but he covered it with his, and I forgot what I was going to say.
Sometime later, he raised his head. “Now, this is my gift to you.” He lifted his hands to my face and ran his thumbs across my eyelids, forcing them closed. “Be blind to us, Cara Kelly.”
I froze. What was he doing? I tried to open my eyes, but the lids felt as though they were glued shut.
His hands moved to my ears. “Be deaf to us, Cara Kelly.”
I reached for his hands, and he gripped my fingers and squeezed. I heard nothing, and then I felt nothing. Nothing at all.
Finally, I was able to open my eyes. I looked around. There was no rose garden, no faery magic. I saw nothing but a cold, harsh human realm. I stood alone in an abandoned park at night.
Drake had shut me out of the faery world, made sure I would never see or hear or touch him again. I doubled over in horror, feeling a pain in my insides as if something had been wrenched from me. They were gone. All gone. I would have no idea if any of them lived or died, if any of them would survive against Sadler. Drake had taken everything from me.
I had nowhere to go. No home or job or anything. I had never felt so alone, so desolate, so broken.
Wiping tears from my face, I wandered around the park, trying to feel leylines. Nothing.
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