by J. L. Weil
Why not go for the dragons?
Or perhaps it planned to use the queen to take the Descendants.
Regardless, I was just glad I’d been able to foil its plans. This time. I didn’t want to think of all that I hadn’t been able to prevent. The number of fae that might be infected, or those who lost their homes due to the darkness.
Being on the run, I hadn’t seen the full destruction, or witness the extent of its reach and those who lost everything. I’d been so focused on saving my mother and stopping the blight, that I didn’t truly let myself understand the scope of what I was up against now.
But fuck… it scared the shit out of me.
The visions Tink showed me weren't enough. They were only tiny glimpses, and never gave the full picture, something I was coming to realize.
“It’s progressing,” Devyn added. “I won’t lie and say that’s not bad. It’s really fucking bad. And it is going to get worse. None of us know what this thing is capable of, but all we can do is keep moving ahead. My job is to keep you safe because you are our only hope.”
“You know how to give a pep talk, brother,” Kai mused with a wry smile.
“It dragged me to another world, and I think it used me to spread itself.” Anger suddenly rolled off my words. Anger I didn’t know I felt until it was spilling out of me.
“That means it can’t leave without a host. That can be useful information,” Devyn rationalized.
It also meant I couldn’t go home. Not until the blight was completely banished. I couldn’t risk it piggybacking on me.
“So, no more springs. Got that, little queen?” Kai stated, being the smartass.
I rolled my eyes. “Obviously. But if the darkness has taken the healing springs, then what else does it control?”
An eerie silence stretched between us; the breadth of possibilities was terrifying as it sunk into my bones.
What the hell is this thing?
Devyn lifted his head, meeting Kai’s gaze. “Do you have a map?”
Kai’s amusement faded, reshaping into a calculative gaze. “I might, somewhere.” Shoving off the wall, he rummaged through a closet in the hallway. “Will this do?” He opened up a folded parchment, spreading it over the table.
“This should work,” Devyn agreed, smoothing out the corners. He fixed his full attention on the lines and shapes that formed the boundaries of the Second Moon in detail. Places I’d never heard of and cities I’d never been.
Tink flew over to it, strutting across the hand-drawn landscape and tapping a tiny finger to a particular spot. “Here. This is the safest crossing into Willowland.”
My gaze went to the point she had signaled. Since I didn’t know exactly where in Thornland we were, I didn’t understand what I was seeing.
Devyn rubbed at the stubble of hair on his chin while he considered it. “Not the fastest route to Katsura, but going through that small section of Willowland gets us out of Thornland quicker.”
Placing both palms down on the table, Kai leaned over the map. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’d rather not stay on Talin’s soil longer than necessary.”
That was something on which I thought we could all agree.
“Then we cross here,” Devyn agreed, putting his finger onto the spot Tink had indicated.
The pixie nodded, and Kai followed with a quick tip of his head.
We were all in agreement… for once.
Determination set onto Devyn's features as he sat back in the chair. “We leave for Katsura tomorrow. It’s time for you to go home, Kitten.”
Chapter Fourteen
KARINA
Our last night at the hideaway was long and harrowing. The winds outside moaned and screamed, battering with a violence that could have stemmed from Talin himself.
Devyn was keenly aware of every tiny movement, from the rattling walls to a branch brushing against the roof, the Shaman was on edge. For me, it wasn’t the disorderly winter wind that kept me up, but what waited for me when the sun rose.
Before the sun began to peek over the horizon, we were out of bed and thrust into the brittle cold. After five minutes of trekking through the snow, I concluded that I hated winter. Or maybe it was just Thornland I particularly didn’t like. Nothing was easy about this land.
We had to go through a small section of Willowland to get to the borders of Katsura, but first, we had to get out of Thornland. That would take a few days of traveling.
I shifted into my fox, needing to stretch my legs and feel the added warmth my fur provided. My Kitsune was longing to be set free after being caged inside for days. Seven white tails bounced behind me, each with their own magnificent power.
Sometimes when I took a step out of my body and glanced down at my life, it all seemed so surreal, the tails, the magic, the blight, the target on my head. Since my initial shift, my life had been a whirlwind of danger, impossibilities, romance, and life-altering changes for which I wasn’t prepared.
The first day was like Jack Frost was nipping at our heels. Our pace was aggressive as we all felt the need to get out of Thornland as soon as possible, and being in my fox form allowed me to speed through the snowy hills.
Day two was hell.
I ached in places that shouldn’t ache. Kai and I took turns summoning embers of flames to keep us warm, but as night fell, banishing any shaft of sunlight, the chill in my bones once again deepened.
Ahh-oooo.
My head whipped in the direction of the howl and I slipped into my human skin. The long sound was followed by another that peeled through the night. If I wasn’t mistaken, that was a wolf’s cry.
“Talin,” Kai and Devyn echoed at the same time, their twin gazes of trouble staring into the darkness behind us.
“He isn’t alone,” Tink murmured, her wings beating so fast that they were nearly invisible.
“No, he’s not,” replied a deep voice that was neither Devyn's nor Kai’s.
Fucking hell.
Afraid of who’d I see, I didn’t immediately turn around, not until I heard Devyn growl. “Viktor.”
I didn’t know what I was expecting to see. A half dozen or more of Talin’s men waiting to take me? It certainly wasn’t the single warrior fae that stepped out from the shadow of a tree, his silverish-white eyes glowing like a diamond in the snow. Almost the same color of his eyes, the fae’s long hair was tied back.
Viktor? The name echoed in my head while I eyed the stranger. Whoever he was, friend or foe, the fae appeared to be alone. Was that because he was lethal enough on his own? I had a feeling I would find out soon enough. I also probably would wish I hadn’t.
“Sin Eater,” Viktor greeted with a nod that looked respectful toward Devyn. I even caught a glimpse of a smile on his lips.
Devyn shifted so his shoulders were square to his, and he was partially in front of me. “Don’t get in my way.”
The lines around Viktor’s mouth tightened. “The commander knew you'd try to make your way to Willowland.”
“Is that so?” Kai sneered, resting an arm on Devyn’s shoulder to form a wall in front of me.
I inched up on my toes to get a better view of Viktor, knowing better than to try and wedge myself between the brothers.
“All of the borders have been secured, and are being watched,” the warrior explained expressionlessly.
My heart tangoed wildly in my chest. Of course, Talin would take such precautions. He wasn’t about to let me out of his kingdom easily.
“How generous of you to offer up such information. And so very Talin,” Kai replied.
Surprise flashed in Viktor’s eyes before being stomped on and replaced with hard crystals of discipline. “You knew the borders would be guarded.”
Devyn shrugged. “Talin isn’t about to let something this important slip through his fingers. Not a second time.”
Viktor stared at Devyn like he thought the Shaman was losing his mind. “So why expose yourselves?”
“Why indeed,” Kai mus
ed, crossing his arms over his chest.
Another howl peeled from somewhere in the trees and Tink jumped off my shoulder, her wings flapping as she hovered in the air. “We need to keep moving.” Her voice was just over a whisper but we all heard her, including the warrior.
“I can’t let you leave,” Viktor warned, his silverish eyes glowing white.
That can’t be good. The wind picked up, blowing the icy branches over our heads. Dagger-like crystals slashed toward the ground.
“Shit,” Kai muttered, throwing a shield of darkness around us that shattered the icicles into a million sprinkling pieces.
My eyes closed for a brief second until I realized I wasn’t in danger of being impaled in the head. That had never been the real threat. An army of ghosts materialized in a line alongside the warrior, stretching across the border for as long as my fae eyes could see.
Holy shit.
Viktor was a spirit user, like me.
I blinked, unable to believe what I was seeing. Just how many were there? And it made sense now, why Viktor was comfortable fighting alone. He was a one-man army.
So was I. I just never thought of it like that before.
Unimpressed, Kai yawned. “I see you haven’t learned any new tricks. How very predictable.”
“And you’re still a self-entitled asshole,” Viktor responded dryly.
Kai’s elegant brows rose. “I am,” he conceded without remorse or shame. The Unseelie knew exactly who he was and made no apologies for it.
Calculative ire glinted in Viktor’s eyes as he continued to regard Kai. “I see Devyn hasn’t killed you yet.”
Kai chuckled. “He’s biding his time.”
“You don’t have to be Talin’s dog,” Devyn interrupted. The muscle in his jaw ticked, a telling sign that he was losing his patience. Wrath and Fury appeared at his back, the blades glinting in the moonlight.
“Says the former hound,” Viktor spat in disgust.
The reminder that Devyn and Kai were both former members of my uncle’s militia made my belly roll. I didn’t want to think about their loyalty to someone other than me, particularly when that person was dead set on killing me.
Devyn cocked his head to the side. “I see you’ve taken up that position easily, old friend.”
The ghosts waited for the signal to attack, eagerness brimming on their haunting faces. “We are no longer friends. You didn’t just betray Talin. You betrayed the rest of us as well.”
Devyn reached behind his head, gripping the handles of his swords. “I don’t want to hurt you. Let us through; there doesn’t need to be any bloodshed.”
A ripple of hissing threats echoed down the line of ghosts, and regret passed over Viktor’s chiseled face. “You know I can’t do that. If you don’t kill me, the commander will for letting her pass my guard.” His radiant white eyes shifted to me and I shivered.
With deliberate slow movements, Devyn withdrew a blade. “Okay, you’re telling me you’d rather die by my sword?”
Tension built in the air between us, Viktor, and his phantom army. “Is there an option in which I don’t die? because I choose that one,” Viktor replied.
“You could come with us,” Devyn offered, shocking not just me but Kai and Viktor as well.
Viktor took a silent moment to consider it. I couldn’t tell if it was a sense of honor and duty, or fear which kept him faithful to Talin. My gut said fear was the driving force. “I don’t see any reason why we both should die,” he finally answered.
Clouds gathered in Devyn’s eyes. A storm about to be unleashed. “Step aside. I won’t ask a second time.”
Viktor raised his sword, the ghostly army following the movement in unison—like little robots mimicking him. “I’d be careful what choice you make next,” he warned, his voice as cold as death.
Kai’s dark laughter swept the air. “Oh, this is going to be fun.”
I jabbed Kai in the side, the Unseelie and I had very different opinions of fun. A second later I called on my powers. It was my least favorite ability, but I'd come to terms with there being nothing easy about my fate as I contacted the other side.
The spirit world was a cold spot on my soul.
This was the first time I consciously called to the dead, an experience I could only describe as having one foot in this world and another in the spirit realm. My soul seemed to split, and channeling my Kitsune magic, I summoned the dead, asking them to fight for me once again. The dead never did anything without a price but it was a cost I would gladly pay to save those I loved.
With the bargain made, I stepped out of the other side, magic still humming in my veins. The entire exchange only took seconds, but for me, it felt like minutes—too long. I exhaled and lifted my head, sensing the spirits fade from the other side and materialize in this one.
“The rumors about you are true,” Viktor whispered, his eyes sweeping behind me at the dead army scattered in the frozen woods.
“This is just the prelude,” Kai gloated. A half-smirk on his lips. “Do you want to take the chance against her?”
Viktor shook his head. Not in defeat but in disbelief. “It doesn’t change what I have to do.”
Devyn affirmed his stance, lifting both swords in front of him. “So be it. A shame that I will have to kill you.” The threat left the Shaman’s mouth and then he was moving, lunging swift and deadly toward Viktor, which left Kai, me, and my dead army to deal with the evil ghosts.
How the hell did I kill a spirit?
After a split second of consideration, I decided it was best to just let the spirits battle each other. I’d pick up the slack, if any.
It was a very strange fight indeed.
Ghost against ghost.
Fae against fae.
Viktor darted back at the first strike of Devyn’s blade, dodging the next lethal swipe as Fury sung through the air. Viktor thrust the sharp tip of his sword toward Devyn, but he sidestepped, spinning to his left.
My army of the dead clashed into Viktor’s, like a chaotic phantom sea, cutting and tearing through everything in their path. Kai stayed glued to my side. His shadows danced around us eager to get in on the action, but the Unseelie kept them close, restraining them from devouring Viktor’s ghost, just in case…
I wasn’t sure a secondary backup was necessary. My spirits might have lacked the refinement Viktor’s had, who seemed to all move at once, but the madness my magic had created was fatal. Still, I found myself wondering why his ghosts were so disciplined in their battle strikes, always moving as a single unit. Then, I understood…
Viktor had to command them himself.
That was presently a difficult act to perform when fighting someone as skilled as my mate.
Viktor was a damn good fighter but Devyn was better.
Sometimes, seeing him fight, like now, filled me with pride. He had such a fateful grace about him, from his wickedly fast maneuvers to the precise swipe of his blades. The swordsmanship in itself was an art.
I was in awe.
And in a way, so was Viktor.
His lips curved into a grin while the two exchanged the crossing of swords again and again. It was as if he was enjoying himself.
Viktor’s other hand dashed up, blocking one of Devyn’s swords by wrapping his hand around the blade. Blood poured out, dripping down onto his forearm. The two fae warriors stared at each other.
Viktor dropped his sword, the silvery glow in his eyes becoming dull. “Go.” The command was short and clipped, and he released his grip on Wrath. Lifting his bloody hand, he halted his ghostly army.
My head whipped so fast at the sudden change. What was going on? How had the fight I anticipated come to such a screeching stop?
“Come with us,” Devyn offered. “The queen could use someone like you in her court. You will be protected.”
I trusted Devyn, but I was unsure about enlisting someone like Viktor into my circle. Talin would lose his shit if I kept taking his men, turning them against him and fa
ithful to me.
On second thought, I liked the idea.
A lot.
My Kitsune purred with approval. She was very intrigued by the idea. Perhaps too much. I had to shift my thoughts away, in fear of being too tempted—not to ask Viktor, but demand that he come with us.
“I appreciate the offer, but I must decline,” Viktor replied, his voice rough as his chin lifted.
“Your funeral,” Kai declared.
“Why?” Viktor asked, seeming truly perplexed by Devyn’s offer.
Devyn sheathed Wrath and Fury, the tension in his back easing. “Because under Talin’s rule, we all lose. Not just our freedoms, but also what makes the Second Moon balanced. Seelie and Unseelie. I don’t want a war between the fae. And I think neither do you. Karina has more than just power to cure the sickness eating away at our world, she also has the heart to keep our kingdoms at peace.”
My heart spun in my chest, and through our bond, I felt his utter and complete faith in me. No doubt or hesitation. To have Devyn believe in me to his very core, touched me in a way I couldn’t form into words or thoughts. It was an ethereal feeling.
Viktor glanced toward me with steel in his expression, before his gaze turned back to Devyn. “If you believe she is our best chance, then I won’t stand in your way.”
Devyn gave a quick nod of understanding and stepped directly in front of Viktor. “If you change your mind, I will get you out.” He held out his arm and Viktor clasped forearms with him.
“Good luck.”
“Likewise,” Devyn replied, an air of grief shining in his emerald eyes.
Before anyone could change their mind, Devyn ushered me past Viktor. I chewed my lip, contemplating what to do with the ghosts I summoned. Did I release them from their oath or leave them behind until we were safely over the border?
“Kitten, that was hot,” Devyn murmured in my ear.
I assumed he meant summoning the spirits to our aid. My mouth opened to ask. “Do—"
“I would also agree that seeing you take charge had a certain seductiveness that stirred my blood,” Kai cut in, feeling the need to add his two cents. Nothing was ever secret with him around us.