How to Save a Fae (Heir of Dragons Book 2)

by J. A. Culican

  From the woods there came a harsh, guttural voice. One of the Krah was speaking in his foul tongue, and Minx noticed that he was hanging well behind the rest. He wore thinner armor than the others, and did not carry a weapon. The movements of his clawed fingers and the staccato speech issuing from his lips hinted at his intentions, however, and Minx immediately took aim at him. “There's a spell-caster in the mix!” she warned. “One of the Krah! I don't know what he's up to, but—”

  By this time, Kaleb was already aware of the spell-caster's presence. “So, is that why I can't shift?” he asked, nostrils flaring with annoyance. “They're interfering with my powers, are they?”

  Other warriors stepped in to shield the spell-caster from attack. A pair of Wuff archers took pot shots at Minx to dissuade her from focusing on the high value target, and other Krah stomped out of the woods to meet her from close-range.

  Before any of the Krah warriors arrived within arm's reach of the Fae huntress, there came a great roar and a flurry of movement from her back.

  Mau blitzed across the field and crashed head-on into one of the warriors, knocking him prone and laying into him with all her pent-up ferocity. The Faelyr's meaty paws struck the Krah senseless with a series of blows to the head.

  OK, if they don't want me to hit the spell-caster, so be it. I'll mow through their defenses till there's no one left to take an arrow for him! Minx fired at another Wuff sword-bearer, stopping him in his tracks with a blow to the abdomen. The Wuff tumbled into one of his fellow warriors, knocking him off balance and making him an easier mark for Minx's next shot, which came an instant later.

  Though unable to shift, Kaleb had little trouble taking on the dark warriors one-on-one. With brutal efficiency, he plowed through each and every Wuff that dared come near him. His rattling blows shattered bone and cracked armor; his throws and slaps, though not lethal, were sufficient to knock even the most hardened of Wuffs out cold, and the Krah—though physically tougher than their furry allies—could not match his muscle. Fueled by anger, the dragon shifter socked his way through a pair of handsy Wuffs before receiving the business end of a mace to the backplate of his armor. The studded weapon scraped horribly against Kaleb's plate, but could not penetrate. What's more, as the terrible vibrations caused by the blow finally ceased, Kaleb delivered a hard swipe against the weapon's wooden handle, pulverizing it.

  Things were going well; if they kept up this pace, they'd run through the entire force in no time.

  Minx fired ceaselessly, her quiver growing light as she advanced. Her furious volleys succeeded in claiming numerous targets, but the constant flow of new warriors from beyond the treeline promised of a larger force than either she or Kaleb had anticipated. They'd taken out a dozen hostiles, but their ranks looked anything but decimated. To the contrary, the dark forces seemed more robust than before.

  I knew we were outnumbered, but this is ridiculous, she thought. I'm going to run out of arrows in a bit and we'll still have a hundred or more warriors to get through. I need to take out that spell-caster so that Kaleb can shift.

  Minx was in the middle of putting together a plan of action when other activity in the woods stole her attention. Amidst the scurrying Wuffs and cautious archers, she spied the familiar form of the half-Fae lurking nearby. She was looking out at the fray from behind one of the trees, a sword in hand.

  And most importantly, she was within range of the bow.

  Sheer instinct saw Minx nock an arrow and raise it toward Alla. She drew her weapon forcefully, and was tempted to let it fly without regard for the consequences. No one else is going to be able to give us a vantage point into Torrent's recent moves, she thought, faltering. Pivoting to the right, she sent the shot into a sprinting Wuff and then nocked another, starting quickly toward Alla. I'm going to get some answers. And if I don't like what she has to say... The bow tensed in her grip.

  The half-Fae realized that she was in the crosshairs and stepped out to meet Minx with a grimace. Running was futile; to turn her back would be to invite an arrow that she could never hope to outpace. She lowered her sword, uttering, “I know what you're thinking.”

  Minx grit her teeth, grappling at every turn with the desire to fire her weapon. “Oh? You do?” She snickered. “Somehow, I doubt it.”

  Alla took a few steps forward, eyeing the Wuff forces to her back and taking refuge behind the trunk of a great tree. Minx slipped into the woods to join her, and the pair were fairly isolated in the dark foliage. “I shouldn't be working with Torrent,” began the half-Fae, shoulders slumping. “I know that. But I didn't exactly have a choice.”

  “Save it,” spat Minx. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn't take this whole thing personally. One good reason why I shouldn't treat you like these Wuffs and Krah.”

  The half-Fae sighed, her silvery hair fluttering in the breeze. “I can help you, Minx.”

  “With what?”

  Alla peered over her shoulder again, ensuring their solitude. “There's a lot going on behind the scenes, and I can help you find information that'll help you find a solution to all of this.” She paused. “I know how this looks, but I only went along with it because I knew they wouldn't kill you—that they'd take you hostage instead. And I wasn't going to let them hurt you. After all we've been through...” Her gaze became distant as she reflected on their time together—on Minx's tireless service during her poisoning. “There's valuable information to be had, and I can help you get it. I didn't want to go with Torrent in the first place, but now I can act as your informant on the inside, Minx.”

  The Fae huntress remained skeptical, but as she searched Alla's face for signs of duplicity, she came up empty-handed. Internally, she was pleased that the half-Fae hadn't been looking to kill her, and had only been working half-heartedly with Torrent's forces. “For a minute there, you had me regretting all of that healing magic,” she scoffed. “What kind of intel do you have?”

  In the field, Mau and Kaleb were still grappling with the dark warriors. Without Minx in the mix, the mobs focused on the two of them more intensely. The chanting of the Krah spell-caster continued; Kaleb's powers were being kept in check by the incantations.

  Alla cleared her throat. “Do you remember the hunter?”

  “The hunter?” Minx stiffened as she thought back to Alla's poisoning. In the woods, the two of them had been ambushed by a group of Zuscha led by a human hunter of astounding skill. The masked hunter, boasting a bow and several other weapons beneath his cloak, had proven formidable. He and his dark Fae minions had departed under the pretenses of heading off Valry's forces. Minx had not crossed paths with him since. “The hunter who poisoned you with his goons? What about him?”

  The half-Fae nodded. “Yes, that's the one. He's working with Torrent, and he's in possession of a powerful artifact—a magical amulet. I can't touch the thing... You see, it's being used to exercise control over all of the races. This amulet could be useful, don't you think?”

  “That's well and good, but why are you telling me this?” asked Minx.

  “Better that we have the thing in our control, rather than letting the hunter use it. Anyway, need I remind you that Torrent is after people like me—people of mixed dragon and Fae lineage?” Alla shook her head. “I can't touch it, but it's possible that you could. Take it from him and Torrent won't be able to make the races obey. It will be much harder for him to control his army. Do you see?”

  Finally, Minx understood. “So... without this amulet, Torrent's forces may not obey him?”

  “That's right,” said Alla. “I can't say for sure what'll happen if the amulet disappears, and I know that the hunter won't let it go without a fight, but if you can take it from him then you and your people will be in a much better position. It would be a massive disruption to Torrent's operation, I imagine.”

  This seemed like the best lead yet; a direct way to interfere with Torrent's leadership and foil his plans. Still, meeting that hunter in battle again wasn't high on Minx's lis
t of priorities, and there was no telling whether she'd be successful in claiming the artifact. Perhaps she, like Alla, would not be able to touch the thing—perhaps she'd even fall under its control. There remained, too, niggling doubts about the source of this information. Could Alla really be trusted? Was it possible that this was merely a ruse?

  “OK, so how do we get ahold of this thing?” asked Minx, unconvinced. “Suppose I believe you and choose to go through with this... What's the simplest way forward?”

  Alla spared a sheepish grin. “Hey, I never promised there was a simple way forward. Don't put words in my mouth.” She sheathed her sword, continuing, “The way I see it, it would be simplest if you let us take you hostage.”

  The Fae huntress arched a brow, nostrils flaring. “Excuse me?”

  “Just temporarily,” insisted Alla. “I could pretend to bring you in, slap the cuffs on you. I'll make sure the grunts don't mistreat you, and once you've seized the amulet, I'll set you free. I wish there were some other way, but this would be the easiest. It'll bring you right into the enemy encampments, directly to the hunter. What do you think?”

  Minx rolled her eyes. “I think it sounds like a terrible plan. There's no telling whether it'll pay off. And what if I can't take the amulet once we get there?” Her gaze hardened a bit as she studied the half-Fae's features. “Or what if you double-cross me? You haven't exactly been the most reliable ally.”

  “Minx, if you want to leave now, you can do so. But if you want my help... if you want me to help you from the inside and put a damper on Torrent's plans, then this is the best way forward.”

  The Fae huntress weighed her options. It was true; playing the role of hostage seemed to be a good way to wind up precisely where she needed to be, within striking range of this hunter and his precious amulet. On the other hand, there was considerable risk involved in this course of action. To follow through with this hastily-drawn plan would be to deliver herself to her enemies on a silver platter. She looked to Kaleb and Mau, still struggling against waves of dark warriors. Time was short; she needed to make a decision.

  “Minx, I'm telling you, this is the best way. You can trust me,” insisted Alla. “I understand your feelings, and I don't blame you for not trusting me. But I want to help. I'm not working for Torrent because I want to.”

  This appeal of the half-Fae's, sincere enough on its surface, finally swayed her. “All right,” muttered Minx. “Let's do it.” Stepping out into the field, she caught Kaleb's eye and motioned to him.

  The dragon shifter noticed her and started toward her. “You all right?”

  “I'm going with Alla,” said Minx, keeping her voice low. “You and Mau need to get out of here.”

  “Huh?” Kaleb struck a nearby Krah, sending him to his knees. “What are you saying?”

  “It's complicated.” The Fae huntress offered a weak smile. “But it'll be worth it... I hope.” To Mau, who bounded toward her from across the battlefield, she quietly added, “Mau, I'm going to go with Alla. She's going to pretend to take me prisoner so that I'll be led to the enemy camp. There, I hope to find something that'll make our job much easier. Please stay safe—and stay close to Kaleb, will you?”

  The Faelyr stopped in her tracks, cocking her head to the side. For some reason, she still couldn't communicate telepathically. Thankfully, years of companionship informed Minx's read of Mau's expression without need of their mental link. Mau was troubled—understandably doubtful of this choice. A sharp whine rose up her throat and she lowered her ears in a show of worry.

  “I know how it sounds, but trust me on this. If it works out, we may just win this war early.” Minx set down her bow and met Alla near the treeline. The half-Fae was readying a pair of steel manacles. “Take care, Mau.”

  Baffled and not sure how to dissuade her, Kaleb took a few steps back, watching as Alla tugged on Minx's new chain and ushered her toward the throng of Wuffs still dwelling in the woods. “Caught one!” announced the half-Fae to triumphant howls.

  Kaleb peered at the Faelyr, panting for the pace of battle. “Is this... is this really what you want, Minx? Are you sure?” he uttered under his breath.

  Minx nodded solemnly.

  “If you say so...” Kaleb looked to Mau and, together, they dashed away from the treeline. The two of them outran a few potshots and slipped out of range within moments, tailed by the taunts of bloodthirsty Krah. Some of the Wuffs threatened to give chase, but recalling how poorly they'd fared against the dragon shifter, ultimately contented themselves with Alla's unexpected quarry. With the battle complete, the dark warriors began ambling out of the woods. They gathered up the injured and picked over the belongings of the fallen.

  Minx watched as her companions disappeared into the distance. Though unable to communicate with one another, before fleeing Kaleb and Mau had both seemed to transmit the same sentiment through their eyes. I hope this works, they'd told each other.

  I hope so, too, thought Minx as she was led away in chains.

  Chapter 10

  Minx was led through the woods by the half-Fae, and the Wuff horde was never far behind. They snickered and spat, quite pleased with themselves for having collected a captive in the Fae huntress. She heard them gloat, too, about driving off the dragon and Faelyr. “That dragon shifter wasn't so tough, was he?” said one of the Wuffs nearby. “He ran off—a true coward!”

  She almost wanted to laugh, listening to their delusions. Mau and Kaleb may have been outmanned, but they would have kept on fighting to the bitter end. And if these clowns hadn't interfered with Kaleb's ability to shift, they'd be singing a very different tune right now. They should be thankful that the battle ended when it did!

  They threaded their way through the dense growth, passing by ancient trees and clusters of wild growth that cast strange shadows in the sparse moonlight. Minx looked up at the sky through the occasional breaks in the canopy, catching slivers of the ghostly moon here and there. Somewhere, possibly close-by, Mau and Kaleb were walking beneath that same glowing moon. Would they stay close, try and monitor the movements of the Wuffs? What if they were separated—would they be able to regroup once Minx had secured the amulet? She cursed herself for not thinking things through more thoroughly. She and Mau had only just been reunited with Kaleb after a less than stellar reception back at the Talon Range. Now, their winning trio had been broken up again.

  Staring ahead at Alla, who held onto Minx's lead with evident disinterest, something occurred to the Fae huntress that inspired a grin despite the circumstances. Kaleb will be able to latch onto Alla's scent! That was how we tracked her down the first time, in Karn, when she'd made off with Mau! It's possible we'll wander out of range for a short time, but Kaleb won't have any trouble zeroing in on her, I'm sure of it. There was the matter of the Faelyr, too—currently unable to communicate through telepathic means. If the spell or device preventing Mau from reaching out to her mentally was overcome, then she'd be able to connect with the Faelyr from a distance. Mau and Kaleb won't be far behind, I'm sure. However reckless her mission, she maintained faith in her allies. She knew they'd never abandon her—that they'd scour all of Aleio in search of her if necessary.

  The moonlit trek saw them exit the woods into an unfamiliar region packed with grassy hills. Various of the hillocks had been converted into camps, replete with Wuff nightwatchmen, fires, tents and more. All told, a sizable war party had made its temporary home in these hills—easily a hundred or more strong. This camp had likely been responsible for the reinforcements that'd shown up after Kaleb's unexpected appearance.

  The Wuffs and surviving Krah were pleased to have finally returned to the camp, and split into two distinct groups—the Wuffs parting with Alla to the nearest camp on the leftward side, and the Krah shuffling off to the one on the right. As they went, Alla turned and spared Minx a knowing glance. “I'll make sure you stay at my camp, so I can keep an eye on you,” she said in hushed tones.

  Minx gave a short nod. The smell of roast
ing meat mingled with the grime of battle and the stench of an unwashed army; this noxious perfume met her nostrils, and her hunger was so strong in the moment that she could for the first time ignore the latter stenches in favor of the first. “Say... I don't suppose you could give me something to eat, could you? I haven't had anything to eat in awhile...”

  “Shut your mouth!” warned one of the Wuffs walking alongside her. “Who are you to make demands?”

  Oops. I guess I wasn't as quiet as I thought. Minx ignored the Wuff and instead watched Alla, who made a subtle gesture with her free hand. I'm playing the role of genuine hostage here. If Alla treats me too nicely, it'll all fall apart.

  They walked up the side of the hill to the bustling camp, Alla breaking away from the grumbling Wuffs and leading her to a large tent at the center. A tall fire raged before it, and several Zuscha stood nearby, warming their hands. The half-Fae slipped past them without a word, entering the tent and bringing Minx inside with a theatrical yank of the chain. She cleared her throat, sizing up an individual seated within. “Sir, I've brought a prisoner—captured just now in the woods. Your orders?”

  The figure in the tent rose with a grunt—stood to a considerable height—and strode over imposingly. His face was framed in wild locks of tangled black hair, and half of his gaunt visage was obscured by a plate of etched animal bone. The partial mask had been fitted with a hole, through which one of two steely eyes met hers from the interior darkness. The other side of the figure's face was bare, save for a spray of dense stubble across his jaw and a strange, angular tattoo beneath his left eye. Sporting a sharp, bone-white smile, the figure gave a curt laugh. “My, my, my... Look what you've brought me.”

  The hunter, clad in lightweight armor and a cape of black fur, stood before her.

  Minx couldn't hide her disdain and met his powerful gaze with daggers of her own. Oh, no... He remembers me.