“Faster!” Ryker barked, nudging me with his elbow as Wyatt began to fuss. They were coming anyway, but his cry would be a beacon straight to us. Sweat clung to my skin, my legs kicking through the lethargy.
I saw it before my brain could register the truth.
“No. No. No,” I muttered, hoping my eyes were playing tricks on me. But the solid brick wall stood only yards from me, a dead end, shutting off access to the world. “No!” I ran to it, slamming my fists into it. “Nooooo!”
“Fuck!” Ryker slammed his hand against it, bouncing Wyatt in the other, scanning the space for any other way out. I couldn’t see any escape. No doors to even hide behind. Wyatt’s face was scrunched up, a howl bouncing inside in his chest, preparing to come up, as he burped up unhappy whimpers.
Piper wiggled off my back and dropped to the ground, her brows crushed down in a fierce expression. I glanced at Ryker, our eyes meeting, both of us realizing this was literally the end. We were screwed. The beating resonance of feet filled my heart with lead. We had gotten so close, but still we failed. Whatever Stavros had planned for me, for all of us, now he would make sure we suffered even more.
As if Wyatt absorbed our predicament, a wail broke from his mouth, piercing the air. I rubbed the back of my neck in frustration.
“Auntie Ember?” Piper’s voice was so soft I barely heard her.
“Take him.” Ryker stretched out his arms, delivering the crying baby into my arms. The piercing howls stabbed my eardrums. “And stand behind me.”
“What the hell are you going to do? Fight them all?” I scoffed.
“I will go down protecting you guys if necessary.”
“Auntie Em?” A tug on my arm.
“Don’t be stupid. We’re caught either way. Don’t waste your energy.” I was usually all for jumping into a fight, but this one seemed pointless.
More tugging on my arm. “Auntie Em!” Piper shouted, jerking my head to her.
“Wow, did we just step into Wizard of Oz?” I quipped.
She stared at me, not getting my reference.
“Never mind.”
“I dreamt this. A tiny woman helps me. I remember now. I save him.” She held out her arms, asking for Wyatt. “We’re small enough to get through.”
“What are you talking about?” Tiny woman? Save him?
“She helps me. She knows the way.” Piper tugged at my arm.
High-pitched yells rode over Wyatt’s sobs, the shadows of their figures reflecting off the walls.
“Shit.” Instinctually taking a step back, my heels knocked into the wall.
“We escape. I’ve seen it.” She tilted her arms up higher, reaching for the baby. “I save him.”
“How Piper?” I glanced at her then to Ryker, who stared at her with as much confusion. “There’s no way out.”
“There they are!” a nasally voice cried, his lance pointed at us, a herd of strighoul behind him howling like a frenzied mob.
“Yes, there is.” Piper pointed to the corner, almost impregnable with darkness, but my dweller eyesight picked up the outline of a large vent. Only big enough to fit someone her size, but not an ounce bigger.
“Get them!” another strighoul roared.
“Trust me, Mr. Viker.” Her huge blue eyes drilled into the wanderer, not flinching as shouts and figures moved in on us.
Ryker’s jaw clenched, his chest rose with panic as his eyes slid to the group bearing down on us. He touched his son’s cheek, then tickled his head. “Go.” He whirled around to the oncoming monsters, running for them like a crazy man.
He was distracting them. Giving Piper a chance. I practically dumped Wyatt into her arms and darted for the corner. Strength that came from sheer desperation coursed through my veins as I ripped off the cover from the vent.
A tiny familiar figure stood deep inside the vent, hiding back in the shadows, watching us.
Sinnie.
A burst of happiness at seeing her, realizing she was who Piper was talking about. Sinnie knew every inch of this castle. She would help them get out of here.
“Go!” I pressed my hand to Piper’s back as she crouched down and climbed into the space. “Please get them to safety, Sinnie.” My gaze connected with the blonde, foot-tall house brownie, and she gave me a curt nod. Once again, I was so grateful for the supposed “sub” fae. If anything, they were the true heroes in this story.
“Come, girl.” Sinnie waved Piper forward, vanishing deeper into the tunnel, the blackness gobbling up the tiny woman.
Wyatt relaxed in Piper’s embrace, his cries calming, his wide eyes tracking the activity bustling around him. “Go fast and stay safe. Please.”
Piper nodded, giving my hand a last squeeze. “I will protect him with my life, Auntie Em. I promise.” Then in a blink her figure disappeared into obscurity, scurrying deeper into the vent, following Sinnie. Damn, she was so strong and fierce. What an incredible person; to think she was only five blew my mind.
Please let them get out of here.
Needing to believe Sinnie would show them the way and Piper would succeed, I jumped up, throwing myself into the brawl next to Ryker. It was all for show, but we needed to buy the children time to escape before Stavros realized what happened.
His ultimate leverage had just slipped through the drainpipes.
Chapter 23
Kennedy
Sun streaked through the thick murky clouds. Rain hinted on the horizon, bringing more gloom upon the castle. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I fought the urge to vomit all over the floor. It was the calm before the storm, these moments we would hopefully look back on, if we survived, shaking our heads thinking “if we only knew what was ahead.”
I was dressed in dark, flexible pants and a long-sleeved top thick enough to slow a blade from cutting into me like butter. I strapped a harness holding guns and knives to my back. But it was my magic that I relied on; the one thing I hoped would not fail my people or me.
The entire kingdom rested on my shoulders, each life as important as the next. Many people in my kingdom would not see another day. This might be their last morning and last sunrise they would ever see, and I could do nothing to prevent it.
“Hey, li’l Druid.” Lorcan’s arms wrapped around my waist. His mouth brushed my ear, pulling me against him. “You can’t think like that. Everyone here understands the sacrifice.” It was still strange that Lorcan could feel my emotions, grasp my thoughts when I looked at him. “You can only do so much. You can’t save every life today. You just have to fight for the ones who do make it today, because if Stavros wins, those are the ones to pity.”
“I know.” I laced my hands with his, falling into his strong chest, the weapons on my back making me lean against him. “I can’t believe we are here again. And you know it’s not only Stavros we’re fighting.” I gulped, liquid stabbing behind my lids. I wasn’t sure we had any hope of winning against the stone. “I’m scared.”
“Me too.” Lorcan kissed my temple. “But you use that. Turn it into anger. You are Queen, no one should threaten to take that away from you.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t be. No one wants me here anyway.” I broke from his embrace, twisting to look at him. “Look how many joined with Stavros because I am a Druid. They will take a cruel dictator simply so they don’t have me as their leader.”
“Stop.” Lorcan’s lids narrowed, gripping my hips. “Do you know how many love and support you? Don’t just see what’s bad. There are a lot of people in Europe and right here standing by your side. There are more who love you than don’t. So stop those thoughts right here. It is what will make you weak. There will always be haters who prefer the old ways, who want fae to be in control. You stand for everyone. Even the voices that can’t hear you right now.”
I stared into his green eyes, passionate, strong, with awe.
“What?” He lifted an eyebrow when I continued to gape at him.
“You.” I shook my head softly, my ponytail brushing my shoulders,
and cupped his cheeks. “You are my strength. My rock…thank you.” Emotion clogged my throat, and my eyes filled with tears. “Thank you for challenging me, for always cutting through the bullshit. Thank you for wanting a life with me no matter how chaotic and frustrating. For picking me.”
“Well…” He smirked. “I didn’t pick you…” He drew me in tighter against his body. “I have to thank my beast for that. He gave me no choice.”
“I plan to.” I went on my tiptoes, kissing him softly. “If we get through this, I will show him my gratitude over and over in whatever way he wants.”
Lorcan grinned against my mouth. “Now there is a reason to survive,” he muttered before his mouth claimed mine, his hand grabbing the back of my head, deepening our kiss. It was the same kind of promise we made to each other before the last big war, the first night Lorcan and I were together.
“Don’t you dare die, so you can deliver on your word.” He pulled back, his eyes fixed on mine, his hands now gripping my face. “Because I will follow wherever you go. I will haunt you and drive you mad for eternity if you leave me; that I can promise you.”
My fingers brushed his lips. “Same.”
Lorcan brought his lips to mine again, our mouths saying everything else we couldn’t.
A throat cleared behind us. “Excuse me, Majesty.” Torin’s voice drifted from over Lorcan’s shoulder, drawing me away from the hunger growing between us.
“As usual, fairy boy interrupts.” Lorcan sighed, shaking his head. He stepped away, twisting to look at Torin. “Is that your superpower? Cockblocking me?”
“Believe me, it’s not something I enjoy either.” Torin frowned, but it was the first time I didn’t hear the disgust or biting jealousy behind his words. He looked more bored than anything.
“Go ahead, Torin.” I stepped around Lorcan, walking closer to my First Knight.
“Ten ships have been spotted in the outer port, but so far no movement on land.” Torin gripped the sword attached to one hip; on the other he held a gun. This kind of battle was new to fae. They still preferred a fair fight, but since the human and fae worlds had blended, they were adapting to other ways of fighting. Humans used weapons against fae, so the fae felt they had the right to use them as well. Now humans and fae could die easier and faster in this new combined world.
“The troops are ready for battle, the ships are ready to go out, the villagers are armed and organized. We are just waiting for your word to lift the spell.”
“Okay, thank you.” I remembered Lars’s ardent speech in the war with Aneira, revving the troops into a frenzy. Could I inspire the same? Get them bloodthirsty and ready to battle whatever came?
Nerf-herder, I hoped so.
“Also, I wanted to let you know I saw your sister and Goran in the hallway.” Torin shifted on his feet, his brows drawing together. “Overheard them talking.”
“And?”
“She’s going to do a blood ritual at the old Druid circle.” Torin rubbed his lips together. “You do know the blood rituals one does there are sacrifices?”
“What do you mean?” Panic clotted my esophagus.
“Death sacrifices.”
“What?” I darted closer to my knight, my mouth dropping open. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, my lady. I didn’t hear it all, but I heard enough to determine she plans to give her life over to the cauldron to fight the stone.”
“No. It is the stupidest plan. What is she thinking? She can’t kill herself. I won’t let her.”
“I’m solely relaying what I heard.” Torin lifted his chin. “If that is all, I want to go join my troop.”
“Yes, that’s all.” I nodded. “I need to find my sister, then I will be out.”
“Travil is waiting with the bird-shifter. It is easier for the soldiers to hear you from above.”
Crap times twenty… Flying? Up high? Not my favorite thing.
Torin stopped and turned. “Also, Thara has joined my unit, I hope that is all right with you.”
“Yes. Everyone who is capable and willing; we need them out there.”
“Thank you, Majesty.” He nodded, a tiny smile tugging at the side of his mouth before he stalked from the room.
I didn’t even look at Lorcan before I hurried out of the room, heading for my sister’s accommodation, but I could feel him right behind me. Yes, we were outnumbered and in deep trouble, but I wouldn’t let her do this. There had to be another way. And what if it didn’t even work? She’d leave her child motherless on a chance? There had to be more to her plan.
What are you up to, Fionna?
Halfway to my room, boisterous yells rolled through the corridors, luring me to a window that looked upon the bridge. I pushed up my glasses, squinting down, trying to recognize the objects.
Sturt, Rowlands, Vander, and Georgia hustled around a young guard running along the path yelling, holding something in his arms. A female guard walked behind him carrying something else.
A baby’s wail pierced the air, stabbing me in the chest.
“Oh my gods!” I cried out, already moving toward the exit. My brain registered what I’d heard, but I was still dazed and needed to see for myself.
Lorcan stayed close behind me as we skipped half the stairs and ran outside, through the courtyard where the assembly had stopped.
Sturt had taken the baby away from the woman, letting her catch her breath, and was now bouncing the little boy while singing comforting hymns. Georgia, Vander, and Rowlands squatted around the barely conscious little girl they laid on the ground.
My niece.
“Piper!” I rammed my knees onto the cobbled path, crawling to her, my hand reaching for her face. I brushed bloody, greasy, filthy strands away. Every inch of exposed skin was covered in dirt, cuts, and bruises. “Piper?” I cupped her face, her lashes fluttering. I had only seen her once, from behind glass, but every part of me felt the bond to her. We shared blood, even though I was a stranger to her. We’d never had the chance to meet before the world went to crap.
“There was no one else with them, Majesty,” the young guard who brought her in told me. “She was barely walking, or coherent, but wouldn’t let him go until we told her she was safe. I think she carried him all the way here on her own.”
I peered at her then at Wyatt. He was a baby, but he was the Viking’s baby, and a lot to carry for a five-year-old, especially over a long stretch of time. The baby’s sobs were quieting down as the big burly Sturt sang softly to him, rocking him as if he were the most precious thing in the world. I noticed Georgia staring at him, her lips parted, eyes soft, her normal guarded expression melting away as she took in the hunky Scot calming the child.
“Wyatt!” A female voice rang across the courtyard. Annabeth’s blonde hair fell out of her bun as she ran for Sturt. She scooped Wyatt from Sturt’s arms, burying her face into the baby’s neck. “You’re all right… You’re all right.” She wept deeply, her shoulders shaking.
Cooper came up behind her, touching her back. She peered at him, then back at the baby. A happy hiccupped cry broke from her throat as she brought Wyatt closer to her, rubbing his back. He cooed and gurgled with excitement, recognizing her.
“Wyatt?” Piper muttered, stirring under my hands. “He’s okay?”
“Yes, sweetheart. He is safe and so are you.” I choked on an unbearable feeling of what bound me to her. “I am so proud of you.”
Her eyes fluttered open as she looked at me. Slowly a tiny grin ghosted her mouth. “Auntie Ken.” She reached up for my face. Her fingernails were black with grime, as though she’d had to dig her way through dirt.
“I’m here. I will never let anything happen to you again.”
Her teeth peered through her lips. “Can’t promise that.” She said it like “Duh, Auntie Ken.”
“Piper! Oh my god, Piper!” My sister’s Irish accent bellowed from the castle entrance. She soon appeared with Goran standing next to her. They both were dressed in the same battle unifo
rm as the rest of us, loaded with weapons, looking to be headed out. A backpack filled with something heavy thumped against her spine as she ran for us. I scooted away, giving Fionna clear access to her daughter. She fell next to me, already sobbing, her arms wrapping around her little girl, pulling her into her lap. “Piper…”
“Mummy, I did it. I told you. I saved him.”
“Yes, you did, baby.” Fionna rocked, both of them swaying together. “You are so amazing.”
Piper snuggled into her mom, who hugged her back, both lost in the reunion. Fionna kissed and brushed Piper’s hair soothingly, continuing to rock them back and forth. “I am so sorry.”
“Mummy, I told you. It was supposed to happen that way. I knew.” Piper tapped at her head. Then her little head jerked around, looking for someone. “Where is Uncle Nic? Nana?”
“I’m right here, Squirt,” Nic rumbled, using a cane as he ambled down the path, a smile growing on his mouth. He still hadn’t fully recovered from Stavros’s torture, but the healers felt he would eventually. The incubus was definitely a favorite in the ward, thanks to his charm. “Heard someone calling your name and couldn’t get here fast enough.”
“Uncle Nic!” Piper screamed, barreling for the Spanish god. She knocked into him and wrapped her arms around his waist so fiercely he stumbled back.
“Whoa, Squirt.” He regained his feet and picked her up, settling her on his hip. She wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. “Nana is in the kitchen, and when she hears you’re back, she’s going to be so happy. She’ll probably make the biggest cake.”
“With sprinkles?”
“Do they come any other way?” He scoffed, shaking his head. Piper curled into him, hugging him even tighter.
Fionna stared adoringly at Piper, but I saw a speck of hurt she must feel at seeing the pair together. It probably wasn’t jealousy, but guilt. She had barely two full days with her daughter before she’d been taken again. I wasn’t a mother, but I could relate to the guilt of feeling that you’d failed those you loved.
Rise From the Embers (Lightness Saga #4) Page 29