Shadow Cursed: A Noblesse Oblige Duet Book Two Page 11

  It won't.

  "Of a sort. I hadn't touched him, but we understood each other, he and I. More than anyone at the camp. When he left, I was truly alone. I learned later that he was called back to the sea. He's half mer."

  That explains it. The sea folk aren't often welcoming to outsiders—and they do tend to consider half-bloods as such—but if he was asked to go back to the sea, he would have wanted to. Sea blood draws people to the water.

  "And the others?"

  There are plenty of blue roses at the center of his back.

  "I eventually made friends, and lost them too."

  His life is so different from mine. I have a few friends, I suppose, but I've never lost any of them. Before the attack, I lived in a world where young folk didn't simply die. He was already fighting a war.

  No wonder my skin used to be bare of any mark.

  Now I have two.

  The one that appeared down my back the night I saved Drusk from the assault his friends didn't survive.

  And one that crawls up my sleeve, twisting around my neck and shoulder.

  Identical to Drusk's. Seeing it on his tanned skin makes me want to lick it. Nip at his flesh just there.

  I wonder what he makes of his mark. Part of me wants to ask him. Ask when it appears—though I know. What it means to him now. How he interprets it. To him, it may tell the story of the battle of Hardrock. I know it's an incomplete mating ring, without any sense or structure. Unlinked filigrees trying to wrap around an untold story.

  Mine, mine, mine.

  He shifts on the bed, turning to face me. "Are you done fondling me, Nevlaria?" His midnight-blue eyes shine with heat.

  "Not quite," I reply, redirecting my attention to his chest now. Over his taut skin, there's another set of marks, curving over his heart. I move to touch them, but he takes my wrist away. "What were these for?"

  He's done sharing. He's done with my teasing, too. Drusk tugs my wrist, pulling me to him, and bends his head to mine, capturing my lips under his.

  Home.

  He feels like home. His kiss starts slow, soft, but when I moan, opening my mouth to his, he groans and deepens his exploration, his hands sliding along the length of my torso with a reverence I've never felt. I'm mostly flat, without many curves, yet he makes me feel like there was never a body more sensual, more deserving of worship. I'm desperate for more. All my resolutions fly out the window when he dips his mouth to the curve of my ear and drops light kisses along its tip.

  I need him. I need him like I need my own soul.

  I flip over, climbing on top of him, my hands pressed over his hard chest.

  In that instant, I don't care about the world. I don't care about Tenebris. I don't care about the folk. All that matters is my mate.

  Then, an explosion makes the entire keep shake, and there's nothing but chaos.

  Shadows at the Gates

  Vlari

  I leap to my feet and rush to the pile of clothes folded on a nearby desk. I'd prepared a pair of pants, a linen shirt, and a doublet for tomorrow. I put them on, as Drusk goes to the window.

  "Southwest, close to the hall of Ash," he tells me, eyes focused in the distance. "Humans, on foot. Thousands. Too many to count." He curses out loud. "The air dome didn't fool them."

  He takes his belt and weapons, I throw his jerkin to him, and we're on our way out, jogging as we head to my mother's quarters.

  "That was fast. Too fast. They were ready to attack."

  I can only bite my lip and nod.

  My mother, father, and grandma meet us in the corridors, trailed by the king and queen of Stone.

  "What's the plan?" Queen Ina asks me.

  Me. Not my mother, or anyone else. Seconds ago, I was about to get impaled in the best way, and I'm supposed to come up with a plan against an invasion right now.

  I've had to act like I know what I’m doing, to ensure no one questions me, but this is a bit much.

  I need to think. I need…

  Help.

  I need help.

  I only have to glance to Drusk, and he's speaking. "We can defend Whitecroft Hall itself. The children and those who can't fight should come here." Drusk resumes our walk toward the entrance of the keep. "Whatever archers we have should be inside, on windows. The guards need to protect the gates. The humans' strength is their numbers. We need to funnel them—ensure they can't surround us and attack on many fronts. If there was one magic user every two or three meters all around Whitecroft, but for an opening we choose, they'd be forced to try to enter where we can manage them."

  "That won't work—not indefinitely." Liken shakes his head. "They'll kill the mages, eventually."

  "Nothing will work indefinitely," Drusk counters. "This isn't the entire human army. It's a tenth, if that. Reinforcements will be on their way. Let's manage one crisis at a time."

  The truth of his words makes my stomach sink.

  The unvarnished truth is that we simply don't have enough mages, enough fighters, enough fae to withstand an attack by hundreds of thousands of humans.

  We have to try all the same.

  We reach the sculpted doors, and I finally see them in the distance.

  There are at least ten thousand humans rushing down the hill, most on foot, some mounted on bridled horses, pulling machines I've only read about. Catapults. I see one working right away, propelling a fire stone right at us. It crashes against the hall of Stars. Screams, blood, and gunpowder thicken the air.

  "The shield," I say, numb and cold. So very cold. "What about the shield? We could…"

  "We don't have all the elemental stones—not yet," my mother replies. "The Court of Ash hasn't made one, and we're still missing water."

  I'm desperate. We're all desperate and hopeless. "I'll go to the opening." I start to run.

  My mother is quick to catch my arm. I turn to her, glaring up into her green eyes.

  "No. You can't. If we lose you—"

  "No one can kill as well as I," I point out.

  "And you have the stamina of a child. Don't waste your life against vermin."

  "So, I should stand back while our people waste theirs?" I'm screaming at her.

  I yank my arm back, though her claws grow and sink into my skin.

  But when I turn to run southwest again, Drusk stands in my way.

  "Not you." There's a warning in my mind. He doesn't get to hold me back.

  "We don't need you to suck humans dry. Our soldiers, our knights can manage them for a time. What we need is a water stone and a fire stone. Only one of us has a link to the Sea Court."

  A link? I could roll my eyes, if I wasn't too busy fuming. I danced with one guy, once.

  "I can go to Ash, and make them craft a fire stone right now. You need to get us a water stone. This is how we save Whitecroft. You aren't a soldier, princess. Let them to their work. Yours is to lead."

  I want to rage, scream, and insist I rush to the front. I don't, because under the haze of bloodlust, I can tell he's right.

  I nod. "All right. All right," I repeat, with more conviction. "I'm going."

  Before I do, I step closer to him and get on my tiptoes. Embarrassingly, that's not high enough to reach his face, but he bends down and drops his lips on my forehead. "Go get that stone, princess."

  "Right back at you."

  I have a mission. It's not nearly as satisfying as cutting down a sea of humans could be, but it's considerably more useful. Though my body would have loved nothing more than to join the fight, I run to the harbor instead.

  When I reach the quiet, dark shores, I don't take a moment to hesitate. I dive to the bottom of the river.

  I never was taught to swim as a child. It's an activity beneath gentry folk, because running water is known to stifle our magic. It wasn't until my thirtieth year that Meda insisted I should know how to survive water. One of the many ways her seelie education differed from ours. We folk of the dark tend to shy away from that which displeases us. The seelie will always
do what they believe is necessary.

  I hated water then. I hate it more now, but I'm grateful. I remember an awkward stroke. I shed my doublet, letting it sink, and release my wings. They rip the fabric of my shirt at the back, but I ignore it. The iridescent, thin membranes flap, propelling me forward faster than my arms ever could.

  I need to find a water folk—any water folk.

  After some distance, I return to the surface, as much to breathe as to check my location. Then I sink again, and keep swimming. My eyes adjust to the darkness of the depths, yet I see no folk at all.

  This can't be a coincidence. The river used to be full of nixies and other fae.

  The Sea Court is staying away from Tenebris.

  They know we're hopeless. They know we will fall.

  I can't give up, although my limbs are heavy, my lungs begging for a break. I keep going, farther and farther, willing myself to believe those I've left behind will survive until I can help.

  I have to believe it.

  My family is fine. Drusk is fine. I will find help before it's too late.

  Drusk

  Ash is empty. There isn't a single soul alive in the entire hall. Not one sprite.

  I stand in the middle of the building, letting it sink in.

  They left.

  They abandoned us.

  More than that: they betrayed us.

  I don't have to wonder how the enemies knew we were defenseless now.

  I stand helplessly, letting it sink in, as the sound of cannons crashes around me.

  We failed.

  I turn on my heel, preparing to return to Whitecroft Hall and tell the queen she needs to call for an evacuation at once, when I hear it.

  A grunt, coming out of one of the empty rooms I'd passed. I move toward it, until I stand in a messy study.

  On the floor, next to a row of bookshelves, lies a familiar knight, a dagger planted in his side. The salamander who took me to the queen that first day.

  I stand over him, dithering. Part of me wants to finish him off; the other knows I need to listen to him.

  "What happened?"

  He groans. "The king." He coughs, and the movement makes blood pour out of his wound. "He told us to move back to the Ash Court. Said he made a deal. I—" He winces, every word taking its toll. "Refused. I refused."

  I stare at him, not offering any assistance.

  In the face of such betrayal, I can't quite believe this. He refused, or he was left behind to keep spying on us.

  "Why should I trust you? Why would you turn your back on your court if they've indeed made a deal to return home?"

  The salamander's red eyes set on me. "I stand with Tenebris."

  I don't want to believe it, but ultimately, the decision doesn't rest with me.

  I kneel at his side and pull the knife out. I tear one of my sleeves, and wrap it around his middle, tight. It'll do until we find a healer—or decide to slit his throat.

  I hook his arm around my neck and pull him to his feet. I have to support most of his weight, but we manage to get to Whitecroft Hall.

  The high queen and most of the lower monarchs save for Ash are in the entryway. The Sandwoman, Meda, and Ina are notably missing. Fighting at the front, no doubt. Vlari would have been jealous.

  "What happened?"

  I summarize the situation as succinctly as I can manage. "Ash cleared out. They're with the usurper. He says he refused to follow his king."

  Several sets of mistrustful eyes fall on the salamander, who's panting and groaning.

  Ciera detaches herself from her mate's side, and stands right in front of him.

  "Do you swear to serve the high court, no matter the cost, until your dying breath, Lucan?"

  That's a hell of a vow for an immortal, even considering the fact that his dying breath could be in a few seconds. I half expect him to bow out.

  "I swear," he replies automatically.

  She nods. "Good enough. We need a salamander."

  Ciera removes a charm pinned on the inside of her embroidered sleeve and presses it against his lapel. A healing charm. I don't know how, exactly, but I can tell Neb made it. It feels like my sister. It smells like her.

  "Nero, can you get a healer?"

  Her bondmate rushes out without hesitation.

  "We need a fire stone," the queen tells the salamander—Lucan. "When you’re better, do you think…"

  "I can do it," he manages to croak. "Now."

  "Don't be stupid," I shoot back. If he even tries to call to his magic right now, he'll be dead in minutes. "Get to it when you stop leaking."

  I leave him well taken care of, and exit the hall.

  I have humans to destroy.

  Land of Sea

  Vlari

  The next time I emerge to breathe, my heart falls as I take in my surroundings. The ominous chain of mountains. The familiar castle that has always been a threatening shadow in the distance.

  I've reached the sea. I swam through the entire river, and there was nothing at all.

  If I go farther, I'll leave Tenebris entirely, giving myself to the power of the Sea Court. I don't know their allegiance. They could stand with the usurper, deliver me to her on an iron platter. They could keep me at the bottom of the sea.

  And yet, what choice do I have?

  I take the plunge, sinking so much deeper, into a world of corals and shining fish.

  Beautiful. Treacherous. Cruel. Such is the sea. I surrender to it.

  Never mind the sea folk. Tired as I am, I could simply drown out there.

  I vaguely consider swimming back up to the surface, when I realize I don't need to. The air in my lungs is gone, but the burning I should feel is absent. I am breathing. I'm breathing water.

  Seconds after I've realized it, I hear a laugh all around me, echoing with the waves. And the next time I blink, the water is gone. I'm standing on a beautiful beach, and the sun is shining in the horizon. I’ve never felt sand on my toes. I can’t say I like it.

  I seem to be unharmed, but none of this makes sense. Seconds ago, I was underwater. Am I dead? Is this what death feels like? It would be peaceful, if not for the panic rising in my chest.

  "I've never smelled such a stench of desperation."

  I turn toward the deep, familiar voice.

  Him.

  "Lind," I say, half fear, half relief.

  He's sitting on the golden sand, his bare chest wet, a long dark skirt cloaking his legs.

  "Hello, landling."

  "You came."

  He laughs again. "I wasn't going to, but you're so very miserable, I couldn't resist. I'm not entirely heartless, you know."

  Somehow, I doubt that.

  I don't waste time. "I don't know what you've heard, but the situation in Tenebris is…"

  "Hopeless. Wretched. No, I know." He smirks. "Pathetic."

  He's beautiful, treacherous, and cruel, just like the sea.

  "I need your help. Please. All I need is a water stone. Well, one or two," I amend quickly. "A handful, maybe."

  Given how much effort this trip has taken, I should stock up.

  His smile is all teeth. "All she wants is a handful of pieces of my soul. Just that, nothing else."

  I still.

  Pieces of his soul?

  "A stone imbued with my magic is a part of me, landling. Surely you know enough of elemental spells to realize that?"

  I hadn't.

  I bite my lip. "What do you want? In exchange."

  This is the language of the fae. Deals, bargains.

  He throws his head back, his bright blue hair shining in the sunlight. "Let's see…"

  "We could trade for a favor," I offer, knowing nothing of more value.

  He shakes his head. "Oh, I think not. You already owe me one of those, remember?"

  How could I forget? He saved me, along with all of Hardrock, ten years ago.

  But he hasn't refused. I hold on to that. He hasn't refused, which means that he intends to accept. I
t's just a matter of finding the right price.

  Unless he's toying with me for his entertainment. A likely possibility, but I ignore it.

  "What do you want, Lind?"

  I don't point out the obvious. I am at his mercy. There is nothing I can deny him today.

  "Well, you want pieces of me. I'd like a piece of you in exchange."

  I blush, taken aback. Somehow, I didn't expect that.

  Lind made it clear he wasn't interested in me ten years ago. Now, he is willing to trade water elemental stones for sex with me? I was offering everything—anything. I can't believe this is his price.

  He'll have it, if he demands it. I don't have a choice. But Drusk. The very thought of touching anyone but Drusk makes me want to vomit.

  "I don't…" I wet my lip. "I have a mate. Is there anything else?"

  He laughs again. I could strangle him. All of my people are about to die, and he's making fun of me.

  "Aren't you just a darling? I don't hurt for female company, Nevlaria Bane. Your body, delightful as it might be, isn't what I require." Humor leaves his sea eyes, now set on me with a harshness I didn't know him capable of. "The immortals came for your land. On the other continent, the folk are being attacked, hunted. Humans and their technology have worked out that we rule the world, and now they want a piece. The gods are on their side, as they can control mortals, but cannot hope to have us kneel at their feet."

  He gets to his feet and advances toward me. "Misguided as your former high queen and my mothers were, trying to pair me with the likes of you, they had a point. We need to be linked in the only way that cannot be denied or broken. By blood. The sea, the land—seelie and unseelie alike. We need to stand together."

  I'd forgotten he’s a ruler until now. A lord of the sea. I won't make that mistake again.

  "I will give you twelve stones, and you and I shall be allies. The price you will pay will be your blood. Your third born will be sent to the sea, raised among us, and wed into the Sea Lands."

  I hate this. I hate every single part of this. He's trying to turn me into her. Into Morgana, who played with her children like she was their god, rather than their mother.