I reached for the door and screamed. A fleshy hand had wrapped itself around my ankle, squeezing so tight I swore my bone would pop. It yanked with a terrifying strength, pulling me to the ground. I fell hard and my teeth slammed together.
It took a second for me to get my bearings.
A second too long. The Sluagh scrabbled on top of me and pinned me down on the stone. I writhed, twisting and turning and trying to knock the thing off. It stank of rot, and I gagged.
As I threw my weight upward at the Sluagh, it barely budged. This creature was strong. Too strong. The only way I was going to get out of this was with my sword. Gritting my teeth, I twisted my arm toward my holster, but the scrabbling Sluagh made it impossible for me to do anything but claw at the dirt.
I stared up at its hollow eyes. There couldn’t be much intelligence in there. Time to try a different option.
I reached up and grabbed the back of its head. Sucking in a deep breath, I slammed my forehead against the Sluagh’s. Pain licked through my face, but I’d achieved my mission. The Sluagh stilled, swaying back and forth like a lifeless doll.
I grabbed the Sluagh and flipped over, straddling its gruesome form. Now, there was nothing standing between me and my sword. I reached for it, but another bony hand closed around my skin. Another Sluagh had appeared. It wrenched me away from the one I’d trapped and threw me toward the wall with a frightening force.
I hit the wall hard. My head smacked against the stone. I fell into a heap, legs twisting beneath me. Several more Sluagh stormed into the vaults. And they were heading right for me.
The one who had thrown me jumped on top of my reeling body and pinned me to the ground. Another joined it. And then another. Soon, I was stuck, and bony hands wrapped around my throat.
I thrashed and thrashed but it was no use. I couldn’t move. I definitely couldn’t breathe. I choked against their fingers, gasping for air. Darkness crept into the corners of my vision, threatening to pull me under. Tears stung my eyes.
I was going to die here. Down in the filth. All alone. The way I’d always feared I would go. Pinned down, trapped, with no one but me.
My consciousness slipped away until all I could see was the rage-filled face of the Sluagh who was killing me. And then the silver-tipped spear that sliced through its skull.
Coughing, I rolled over and cracked open my eyes. My throat was on fire. It felt like a million tiny daggers had raked down my oesophagus. I lifted my hand to my skin and felt the indention of fingers. Memories suddenly flooded my mind. The Sluagh choking me. The spear that had slammed into its head.
I was on my unsteady feet within seconds. My hands found my sword. I raised it before me. The half dozen Sluagh who had pinned me to the ground now lay dead all around my feet.
My heart thumped hard as I glanced around me. What the hell had happened? Where did that spear disappear to? And where the hell had it come from?
Gingerly, I stepped over the bodies, still glancing from one mottled face to the next. Not a single one of these Sluagh had a spear sticking through its skull. Someone had been down here. They had killed the Sluagh. And then they’d fled.
But who?
I didn’t have time to dwell on it because another scuttling sound shot out of the darkness.
“Don’t bloody tell me there’s another one of these things,” I muttered out loud.
And sure enough, there came another Sluagh, creeping along like a wraith in the night. I held up my sword and narrowed my eyes.
“Yeah, I don’t think so, mate. I am so done with this damn trial. You come near me, and your head will be on that floor with the rest of the dead.”
Unfortunately for the creature, it took no heed of my warning. It still wanted to eat me. So, as soon as it stepped foot within the swing of my sword, I whirled. Steel met flesh, and it fell. The head thumped with a sickening crunch.
In the distance, the rush of scuttling Sluagh feet answered.
“Yeah, no. Fuck this.” I shook my head. “That is it.”
Maybe my Spear Friend was still out there, watching and waiting, but I wasn’t going to stick around to find out. Plus, I could save myself, thank you very much. All I had to do was open that damn door.
With my sword still clutched in my hands, I booked it across the room. I grabbed the handle and ripped open the door. Four pairs of eyes peered down from above. The door opened into a brick wall, with a platform all the way up to my eye level.
I cast a glance over my shoulder as the rush of scuttling feet grew louder.
“I see you’re alive...though, just barely.” Lugh’s voice was as apathetic as ever. “Why have you opened the door? It sounds like there are several more Sluagh down there who are eager to fight you.”
Narrowing my eyes, I sheathed my sword and reached for the platform edge. “You said my task was to get through this hellhole of a maze without dying. Well, I’ve made it. I refuse to stay down here for even a second longer.”
Surprisingly, he didn’t argue. He took my hand in his and pulled me out of the vaults. I hated how strong and steady he felt, and I especially hated how relieved I was to see him.
“You look like shite,” he said with a grin as he pulled me out of the vaults just in time. He slammed the door shut behind me, blocking the Sluagh inside.
I glared at him.
His voice was smooth, like syrup. “Welcome to the Court of Wraiths.”
5
Covered in stale water, grime, and blackish blood, I gratefully followed Saoirse through the residential hallways of Castle Wraith—which I’d learned it was called. Turned out these fae were huge fans of the whole wraith thing. Her long brunette hair swished at her waist, her stride confident, her demeanour unbothered. She really didn’t give a toss that I’d almost died an hour ago.
King Lugh had barely given me a word of congratulations after he’d hauled me out of the vaults. He’d merely welcomed me into his Court and then vanished like the wraith he was. A part of me had wanted to chase him down to see what he was up to...but I had to admit, I needed some rest. My entire body ached from the fight.
Saoirse stopped at a doorway identical to the rest about halfway down the hallway. After pushing it open, she motioned me inside. The room was much larger than the one back home, and the furnishings far less posh.
All the walls were wood, including the lofted ceiling. A single bed had been placed in the corner beside a tiny window. A pair of thick red curtains hung loosely, skimming along a threadbare rug that matched. A vase of red flowers perched on a small, square bedside table, along with a hotel-like phone and a ticking clock. In the opposite corner, an antique desk sat before a wooden chair. A couple of floor lamps glowed from each end of the room, casting shadows onto the television hanging above a small cupboard.
Other than that, there wasn’t much to see. It was sparse and mismatched, but cosy in a way I hadn’t expected.
“This will be your new home.” She spread her arms wide. “You’re lucky. This room only opened up a few weeks ago. If it hadn’t, you would have been given one of the cold ones on the top floor. The heating isn’t working up there right now.”
I cocked my head. “Why did it become available?”
She pressed her lips together. “Ah. That’s a long story. Maybe it can wait until tomorrow.”
Interesting. More secrets. More unanswered questions. I filed this one away with the multitude of others I’d collected since I’d stepped foot through that yawning front gate.
I took a stroll around the room and stopped at the tiny square of a window. It was only big enough for one of my feet to punch through it. I peered outside at the foggy, blurring lights of the city streets down below the steep cliff. If I ended up needing a hasty exit, this wouldn’t be it.
“You have any questions?”
“I’ve gotta ask.” I picked up a remote control I spotted on the bedside table and spun it in my hand. “Did everyone here have to go through that?”
She nodded emp
hatically. “When we decided to become the Court of Wraiths, we all did a trial to prove we belonged here. That said, most of the original trials were easier. It all depends on your gift. And outsiders have it the worst. Sorry about that.”
“Lugh was the one who decided to form the Court of Wraiths?”
“Not really.” She shrugged. “It was a group decision. We want to do our own thing and not answer to the Morrigan. You must feel the same way, or you wouldn’t have gone through the trial, right?”
I swallowed. I hated speaking against Clark, even if it was a lie. “Why else would I be here?”
She gave a satisfied nod. “Then, you’ll fit in here just fine. Though...I should warn you. Some of the fae here can be kind of...difficult with outsiders. It’s only because they don’t know you. They’ll come around in time.”
Great. So, this was the Court of Mean Girls. Just what I needed.
“Hmm.” I dropped the remote on the bed and glanced around. “Why all the secrecy? I mean, I get that you made a court that you wanted to hide from the rest of the fae, but you seem to have gone to a lot of trouble just for that.”
I hoped I wasn’t pushing it, but I didn’t see how I’d ever get the answers to my questions unless I asked. Sure, hiding an entire damn court with its own damn king was a pretty big deal. But there seemed to be more going on here. Lugh was hiding something big. I was certain of it.
Saoirse’s purple eyes flickered, and she took a step back toward the door. “You’re part of the Court of Wraiths now, Moira. That’s going to have to be enough for awhile.”
I frowned. “What does that even mean?”
“We don’t know you yet,” she pointed out.
“Yeah, but I just went through a dangerous trial.” I gestured at the tiny window I could never escape. “I’m in this thing, one hundred percent. I even signed a blood contract.”
“And that will have to be enough,” she insisted. “You’ll find out more when Lugh decides you’re ready. I can tell you think he’s a cruel king, but you don’t know what he’s been through...nevermind.”
I opened my mouth to ask what she meant, but she shook her head.
She pushed open the door, and then paused. “You’ll find a shower room in the door to your left. In the cupboard beneath the telly, there are shelves stocked with snacks and a mini-refrigerator with drinks. If you need anything, dial zero on your phone.”
Before I could say another word, she quietly shut the door behind her. A lock tumbled into place. My heart racing, I crossed the room and tried the handle.
The Court of Wraiths had locked me inside.
A knock sounded on my door. Groaning, I turned to my side to glare at the clock. It was six in the morning. My entire body ached from the previous night’s fight. My skin felt raw from where I’d been bashed against the stone walls, my throat was on fire, and I had a headache straight out of the underworld. Fae heal fast, but we’re not invincible. It would take a few more hours for all my bruises to fully mend, and another day for me to feel like my normal self.
Before I could stumble out of bed, the pesky knocker opened the door.
Lugh strode inside, looking frustratingly perfect. His raven hair was freshly-washed, damp curls dropping onto his forehead. I could tell he’d shaved, but he’d left enough stubble to highlight his sharp jaw. His dark eyes raked over me, alert and unbothered.
If I’d been more awake, I probably would have gaped.
“You’re still in bed,” he said with an air of displeasure.
I sat up and brushed my matted hair out of my face. I’d taken a long, hot shower before crawling into my bed last night, damp hair tied back in a loose bun. The strands were dry now, but they had escaped from the elastic in the night. I didn’t have to look in the mirror to know I had the worst case of bed head imaginable.
I blinked up at him through fuzzy eyes. “Sod off. I’m knackered. It’s not even daylight yet, and I spent my night trying not to die. If a girl deserves a lie in, it’s now.”
“You won’t be punished because I realise you’re accustomed to life as a solitary fae, where you can do whatever you damn well please.” He sniffed. “But here, in the Court of Wraiths, we don’t waste our precious time with sleep.”
I arched a brow. Or I at least tried to. It was probably more like a half-assed wiggle. “Oh yeah? Then, what do you waste your precious time with?”
Because as far as I could tell, the Court of Wraiths merely specialised in making my life a living hell. And that didn’t require getting up at the crack of dawn. All they had to do was toss me into the vaults with the Sluagh...and someone else.
That got me thinking a little more clearly. What the hell had even happened last night? There’d been some other mysterious fighter in the vaults. Someone with a spear. I wanted to ask Lugh about it. Surely he’d know if someone else was inside of his castle, fighting those creatures.
But I couldn’t. If, for some reason, it had nothing to do with him, I couldn’t let him find out. If he knew I had help staying alive, he might decide I’d failed my trial. And then I’d have to leave. Empty-handed.
Lugh cleared his throat as he slid further into the room. “We each have a daily assignment. It keeps the castle running as smoothly as possible.”
Ah, so Lugh had at least kept some of the courtly customs. Back in London, it was the same. Some assignments were far less involved than others, but every single fae had a purpose. Mine was obviously guarding the Queen and working alongside others to keep the Court safe from harm.
If I could do the same here, I could easily get the inside scoop on Lugh’s plots and schemes.
“You know my skill. I’m a warrior. I’d probably do best in some sort of guard role,” I said smoothly.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible.” His dark gaze swept across me, and a strange tremor went through me. “While I can’t deny your skills must be exceptional in order for you to make it through the vaults, you are still very new to our Court. You’ll find that it takes quite some time for the fae here to trust outsiders.”
I blew out a frustrated breath. “Isn’t that what I signed a blood contract for? So that you could make sure I couldn’t spill your secrets? Surely that’s good enough to put me on watch duty in a tower or something.”
“You’re pushy.” He strode closer, his eyes flashing. His magic seeped from his body, lighting up sparks along my skin. “I don’t like it.”
I suddenly became very aware that I was in bed wearing nothing more than a white t-shirt and no bra underneath. At some point, Lugh had shut the door behind him, and we were trapped inside this room alone. It made my heart pound, though I didn’t know why. Sure, he was as fit as sin, but he was scum.
As he strode closer and a wicked smile played across his lips, a strange thought flittered through me. A thought I wished I’d never had. It made me want to burn my brain.
I was an outsider. A stranger. Lugh didn’t want to trust me, even if I’d signed that contract. Something about me must have made him uneasy. Best way to quieten his doubts?
I wet my lips.
I’d been approaching this whole thing in typical Moira fashion. Pissed off and eager to stab something. What if instead of communicating exactly how much I hated him, I made him think I wanted him? Right here beside me in this bed.
“If you don’t like it,” I tried, adding a sultry tone to my voice, “why do your eyes say otherwise?”
Blimey, that sounded like nonsense. Like something out of a cheesy porn film. Not that I’d ever watched one. Ahem.
He dropped to his knees beside my bed and curled his palm around my cheek. I shuddered, magic ripping through my gut so fast I could barely think. “You have a very purple bruise on your face. It’s disgusting.”
My mouth fell open. That gormless swine.
“Did you come here just to insult me?” I hurled. “Or was there some other reason you decided to drag me out of bed at six in the morning?”
His lips quirked
with amusement. “What a brilliant idea.”
“What?” I shouted just as he threw the covers off my bare legs. He wrapped his hands around my ankles and pulled me out of the bed in one fluid motion. I fell flat on my bum, glaring up at him, my t-shirt hiked up around my hips.
I jumped to my feet, my body trembling with anger.
“Careful,” he said with a smile. “If you lay a hand on me, I might have to call my guards. Of which you aren’t one.” His smile widened at the furious part of my lips. “You will be joining the cleaning staff. I hope you’re as good with a broom as you are with your sword.”
Fortunately, Lugh left before I ended up punching him right in his beautifully-chiselled face. And, as it turned out, I didn’t have to start my new cleaning duties just yet. As soon as Lugh disappeared into the hallway, Saoirse bustled inside to explain the day ahead.
“We have a party every time someone passes a trial,” she said excitedly. “I wanted to tell you last night, but I thought you’d be too pumped to sleep.”
Too pumped to sleep because of a...party? Damn. I eyed her enthusiasm warily. These fae really didn’t get out much.
“You’ll be able to meet everyone, and you can get a tour of the grounds.” She passed me a large black box. “Until then, you’re going to have to stay in here.”
“So, I still can’t leave my room. What a surprise,” I said dryly.
“Don’t worry,” she quickly interjected. “It won’t be for much longer. We just don’t have anyone to chaperone you for most of the day since we’ll all be getting ready for the party.”
“Chaperone?” I shook my head and tossed the box onto the bed. “Don’t you think that’s going a little far?”
“Rules are rules.” She shrugged. “Newbies get chaperoned. See you tonight.”
The rest of the day passed in a mindless blur. I paced from one end of the room to the next, the restlessness in my body building with every second that passed. I tried the door handle at least two dozen times, but the lock didn’t magically open for a single one of them. I peered out the tiny window, sighed, and then peered some more.
Confessions of a Dangerous Fae (The Supernatural Spy Files Book 1) Page 4
