A volley of shouts filled the air. “Rip him apart.”
“Kill him.”
“Take his head. I want his head.”
The bigger one holding Soto smiled and yelled, “You want his head? I give you his head.”
He wrapped his hand around Soto’s small horns and yanked. At first, I couldn’t wrap my mind around what was happening. Soto’s eyes bulged and a terrified scream ripped the air. Beckett leapt to his feet, but I yanked him back. “No, don’t.”
It was too late, and it would only expose us to things we weren’t ready for and didn’t know about. Bone crunched and skin ripped, the screaming cut off and a wet splash hit the ground. I swallowed and turned back toward the scene. Soto’s body lay on the ground with a trickle of black blood flowing from his neck, making the slate under him even darker. The bigger Unseelie held the head in the air and laughed.
“Here’s your head.” He tossed it to the others who had gathered. One of the goons caught it and tucked it under his arm, laughing the whole way back into the bar.
The bigger one stopped and stood in the middle of the empty street. He held his hand over Soto’s body and dropped the two small coins onto his chest, then stepped over the body like it was bump in the road. Cold, he was a cold-hearted monster… and he had our Logan.
He froze in the middle of the street and raised his nose to the air, sucking in a deep breath. Even the ash of this world seemed not to touch him. He glared in our direction, yet I knew he couldn’t see us among the shadows. Beckett threw my arm off his shoulder and took a step forward. My magic exploded out of me before I could think. It bathed us in complete darkness, hiding us from view and holding Beckett captive. I sucked in a breath and held it. Had he seen us? Felt us?
A shark-like smile overcame the Unseelie’s face and he gave a snickering chuckle. His voice came out as a low hiss. “I know you’re there. I can smell you.”
Chapter 32
Beckett
My power rushed from my body. I was going to kill him. Rip his head off the same as he ripped off Soto’s. I felt it surge in my body, and I let it. Blue smoke erupted from me, fighting against Astrid’s cloaking power. I wanted out and I wanted out now. That bastard had taken Logan, killed Soto, and probably many more. I would gladly walk with his blood on my hands and not think anything of it. He deserved it. A quick death would solve our problems… mostly. If he died, it would be harder to find Logan, but it would be worth it to see his life end at my hands. I’d enjoy it.
Astrid’s grip tightened on me and I wanted free, I wanted out of this cowardly hiding place. Cloaked behind her magic, hiding from the Unseelie, I was destined to murder. I would kill him plain and simple. Snap of his neck. It was easily done. Or maybe I could use the vines to strangle him slowly? Poison? Fist through the chest? Yes, that’s the one. I shoved away from Astrid and took another step, ready to face him. Ready to get exactly what I wanted when I wanted it.
“Ouch, Beckett! What the hell!” Astrid’s voice sounded like it came from too far away, like I was in a tunnel or something and could barely hear her.
I shook myself. A dull pain lashed through my shoulder. I glanced back at her and found her sprawled out on the ground, rubbing at her shoulder. That gray ash clung to her hair, giving her dark red locks a horribly gray look. Dust kicked up around her as she moved off her back to her side. Her cheeks flamed a bright red and she narrowed her eyes at me like she’d never seen me before. I froze between the only two things I wanted in life—wanting to turn back to her and wanting to go kill the Unseelie bastard. I ground my teeth together. Her hurt went beyond the physical and there was an ache in her heart I couldn’t fight but wanted to. I spun back around and dropped to the ground next to her. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“It’s fine. You just knocked me over and I hit my elbow. But what the hell?” She narrowed those beautiful emerald eyes at me.
I reached down and yanked her to her feet. “It was my mistake.”
“Yeah, I got that,” she snapped at me while brushing herself off. Black smudges from the ash marred her cheeks and shirt. She yanked me back to her side and lowered her voice. “Knock it off.”
“Knock what off?” My insides rolled, and I felt my magic skittering over my skin, pulsing with energy and the need to do exactly what I wanted it to do. To kill. It was strong and dark in a way I’d never felt. The true warlock way. The way I’d been fighting all my life. Being in the world felt so… good. Like something inside of me slipped into place. Like all was right and I was right. We would get Logan back, and I would take over the warlocks like I was always meant to do. Simple. Nothing more and nothing less. And that Unseelie stood in my way from claiming everything that was my birthright.
“Whatever the hell mood you’re in right now. I don’t know what happened, but we have got to stick together and getting killed is not part of the plan. We get Logan and we get out.”
“If I can kill him while I’m here, I’m going to do it. He’s what’s standing between me and my birthright.”
She took a small step back. “Your birthright?”
That vicious Unseelie took another step toward us, and I saw red once more. I slammed my hand over her mouth. “Shh.”
She glared at me but went silent as I peeked around the corner. He was only ten feet away, close enough for me to take by surprise. I wanted his throat on the ground at my feet. I wanted him bloody and dying. My magic seethed and burned within me. I felt it sizzle over my skin, and I cracked my neck, savoring the flavor of how deep and dark it was. I bathed in it, letting my body absorb it on such a deep level that my blood pumped. My chest burned with it ready to claim its due. And right now, it was due the head of that Unseelie, and after that, the warlock crown. I growled and balled my hands into fists, ready to pounce on that bastard.
The sound of stone sliding against stone filled the air, and I felt the air shift. I glanced over my shoulder to see the wall behind me open up. I didn’t care, nothing else mattered. I would kill the monster now. Rage boiled in my blood. I took another step out and was just at Astrid’s cloaking when two large hands dragged me back and I was slammed to the ground. A huge knee pressed into my chest, cutting off my air.
“What are you thinking?” Kylian’s entire body leaned into mine. Strands of his hair fell over his face covering half of it. His eyes glowed in the darkness surrounding us, and I felt his fists press into my shoulders, holding me down.
We weren’t in the alley any longer. Instead, we were in a dark, windowless, doorless room made entirely out of slate. Nova stood in the back corner holding her hands out to her sides with purple sparks flaring from her fingers, lighting up the dark room. It was like a giant coffin in this bitch. Rage burst in my chest. How dare he deny me my kill! Deny what my magic demanded.
I grabbed Kylian’s knee and ankle and shoved him off with all my strength. Blue smoke poured from my hands and he shot up toward the ceiling. His back slammed into the ceiling and he came tumbling down. Shards of slate fell down around me and I sprang to my feet, ready to hit him again. He landed in a crouch then popped to his feet. He took a step toward me and Ashryn jumped in his way, pressing her hand to his chest. He growled at me and his hand glowed a dark copper color.
“I told you to stay here. I told you to stay silent. I told you not to draw attention to us.”
I shoved toward him. “That monster killed Soto.”
Kylian shook his head. “What?”
“Yeah, I saw him rip the guy’s head off.” Astrid grabbed my arm and yanked me back. No matter what I wanted to do, I would still do what she asked of me. Step back? Fine. Didn’t mean I wasn’t going to wait for my chance later.
A small figure stepped from the far side of the room and lifted their cloak from their face. “I’m Soto.”
She was tiny and wild-looking compared to the rest of the Unseelie I’d seen. She didn’t have horns or gray skin or sharpened teeth. Instead, her skin held a slightly green tint to it,
like she’d spent all her life in a garden. A shining scale print ran around her right eye and down her cheek. Scales covered her neck and shoulders, but they were so delicate and glossy in an entirely beautiful way, not like she was an Unseelie creature but more like a mermaid trapped on land. Her short black hair stood in soft spikes from her head and a single long braid ran down the side of her head and over her shoulder. Sweeping bands fell across her forehead and curled around the side of her face. Her silver eyes glowed in the dark of the room and reflected Nova’s purple magic.
I shook my head. “Can’t be.”
Her brows furrowed and she glanced at Kylian. “Is this guy for real?”
“He is.” Kylian growled and shook his head, calming himself. He stepped back next to her and Ashryn relaxed ever so slightly.
“But I thought…” I glanced over my shoulder toward the wall I’d come through where I thought the Unseelie killed our only lead.
She chuckled and her too-full lips barely moved. “You thought I’d be stupid enough to get killed by Nylore? Oh, please. When I steal things, no one knows they’re gone until I’m gone. Get that straight, Warlock.”
I used to hate when people called me warlock in such an accusing tone, like it was a bad thing to have powers. I loved the power rolling through me. Cherished it almost as I cherished Astrid. Reveled in it seething over my body ready to use.
“That thing has a name?” My words came out too harshly, but I didn’t care. I wanted answers, and she was going to give them to me.
“You weren’t kidding.” Soto looked me up and down then turned back to Kylian. “He is the crazy son of a bitch who came here just to save one guy who’s probably dead. Who did you say took him again?”
I was going to throttle her. I didn’t have time for this kind of… disrespect. I was Beckett freaking Dustwick. I growled, and Astrid rested her hand on my arm, silencing me.
Astrid moved to my side and cleared her throat. “That guy that you called Nylore, he’s the one who took Logan. I’m sure of it.”
Soto gave one humorless chuckle. “That’s the Unseelie general. You don’t mess with that. Seriously, he’s a real bad guy. You just saw what he did. He’s the right hand to the king of the Unseelie and is a general in his army, an army that you just saw marching at least ten thousand strong heading right at your world. And you’re here to rescue one guy? If Nylore took your friend, he might already be dead.”
I gave my head a single shake. “He’s alive and I feel it in my bones.”
Soto rolled those silvery eyes of hers and placed her hand on the ground. The slate rose to her touch as if she were sculpting it. A smaller version of the town we now stood in rose up from the ground like a model an architect would use. Soto pointed to it. “You are here.”
The model grew to add in an expanse of peaks and valleys with rough terrain and jagged rocks. Then at the other side of it was a towering hollowed-out mountain that seemed to surround three sides of a dark castle that sat on a sharp perch-like pedestal. The mountain protected it the way a clam would a pearl. She pointed toward it. “That is where your guy would be if he’s still alive… and that is a big IF.”
I shrugged at the diagram. “So what? Let’s go.”
“Two problems, pretty boy. One—there is no way we are getting out of here without getting attacked…” She pursed her lips at me and said nothing else.
Nova groaned and sighed. “I have a way of getting us out. It’s not gonna be pretty but it’ll work.”
“See, we got a plan.” Astrid nodded to Nova then turned to back to Soto. “If we get out, can you take us there?”
Soto crossed her arms over her chest and her small cloak fell back together, covering her from head to toe. “Which brings us to our second problem.”
“You gonna spit it out or am I going to have to make you?” I gave her a level look. I didn’t care if she did or not. Either way, she was taking us where we needed to go. If I had to use my power to drag her around… then so be it.
Astrid jabbed her elbow in my side. “What is the second problem?” she asked in a more polite tone than mine.
“What’s in it for me?” Soto said, so simply. So sweetly.
How about I don’t kill you and you do what I want? I opened my mouth to talk, but Astrid beat me to it. “What do you want?”
Soto shrugged. “I want out. You leave Unseelie and I go with you. The walls go up and I never come back.”
I didn’t know if that was a deal we could make. The Fallen wanted to keep the Unseelie out for good. It was the whole reason to unite us so we could keep them out. To bring one back in and let her live there was probably against their laws… but it suited my needs. Screw it.
“Deal.”
Chapter 33
Astrid
“No, this can’t be the way you meant.” I glanced down into a bottomless black hole.
Nova stood right next to me, looking down into the hole as well. She tossed her white-blond hair over her shoulder. “Listen, my power is in the death cast.”
“Yeah, but to have dead Unseelie digging us out?” I shivered. “Gross, no?”
“I used to gag at them a lot but now it’s getting better.” She fired a shot into the tunnel, and it lit up bright purple. The initial crust of this world was three-foot-thick slate, but to my surprise, under that was dirt. Dozens of Unseelie skeletons were illuminated by her power. Their bodies were nothing like humans. Just like the ones we’d seen marching by earlier, these were bigger, with wide, huge skeletal heads and hulking bodies. When the magic touched them, they dug faster and faster, nearly dulling all their bones, yet they continued to smash and chip at the dirt.
Soto stood on the other side of the hole. “How long can they keep that up?”
“They’re dead, so like forever.” Nova scoffed. “I mean, no break for anything and they’ll last as long as I do.”
“How long is that?” Soto looked her up and down. “You’re not that big.”
Nova crossed her arms over her chest. “Sometimes bigger isn’t always better.”
“What girl have you ever heard say that?” Soto rolled her eyes at Nova.
“Listen, tiny. I’ve got stamina.” Tension hung between the two of them like neither wanted to budge and I couldn’t figure out why.
“Stamina? That’s what he said.” Soto chuckled. “Glad you’ve got stamina ’cause you’re gonna need it.”
“Why?” we both asked at the same time.
Kylian moved beside Soto. “Because she wants to travel to the castle underground.”
Beckett, who’d been pacing behind us the whole time the damn skeletons dug, pushed in next to me. “It’s a waste of time to do it like that.”
Kylian shook his head. “It’ll take longer for us to dodge the army on the way to the castle and fight the elements than it will for us to go through the tunnels.”
“What does it matter if we kill a few Unseelie on our way?” Blue smoke wound up from Beckett’s hands and around his arms, illuminating our coffin-like room with his power.
“It matters if we draw attention to ourselves.” Kylian’s tone was laced with exasperation. “Did you or did you not break me out of jail to run this little mission?”
Beckett shrugged. “Then run the damn thing and get us there. We have two days to get back and claim the warlocks.”
Claim the warlocks? I gave him a sideways glance. This place was doing something to him. I didn’t know what it was, but he was different somehow, in a way I didn’t like. So cold, so calculating, so much like the council members. Beckett always had passion, kindness and was a bad ass. But now? All I felt coming off him was cold power, and he seemed to like it. Was he now driven by power? I felt mine rolling in me ready to be used, wanting to be used, wanting to come out in the darkest way possible, and yet I held it back. Was he struggling with the same thing? The same darkness? The scariest question of all… Was he failing to keep it under control? I didn’t want to admit it, but deep down I thoug
ht so.
“This is the best way. We’re not here to fight. We’re here to get Logan and get out. Nova, can you keep this up?”
“For as long as I need to.” She nodded and threw more of those purple sparks down into the hole. “Like I said before—stamina.”
I chuckled and the ground rumbled under my feet, shifting and moving like a mini earthquake. I held my arms out to my sides to keep my balance. “What’s happening?”
Kylian grabbed the back of Soto’s cloak and yanked her to his side. “You’ve got three-foot-thick slate sitting on top of loose dirt. What do you think is gonna happen?” “We can’t run in those tunnels. Maybe if we ride something? Like we did in Windelos.” I glanced to Beckett about to ask him to make the blue orbs again when he just kept pacing.
Kylian nodded toward me. “I like way you think.”
Before I could answer, he reached out with his other hand toward Ashryn. I thought he was going to grab her too, but her arm shot out and they grabbed each other’s wrists like they’d done this move a million times before. A silent smile spread across Ashryn’s face and Kylian chuckled.
“Soto, they’re all going to need a ride. You got us? In three… two… one.” He tightened his grip on Ashryn and lifted her up into the hair. She straightened her body like a bullet and dropped down into the hole. Her sandy blond hair flew back from her face and a wide grin made her cheeks puff out. I didn’t think I’d ever seen Ashryn so excited. Soto held out her hand and though there was no visual to go with her Unseelie power, I felt a heaviness in the air—the same shift I felt when she made the 3D map for us. A huge chunk of slate twisted and turned like a Rubik’s cube and shifted into what looked like a sled, catching Ashryn. She dropped down into the hole and skidded out of sight.
Kylian nodded toward Nova. “You next, blondie. You’ve got to keep your dead things digging so my sister doesn’t smash into a wall of bones.”
Wicked Curse (The Royals: Warlock Court Book 4) Page 19
