by Bailey Dark
Claimed by The Fae King
Mated To The Fae King Book Four
Bailey Dark
Copyright © 2019 by Bailey Dark
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
BLURB
‘His lips tug at mine, tongue sweeping across my bottom lip sensually. I inhale sharply, desire mingling with my anger to birth a passion in me I’ve never felt before.’
A new enemy has awoken in the darkness of the Fae realm.
Altair wants two things; to save his kingdom, Alnembra, from its shadowy enemies, and to be free to love the woman he chooses.
He may not succeed in either.
Verity escaped from the Ether determined to defeat the Dark God who imprisoned her and be reunited with Altair. Now, she faces new enemies and the terrible truth of Altair’s fate now that he slipped from her fingers. She is the Curse-Breaker no more.
Together, with allies and enemies, they must travel through the wastelands to unearth the secrets that lay hidden in its haunted ruins. Altair will discover just how much he would neglect his duties as King for Verity as she tempts the dark magic inside herself.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Coming Next
About the Author
Also by Bailey Dark
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Chapter 1
Altair
Sadal slashes at me with an ebony dagger and I leap back, breathing hard. Sweat shines on my forehead as I dance around Sadal’s deadly attacks. Beyond the walls of the tent, I can hear my forces clashing with the demons and the Bloodbane witches.
I block one of Sadal’s blows with my own short blade and dart away to create some distance between us. His eyes are dark, but they’ve lost their otherworldly glimmer. He’s nothing more than a Fae like me now. I lunge forward, the thought giving me courage. I swipe at him and blood blooms on the white sleeve of his loose tunic. He growls, glowering at me. A flash of satisfaction flits through me at the sight and I grin.
“How does it feel, Sadal?” I ask, breathing hard.
“I’ll tell you how it feels when you’re bleeding out at my feet,” he snaps.
I duck as one of his daggers flies through the space my head just occupied. Gritting my teeth, I rush him, blade raised. He dodges me, his dagger digging into my ribs. Pain flares in my side, like a hot poker against my flesh. I hiss in pain, dancing out of his reach. I touch my ribs lightly and pull my hand into the light; it glimmers with blood. He grins wickedly, prowling around me like a predator.
“When I’m done with you,” he purrs, “The demons will spread across the continent, killing everything in their path. You’ve failed, Altair.”
“I won’t have failed until I’m dead,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Just prolonging the inevitable.” His smile stretches wide.
I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks now, since I saw Sadal sling Verity over his shoulder. My blood pounds loudly in my ears, drowning out the sounds of battle around us. Flashes of light in the distance, and I know the sun soldiers are lighting huge swaths of enemies on fire. But I have eyes only for Sadal.
My enemy and I lunge for each other’s throats. We clash violently, bodies slamming together. We wrestle, my arm locked tightly around Sadal’s throat. He claws at my face, tearing gashes in my cheeks. I grit my teeth and force the dagger from his hand, tossing it aside. His eyes bulge as my arm squeezes around his windpipe. Suddenly, the tent flap flies open, the light of dawn spilling into the room.
“We have to retreat, the demons –”
My head snaps towards Maaz’s voice. Her blue eyes are wide, locked on Sadal, slowly suffocating in my grip. She snarls, perfect lips curled back over perfect teeth. I roll to the side, releasing Sadal, just as she leaps at me.
She swipes at me with her poisoned tipped blade, looking wild. “Altair,” she cackles. “I should have known you were behind this.”
“Behind what?” I ask, dodging her dagger.
“The demons are loosed,” she hisses. “What have you done to him?”
I slam into her, using my height and weight to knock the slight woman off her feet. Her dagger falls from her hands when she crashes into the floor. She rolls to the side, but I leap on top of her, dragging her away from her blade. She writhes beneath me, screaming for Sadal. He’s coughing, hand on his throat but he can hardly rise. I grin, a sense of victory welling inside me at the sight of him crippled.
Maaz punches me, her nails raking over my other cheek. I hiss and wrap one hand around her slim neck. With my free hand, I draw my dagger and hoist it over her heart. Her eyes widen with fear, spittle flying from her red lips. It’s as if time stops, a perfect moment, frozen in time. I stare down at the woman who wasted a thousand years of my life and helped the dark god steal Verity from me. Quiet joy builds in my chest and my skin prickles with anticipation.
“This will be so satisfying,” I murmur, smiling coldly.
Before she can speak, I thrust the blade into her chest. It slips smoothly through her muscles and between her ribs, into her heart. She gasps, blooding leeching from between her lips. Red always was her color. I close my eyes, waiting to feel the weight of the curse lifted. Waiting to feel the oozing of her magic slip from my veins.
Maaz laughs, the sound strangled and soft. Her blue eyes are bright, a smile on her bloodied lips. “Permanent now,” she cackles breathlessly.
“What are you talking about?” I hiss, eyes blazing. My heart clenches with fear.
She lifts a finger and presses it weakly to my chest. “The curse…” She coughs, blood splattering across my face. “It’s part of you now… Forever.”
I feel the blood drain from my face, fear and disbelief squeezing my heart too tight. Her head falls back, her blonde hair ringing her head like a halo. The light fades from her eyes and I roll off of her body, chest heaving. The curse is like a seed of darkness in my chest. I choke back on my fury, knowing she spoke the truth. One last victory for the Bloodbane. My fingers wrap around the hilt of my dagger, shaking with anger.
My shadowed eyes turn on Sadal. He tosses me a lopsided grin, still rubbing his neck. I curl my lip at him and stalk towards him. He doesn’t flinch away, instead goading me with his eyes. He wants me to kill him, I realize. I push the thought away. If anyone deserves to die, it’s Sadal. He took Verity from me. He married her. He made her pull away from me in pursuit of his tricks. He razed my kingdom to the ground with his demons and witches.
I crouch beside him, staring intently at him while all of his crimes play inside my head like an orchestra. I know my hand is shaking, but it isn’t with fear. It’s anticipation. Sadal smiles, waiting for the killing blow.
In a blur of motion, I strike his temple with the hilt of the dagger. He crumples to the ground with a sigh. I toss aside the blade and bury my hands in my hair. E
yes wide, intense, and lost, I stare at the ground. I tangle my fingers into my hair and take a deep, shaky breath. I need him, I tell myself. I don’t want to make the same mistake I just made with Maaz. The short satisfaction of killing my enemy was outlived by the knowledge of my cursed fate. I won’t let it happen again with Sadal.
I think of the Shades, of their ominous, shadowy presence at the fringe. Wherever they are, whatever they are, Sadal will know. I turn back to Sadal’s unconscious form. Out cold, he doesn’t look like much. With his slight frame and lean build, Navi could have taken him out much quicker than I was able to. He’s just a normal Fae man; one who once held the fate of the entire realm in his hands.
Grunting, I hoist Sadal’s limp body onto my shoulder and turn towards the door. I slip out of the tent into a scene of carnage and gore I never imagined. The demons have ripped apart anyone in their path, including the Bloodbane witches. Deadwood brooms are scattered across the landscape, bits and pieces of bodies clustered around. The ground shimmers red in the morning light, coated in blood. The earth is soaking in it.
I cover my nose with my sleeve as the smell of burnt flesh and blood assaults me. Flames still burn nearby, tents and supplies smoking lightly. The sun soldiers have scorched much of the Bloodbane camp, and dead demons with burnt and roasted skin are frozen in place everywhere. I gag at the sight of a burst eyeball and head away from the sounds of the fighting towards the fort.
I crest a hill, looking out over the camp. The Fae forces are winning, driving the Bloodbane back into the air and towards the mountains. I watch them retreat, leaving their sisters behind without a second glance. I wonder if any of them even know what happened to Maaz – if any of them even care. My eyes drift back to the tent where I left her corpse. It goes up in a blaze, the edges of it catching the flames of the scorched earth.
I spin in a slow circle, watching as demons lope off in all directions. My archers take them down, but I know enough have escaped to pose a problem. My eyes drift disgustedly towards Sadal and I drop him carelessly.
The curse is inside me, growing more powerful by the second. I fish for it now, harnessing the power and shifting into my beastly form. I stretch out my wings and lift Sadal gently with my mouth. I carry him, tasting his sour blood, towards the fortress. From this height, I can see the black clusters of the demons fleeing over the rocky landscape in all directions. I watch my forces pursue them on foot, taking care of the stragglers.
The fortress is in full view in the morning light. It’s the first clear day in a week, as if the sun was hailed by our victory. I feel a seed of happiness grow inside of me, driving out the sad reality of the curse. We’ve done it. We stopped Sadal’s conquest of Alnembra.
I almost drop Sadal, thinking to release a roar of victory. I catch myself just in time but allow myself the small pleasure of imagining his corpse plummeting to the earth. He’s beginning to stir, and I bite down harder on him to make him aware of his position. He freezes as I begin my descent towards the gates of the keep.
I fly in a slow circle, descending gently so I don’t jostle Sadal free. I touch down, dropping him callously. He lands with a huff, groaning in pain. I shift into my Fae form and resist the urge to kick him in the ribs.
“Bring me chains,” I command, watching Sadal from the corner of my eyes.
One of the soldiers scurries off to obey. I grin down at Sadal. He glowers at me. But not even his anger can dampen the satisfaction of this victory. If anything, it just makes it sweeter.
Chapter 2
Verity
The soldier leads me through the gates of the cliff-side fortress and explains quickly to the guards who I am. I crane my neck, searching for Navi in the cluster of soldiers that stayed behind. Most of Altair’s forces are gone now and I can hear the sounds of battle in the distance. My stomach clenches thinking of Altair flying towards the overwhelming forces.
“Come on,” the soldier snaps at me. She jerks her head to the side.
She grips my good arm, leading me through the courtyard towards the imposing fort. The doors are heavy and thick, and they slam closed behind us with a resounding bang. I stumble, trying to keep up with the soldier but my eyes are heavy. At my feet, Serus stalks beside me, his amber eyes flashing towards me from time to time.
The flow of blood from my wounds has lessened, but I’m not sure if that’s because the blood has coagulated or if there simply isn’t any left to spill. I hiss in pain when the soldier wrenches me to the side, ducking against one of the walls. My eyes flash towards her and I scowl. “What did you do that for?” I snap weakly.
She shakes her head at me, and I narrow my eyes in confusion. Footsteps, soft and delicate reach my ears. I look up, towards an ebony-skinned woman in fine, golden silks. Her almond-shaped eyes rove over me and a smile quirks at her full lips. My lips part in surprise at seeing such a beauty. The woman is all high, round cheekbones, and glowing skin. We watch her pass, flanked by Fae soldier dressed in strange armor. I saw soldiers like that in Altair’s army, marching away from the fortress.
When the woman has rounded the corner, the soldier drags me out from the alcove and down the hall. My breath is shallow, but no matter how much I gulp at the air, I can’t seem to get enough. The soldier’s eyes dart towards me, filled with concern. A door looms ahead, distorted and twisted. No, I think slowly, my vision is swimming.
We push through the door and she deposits me on the feather-soft cot as a wizened Fae turns in surprise. I sink into the cot, blissful sleep tugging at my conscious. I almost can't feel the pain throbbing in my arm or leg anymore.
“This woman needs help,” the soldier says fiercely. “She’s lost a lot of blood.”
I feel the healer at my side, poking and prodding me, running his hands over my arm and leg. He tuts to himself and I groan unhappily. I just want to sleep. He hushes me and pulls apart the binding. The air suddenly stinks with the coppery tang of blood and it pricks at my sense. I wrinkle my nose against it, hardly remembering it’s my own blood.
Suddenly, blinding hot pain erupts in my thigh and I release a shrill scream. I roll to the side, desperate to get away from the terrible burning in my leg. But the soldier’s hands pin me down, her vibrant eyes lock on my face as I scream. I buck, making the pain worse, but all I can think is that I need to get away.
“Hush,” the healer murmurs. “Stop writhing about.”
I shake my head, biting down hard on my bottom lip. Tears stream down my cheeks, making clean streaks across the dust on my face. I try to settle, but I can’t stop myself from arching my back and twisting in the soldier’s grip. She squeezes tighter, painfully so, and glowers at me. I know she wants me to shut up and sit still, but I can hardly control my body in this pain.
Serus coils up on the pillow beside me and places a single paw on my forehead. His paw is cool, like a bundle of ice on my fevered skin. I relax as my conscious slowly fades into darkness. The pain is nothing but a dull throb in the back of my mind as I float into nothing. I smell a tang of magic and I know he’s using whatever powers he brought with him from the ether to soothe me. I let him, grateful for his efforts. I drift away in the darkness, eyes closed.
When I wake up again, it feels like my leg and arm are on fire. I blink against the bright sunlight streaming through the windows and grit my teeth against the pain. Serus is beside me, stretching out lazily in the sun. The soldier is gone, though I can feel bruises where she held me down before I passed out. I look to the right and see the healer busying himself around a table filled with herbs and poultices. He turns, as if he could sense that I’m awake.
“Ah,” he says, moving to my side. “You have quite the little helper here, don’t you?”
I follow his gaze to Serus and my mouth goes dry. Does he know Serus is from the ether? “I do,” I say hesitantly.
The healer nods. “You lost quite a bit of blood, but I’ve managed to restore most of it. You’ll want to drink a lot of water, stay away from spirits,” he sa
ys, sounding like a gentle teacher. “I’ve sealed up the wounds but do keep the area clean.”
I try to rise up to a sitting position. “Thank you,” I say quietly.
“Of course, anything for the Curse-Breaker.” The healer gives me a hand. “Be gentle, don’t push yourself.”
I start at the use of the title; I haven’t heard it from a Fae in what feels like years. “How did you know?” I ask, brows furrowing.
“You have a way about you,” he says simply.
He returns to the table with his poultices and herbs and silence falls in the room. I push slowly to my feet, breathing out slowly. I feel better than I have in a long time, strength has returned to my limbs and I feel comfortable in my body even with the magic in me. Serus follows me out of the room and I glance over my shoulder once more at the healer. He gives me a soft smile before turning away again.
I let the door fall closed behind me and march down the hall towards the main doors. “What are you doing?” Serus asks, his voice silky.
“I’m going to find Altair,” I say.
He darts in front of me, as if to block my path, but I step around him easily. “The healer said to take things slow.” His tail swishes. “You should be resting.”
I scoff. “I’ve done enough of that. I don’t want to sit on my ass while Altair needs help.”
“Charming,” Serus drawls. “What can you do?”
“Something,” I mutter. I lost my dagger after my first failed assassination attempt and I don’t have the time or strength to make another. “I’ll find a way.”
