by M H Soars
He opens his mouth, but a gust of wind comes out of nowhere, sending snow flurries all around us in a circular motion.
“Fuck! They’re coming.” Zeke looks at the sky.
The streetlights flicker and a strange energy crackles in the air. Then sudden light appears in the distance, becoming brighter as it approaches us. It descends and the brightness dims, revealing a winged horse wearing golden armor. Lying across the horse’s back is Billy, no longer a wolf but most definitely knocked out. He’s fully clothed too.
“What the hell,” I say.
“Pegasus. Thank fuck. I was beginning to think the Furies had gotten rid of you for good,” Zeke says.
“They wouldn’t dare. I’m Zeus’s champion after all,” the horse replies.
Tristan and I trade a glance. The damn horse just spoke. Now I’ve seen it all.
“What did you do to the wolf pup?” the imp continues.
“He was under Alecto’s compulsion. I had no choice but to knock him out. He’ll be okay.”
Shivering already, I ask, “So you’re Pegasus, the mythical Greek creature.”
“Yes. We’ve been through this before,” the horse replies with a hint of impatience.
“They got their minds scrubbed again,” Zeke explains. “Why aren’t you shifting into your warrior form?”
“Zeus is most displeased that I interfered in your affairs. He forbade me from helping.”
“And here you are. Don’t like to follow rules much, huh?” I smirk.
“Don’t be absurd. I’m only here because Zeus allowed. But I can only assist this one time. I’m sorry.”
“And how do you plan to help us?” Tristan asks, crossing his arms.
The streetlights begin to flicker again, and the wind picks up once more. Only this time, I know something wicked is coming our way.
“Okay, this is definitely them.” Zeke pulls a short sword with a shiny crystal embedded on its hilt out of thin air.
Pegasus trots toward us. “Quickly now, touch my wings.”
Zeke immediately does so, but Tristan and I hesitate. The imp glowers at us. “What are you waiting for? Touch the damn wings!”
A cold shiver runs down my spine, announcing the arrival of something very powerful and malevolent. Shit. I don’t want to stay and face the newcomer.
Tristan and I both touch the mythical winged horse at once, and bright light envelopes us all. The ground vanishes and my body feels boneless, as light as a feather. The sensation only lasts a few seconds before we drop from a great height, landing awkwardly on a hard surface.
I blink my eyes open while I try to catch my breath. A grunt to my right catches my attention. I sit up and catch Tristan doing the same. Not too far from us are Zeke and Billy, who’s slowly coming to. But there’s no sign of Pegasus.
“Where are we?” I ask.
Zeke looks around and lets out a string of curses. “Fuck a duck. I can’t believe I’m back here.”
“Where is here?” Tristan grits out.
“The Wastelands.”
Chapter 14
Red
Nina and I walk side by side down a narrow alleyway that skirts the big market I saw from afar. She seems to know where she’s going, but the feeling of doom won’t leave my chest. I bring my too-small jacket close together, trying to ward off the chills running through my body.
“So, you don’t remember anything at all?” she asks.
“I have memories, but I’m afraid they’ve been tampered with by the Furies.”
“Just when you think you’re done dealing with asshole deities, Artemis’s past comes to bite you in the ass.”
“I don’t understand why she won’t help us.”
“Because she’s a jealous bitch.”
“Great.” I kick a loose pebble, frustrated with everything. “Do you know the way out of this place?”
“Yes. One doesn’t come to the Wastelands voluntarily without having an escape route. However, it’s not safe in your condition.”
“So where are you taking me?”
“To see an old friend.”
The manner in which she emphasized the word friend clues me in that this person is anything but. I’m not even sure if I can trust Nina, but it’s not like I have any other choice. This memory-loss deal blows.
I tap the breast pocket on my jacket to make sure Kenya is still there. I wish she was here. She’d better be okay once I break the spell those bitches cast on her.
Nina and I reach the end of the alleyway, coming to a vast, barren field that stretches for miles. There’s nothing in sight.
“I was really hoping we wouldn’t have to venture out in the desert again,” I say.
“We aren’t.” Nina pulls a metallic dial with odd markings around it from inside her jacket. At its center is a yellow, multifaceted stone that seems to pulse from within.
“What’s that?”
“The key to the back door of the palace.” She smirks before raising the medallion.
There’s a ripple around the strange object, almost as if Nina touched water. The ripple is quickly followed by sparks of electricity. In an instant, a wooden door materializes out of thin air. The stone is now embedded in the surface. Letting go of the object, Nina pushes the door open and crosses into the unknown.
“Come on, Red,” she calls from within.
A shiver of apprehension runs down my spine as I follow her, and my jaw drops of its own accord when I take in the room. The magical door led to a wide hallway that, thanks to its décor, I can only assume belongs to a castle. The ceiling must be at least twenty feet high. To my left, tall windows let through sunshine, and the colored glass details on top create a prism effect where the light hits.
“Amazing. But there’s no sun outside.”
“No. What you see here is nothing but an illusion. Come on. We must speak with Prythian at once.”
I furrow my brows. That name sounds familiar, but as hard as I try to remember who it belongs to, I can’t. All I get is an uncomfortable itch in my brain, one I can’t scratch.
Fuck the Furies.
Nina strides ahead with the confidence of one who knows what they’re doing. I quicken my pace to keep up with her, not wanting to get lost in this place. She stops in front a set of double doors at the end of the hallway. They’re manned on each side by tall sentries dressed in full knight regalia. They’re too bulky and wide to be human.
“You again. What do you want, fox?” the guard on the left asks.
“Hello, Tweedle Dum. I’m here to speak with your boss.”
The guard grunts. “He’s busy.”
“Doing what? Changing his hair color for the umpteenth time?”
The ground and walls shake, rattling the oil paints hanging from them. Who the hell is doing that? The guards trade a glance, and then the one on the right shrugs.
“Let them through. If the King of Bastards decides to obliterate them, it’s not our concern.”
Grumbling, his companion pushes one of the doors open. “Go in already.”
King of Bastards? I don’t like the sound of that at all. But Nina walks in without hesitation, so I follow close behind.
If I thought the hallway was impressive, I don’t have words to describe the room I’m currently in now. There’s gold everywhere, plus impressive classical art that would put envy in the hearts of any museum curator. I honestly don’t know what to gawk at first.
That thought flies right out of my head when I catch movement in my peripheral vision, followed by an immeasurable source of power. Slowly, I turn toward it, finding a tall, beautiful man with long jet-black hair and cunning, hard eyes staring at me. He’s not human, that much I can gauge.
“What the hell are you doing back here, Nina? You were supposed to be on a job.”
“As you can see, I came across a peculiar situation.” She glances at me.
The ethereal man moves closer. He doesn’t make a sound as he walks. It’s almost as if he’s gliding.
I curl my hands protectively over my belly and take a step backward. The malice he’s projecting is giving me goose bumps and making me wish Nina never brought me here.
“Red, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again in my domain.” His gaze drops to my protruding belly. “And in that condition to boot.”
“Have we met?” I croak.
He raises an eyebrow and then turns his attention to Nina. “What’s going on?”
“She doesn’t remember you or ever coming here.”
The male wrinkles his forehead and looks back at me. “Interesting.”
Shivers run down my spine as I endure his malicious and cunning stare.
“Hey! Don’t you be having any ideas about Red. Remember our deal,” Nine says.
His lips become nothing but a thin, flat line as he narrows his eyes. “I didn’t forget our deal, fox spy. But the fact that you brought the wolf shifter here makes me believe that perhaps you have.”
“I didn’t forget anything. But I couldn’t abandon her in the Wastelands desert. She’s my friend.”
He shakes his head. “For a mercenary, you care too much about others. That won’t help you in your quest.”
Nina glowers at the male but doesn’t offer a retort. I have no idea what they’re talking about, but it’s not about me or how to get me out of here, so I open my mouth to speak up.
“Nina said you could help me.”
The King of Bastards walks leisurely toward a liquor tray and pours wine into a crystal chalice before he replies, “I suppose Nina didn’t tell you how hard it is to leave the Wastelands. I can help you, but it’ll require payment.”
“What kind of payment?” I grit out.
He brings the chalice to his lips and watches me through the rim.
“Add helping Red to my tab,” Nina says before the King of Bastards can reply.
His brows arch as he stares at her. “Your tab is already a mile long.”
She shrugs. “Exactly. One more favor won’t change much.”
I shouldn’t accept Nina’s offer, but I can’t make a deal with the male blindly. Plus, I have to think about my babies too.
“I’ll think about it,” he replies.
It makes my blood boil. Curling my hands into fists, I state, “There’s no time for you ponder shit. I can’t remain trapped here. I have to get back to my mates and find a way to defeat the Furies.”
His eyebrows shoot to the heavens. “The Furies are after you?” He whistles. “I don’t envy you.”
I feel a kick, which reminds me that I haven’t peed in like twenty minutes, which means I’m due again.
“Thanks for that useful remark. Where’s your bathroom?”
The powerful male keeps staring at me without blinking, as if what I just asked is a puzzle or something.
“Hello?” I wave my hand.
“Give him a second, Red. Prythian is still trying to process such a mundane question. He’s not used to the banalities of common living,” Nina replies.
“Well, if he doesn’t answer fast, I’ll pee right here all over his Persian rug.”
“There’s no need for such a barbaric act.” He flicks his hand, and in an instant, the urge to pee vanishes.
I let out a gasp, covering my belly. “What did you do to me?”
“I took care of your problem. Now, you were say—” He stops suddenly and clenches his jaw. As if he’s listening to something, he cocks his head to the side. After a moment, he continues. “You don’t need to worry about getting to your mates anymore.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I take a step forward, my heart beating at a staccato rhythm now.
“They’re here.”
Dante
I should shift to my wolf, but I don't think I'll have enough time to do so. Instead, I raise both hands and shuffle backward slowly, not taking my eyes off the monster hissing at me. It reminds me of a monitor lizard, if the large reptile had two heads and glowing red eyes.
My eyes drop to its developed limbs. I bet it can outrun me while I'm in human form. From the corner of my eye, I try to find anything I can use as weapon. But there's nothing for miles besides a gray, dry land. There's only one alternative, break into a run and shift during it.
I prepare to bolt when I hear the echo of someone cursing down the canyon a few yards from me. The creature's attention also diverts to the noise. Now it's my chance to get a head start, but when a familiar voice reaches me, I freeze.
It's Tristan.
What the hell is he doing here?
The lizard monster turns its snout up and flares its nostrils. Then he returns to his kill, ignoring me completely—at least for now. I inch toward the edge of the canyon without taking my eyes off the creature, but when I reach the crevice, I peel my eyes off it to glance down. Tristan, Sam, Billy, and Zeke are down below. Since neither of my brothers is in wolf form, I can't reach them telepathically. I stick my index finger and thumb in my mouth and whistle loudly.
They all look up.
“Dante? What are you doing here?” Sam asks, and his voice carries loudly.
“Shut up, you idiot. You’re not in Kansas anymore,” Zeke retorts in a much lower tone, but down in the canyon, every sound gets amplified.
Behind me, the devilish lizard hisses again. I look over my shoulder and find the creature staring in the opposite direction. There’s a small hill but nothing out of the ordinary until a cold breeze picks up, bringing to my nose the foul stench of rotten meat. Fuck, something nasty is coming.
I turn to the guys, who are now attempting to climb out of the canyon on my side. I wave maniacally to make them stop, but none are looking in my direction. For fuck’s sake. I bend over and pick up a small piece of rock. I throw it in Zeke's direction, since he’s the one leading the ascension. The rock hits the ground right in front of the imp, making too much noise for my liking.
Zeke looks up, mouth open to say something, when I signal for him to be quiet. Then I try to find the best path to go down the ravine and get out of sight.
Skittering behind me makes me turn. With a piece of raw meat in his large jaws, the monster lizard runs past me and hurries down the canyon. It doesn't take long for me to understand why. A horde of tall creatures appears on top of the hill, all carrying wicked-looking weapons. They wear rudimentary armor and fur, and their skins are different shades of gray and green. With their large noses and tusks protruding from inside their mouths, they can only be one thing—trolls.
With a battle cry, they raise their swords, spears, and axes and charge down the hill.
Son of a bitch. The time to be cautious is over.
I head down, following the path of dust the lizard left in its wake.
"What was that?" Billy asks, already back at the bottom of the canyon with the others.
Halfway down, I lose my footing on a loose rock, and the momentum sends me tumbling down the rest of the way. I hit my elbows and shoulders several times as I try to protect my head from banging against the hard surface.
My skull is throbbing, but I don’t miss the guttural sounds of the approaching horde. The soft thud of someone landing next to me catches my attention.
With a brusque movement, Tristan yanks me from the ground.
“Come on! We have to find cover.”
We run across the canyon without a clear destination in mind. There’s nowhere to hide, so our only hope of escaping is to reach the other side and climb out.
“Should we shift?” Billy asks.
“And leave me behind? You know I can’t run as fast as you in wolf form,” Zeke complains.
“Tough shit,” Sam replies.
“You’re an ungrateful son of a bitch. I’m in this situation because I was trying to help you, jackass.”
“We’re not shifting,” Tristan grunts.
We reach the other side of the canyon, and I finally dare to look over my shoulder. The trolls have descended en masse and are fast approaching, perched on their grotesque mounts.
“We gotta climb up fast.” I reach for the rocky wall, testing the protruding formation before putting my weight on it, when a spear flies an inch from my ear and pierces the spot next to my hand. “Fuck! That was close.”
“They’re coming!” Billy shouts.
I whirl on the spot, fangs and claws already on display. We don’t have a choice but to shift and fight the approaching trolls. We’re sorely outnumbered. There are at least twenty of them, heavily armed, and that’s without counting their mounts. We’ll be shredded in less than a minute.
Suddenly, the sound of a horn echoes in the valley. It’s coming from above us. The horde slows until they stop completely. All trolls have their gazes upward.
“Shit. Someone else is coming,” Zeke mutters.
“Look, the trolls seem uneasy now. That’s good, right?” Billy points out.
“It depends. If they’re afraid, then the new party is much more dangerous than they are.”
The horn sounds again before the troll leading the horde is skewered by a lance. He spits dark blood from his mouth and falls from his hideous steed. His companions stare at him for a couple of seconds before retreating as fast as they can.
I turn around and look up. A tall man with long black hair sits proudly atop a russet warhorse. There’s no sun here, but his black armor seems to shine nonetheless. He stares straight at me, and then recognition hits me.
It’s Prythian, the King of Bastards.
Chapter 15
Red
“This is madness. Why wouldn’t Prythian let us go with him?” I ask.
“How many times are you going to ask me that?” Nina replies from her prone position on the white chaise lounge.
“Ugh! How can you be so calm about it? He’s evil. Do you trust him?”
Nina snorts. “Prythian? Not even as far as I can throw him.” She throws her legs off the couch and leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “He’s not called the King of Bastards for no reason. He’s a banished high fae lord from one of the Unseelie Kingdoms.”
