Cole stepped in front of her and watched as the last of their group walked up to them. Both men carried themselves with a bit of arrogance and neither would look at Dru. She felt like she was working with men that fully hated her before they even knew her name. This was not going to end well for her.
CHAPTER THREE
Tac
His gaze floated from Cole to the woman beside him. She was dressed appropriately for a peasant. Not the Queen of the Fae. Her beautiful golden hair was tied back from her face, exposing the curves of her neck. The button-down shirt she was wearing had opened just enough he could see the top of her bosom as she breathed. He shook his head. This was not how a queen would dress or carry herself, but this was no queen. This was a human girl playing dress up.
“This is not what I want to be doing,” he said to Fin.
Fin laughed and gave him a hard push. “This is where we are commanded to go,” He answered.
“I don’t care,” This woman isn’t a royal. She’s an imposter.”
“Maybe, but we have a duty to our people,” Fin said, stopping in front of him. “This is how we get back into the royal graces.”
Tac shook his head. He met Fin’s emerald eyes and made a face. “This isn’t how I wanted to do it.”
“You never know, you might like her.”
He pushed the large Fae playfully. Fin wasn’t overly big like Tac was, but he was large enough he could hold his own, especially when you gave the man a couple of short swords.
“I will never like a human.”
They walked the rest of the distance to the human and Cole standing in the center of a field of yellow roses. Any other time and he might stop to pick one. It was always nice to have a flower in case he ran into someone he knew, but today it was about the human and protecting her for the short time he hoped she would be here.
“Tac, this is Dru,” Cole said, nodding his head to the woman.
Tac sighed and glanced back to Cole. “I’ll stay in the stable.”
He pushed passed the small group and gave Ian a hard push.
“That’s right, just push your way through. That’s how you do it, Tac,” Ian yelled behind him. Tac didn’t even bother to look back. He simply laughed and kept going to the stable. The horses would be better company than they would.
He walked through the flowers and turned right to go to the back end of the castle. He’d been here so many times he knew right where he was going. He didn’t understand why the council would have picked a human to be their new royal. She was small and frail. She had no magick or other skills that he could see in his brief time with her and she was not a Fae. In the four hundred years he’d been alive, they’d never resorted to putting a human on the throne.
He walked into the stable and threw his bags in the corner. He was still mad about being made to come back here after everything he’d been through, but he knew he didn’t have a choice. When they called, you came or you died.
He glanced down the row of stalls, looking for one in particular. A white mare. It belonged to the last royal and was more beautiful than any horse he’d ever seen, but it wasn’t in the last stall like before. It was gone.
“She escaped not long ago,” Cole said over his shoulder.
“Why did you bring me here?” Tac didn’t turn to face him. He was too angry to move.
“We need a warrior of your skills,” Cole said without flinching.
“You know what being here does to me.” He shook his head. “There are too many memories.”
“They would want you to continue the legacy.”
Tac turned to face him. “You of all people shouldn’t be talking to me about legacy.”
“Careful,” Cole warned.
“If you had only followed through, we would be following you right now. Not that girl that doesn’t even want to be here,” Tac spat. He dug his fingers into his palm. “This is a mistake. She’s a mistake.”
“I do what I must,” Cole said simply.
“So, will I,” Tac said turning from him. “I won’t stay here.”
“That’s your choice, but if you leave, you are betraying her memory.”
“Her memory?” He laughed. Tac shook his head. “Go away.”
“I’ll be expecting you for dinner tonight. You need to try.”
Tac listened as Cole left the stable and he sighed. There was no way he was going to that dinner tonight. He’d rather cut off his own feet than sit with that human, but he’d stick around and see if maybe he could earn a place at the castle for when the real royal came. Until then, he just needed to wait.
CHAPTER FOUR
Dru
Dru watched the Blond Fae man walk passed her. He didn’t even look her way.
“I’m Fin,” the other Fae, a light auburn haired man extended his hand as he spoke. “You’re the new Queen, then.” He laughed. “Exciting stuff.”
“I guess,” Dru said shrugging. “I don’t understand any of it.”
“That comes with time,” Fin said. He was dressed in earthy tones and wool fabric. He seemed to want to be more comfortable than anything.
“Excuse me,” Cole said before following Tac to the stable. Dru watched him walk away and felt very much alone.
“Don’t worry about Tac. He’s always a grumpy ass.” Fin smiled. “Have you been to the forest yet?”
“No, I’ve just stayed here at the castle and in the gardens now.”
“Oh, you have to see the forest. It’s full of interesting creatures I’m sure your world doesn’t’ have,” he said.
“My world?” Dru passed and considered his words.
“Earth has its own unique things, but it’s nothing like here.”
“You talk about it like it’s a different place,” Dru said with a laugh.
“No one told you.” He bit his lip. “I really should let Cole explain it.”
Dru grabbed his arm. “No, you will explain it to me.” The harshness in her voice surprised even her. She was never forceful, but this was already scaring her and she didn’t know why.
Fin sighed. “This land is on a different plane from Earth. We are near to each other and we are closely related, but two different worlds.”
“Wait, so the myths are true?” Dru shook her head. “No, this is crazy.”
“My dear, this is not crazy. We have mated with humans before. It’s just never been that one was our Queen.” Fin put his hand on her shoulder. “This is a tricky time for our world.”
Dru sat on the bench near her and glanced down the path. Ian was standing at the edge of the flowers keeping watch in the forest. She didn’t even know him and he was already protecting her.
“What do I do with this?” She felt the world closing in around her and she wasn’t ready for it. She closed her eyes and tried to settle her breathing when arms held her against a hard body. She couldn’t hear anymore, she was so far into her panic. She wrapped her fingers around the arms holding her up and let herself sink into them. Hot breath on the top of her head was comforting, even if she wasn’t sure about who owned it.
She felt herself calming and caught her breath. Dru opened her eyes and was met with Cole’s ice blue eyes staring back at her.
“She’s okay,” he said. Cole stepped back, but the arms bracing her from behind remained.
“It’s okay, little one,” Ian said from behind her. He didn’t loosen his grip or let her move and she was thankful for that in her own way. She wanted someone else to take care of her for a moment and let her just exist in his arms. Ian did exactly that.
#
Dru raised her head and looked at the three men around her. They were staring into the forest with their weapons drawn. She felt Ian wrap his arms around her tighter.
“We have to go,” he whispered. She didn’t even get a chance to say anything before he had her on her feet and pulling her to the castle. Cole was right behind them, but Fin was waiting at the edge of the field still watching the forest.
“Fin,
you have a duty,” Cole yelled and Fin gave him a look of disapproval before following close behind. They raced through the field and headed towards the castle’s side door.
Dru turned her head to look back, but Ian was too close to her. She couldn’t see anything but the fabric of his clothing. She could hear everything, the sound of screaming from all around her as others realized there was something coming from the forest. She could smell the blood, the cracking of bones and trees. She didn’t know what was coming for her, but it wasn’t anything good.
Ian looked down at her and smiled. “You’re okay.”
Dru felt anything but okay.
They pushed through the doors and Ian pulled her up the stairs. Cole was in front of them and Fin was still behind them watching for anything coming through. Dru turned back and glanced at the door. It vibrated at something on the other side hit it. She yelped and Cole grabbed her arm, pulling her through the doors at the top of the stairs and through the hallway. They stopped at a door she didn’t recognize. Cole pushed it open and pushed Dru through.
The rest of the men followed and they closed and locked the door behind them.
“What about Tac?” Fin said, putting his hand on the door.
“He’ll be fine. The guard should be able to hold them back for now,” Cole answered.
Ian walked around the room and closed the windows.
Dru finally got a sense of where they were. The room was large with wood floors and tall windows. The light blue curtains swayed in the wind as Ian moved through closing and shutting the shutters on the windows. The ceiling was covered in gold and wood with a simple chandelier hanging in the center. On the other side of the room were two thrones with purple cushions and gold inlay. Dru was mesmerized by the beauty of it all. Even when there were things that wanted to kill her and everyone else.
“We should be safe here until they get things under control,” Cole said.
“We’re just going to stay here and let the others do the work?” Fin said. He shook his head and his light auburn hair fell into his face. “We should be out there.”
“Our job is to keep Dru alive,” Cole said. He glanced at Dru who was sitting on the floor in front of the thrones.
“Those people, they aren’t going to be okay, are they?” Dru said. She glanced at Cole and then Fin.
Fin’s features softened and he glanced at her. “They know what they are doing. This isn’t the first time we’ve dealt with these things.”
“What are they?” Dru said.
“They are a part of the Darkness,” Cole said.
“The Darkness?”
“It’s a part of our history we thought was gone,” Ian said. “When I was a child, we dealt with their kind. They wanted Shara.”
“Why?” Dru shifted her gaze to Ian.
“Because Shara is the last stronghold of the Fae,” Cole said.
“The last stronghold?” Dru repeated. She didn’t understand what the hell they were talking about or what they were protecting.
“Shara is the final place in this land before yours,” Ian said. “You are the only human to ever be here in this kind of way, but you are obviously important to holding the line.”
“I don’t have any idea how I can help anyone,” Dru said. She shook her head. “I’m just a girl from New York.”
“You are more than that now. You’re the Fae’s last hope against the Darkness.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Cole
He watched her as she took in the information he and Ian had just told her. She looked as though she might get sick just from the shock of it. Cole, know he would have to tell her eventually. She was a key to saving their world and her own. Just neither knew how.
“What happens if they get through?” Dru said as something banged the door.
He wanted to rush to her and didn’t know why. He had never thought of a human or anyone the way he was thinking of her. He wanted to protect her and keep her from all of this.
“They won’t.” Cole turned away. “These are just the legions. They are fast, but they can’t fight like the others.”
“Others?” Dru said.
He hesitated. Cole struggled with how much to tell her. She was new to all this and he didn’t want to scare her away that fast.
“The darkness is a well-versed machine in war. They know exactly what they are doing,” Fin finished for him. “They won’t send in the best first.”
“Are we at war?” Dru asked.
She looked so innocent and fragile in that moment. Like a baby deer in the middle of the road. Cole didn’t know how to answer her so he didn’t.
The noise outside settled and there was a knock at the door. Dru jumped, but Cole knew exactly what it was.
He opened the door and standing outside was Tac. He was holding his blood covered sword and looked almost bored. That was the man Cole knew. The one that wasn’t afraid of anything.
“They have fallen back,” he said. Cole smiled.
“Good,” was all he said.
“What do you think they were doing here?” Ian said, stepping closer to Cole.
“They were looking for her, I’m sure.” Tac glanced passed the men to Dru sitting on the steps of the thrones watching them. “The last thing they are going to want is us united under a new Royal.”
“Then we must go where they won’t expect us,” Ian said.
“You want to go further into their territory,” Tac put together. “But that might be bringing her right into their hands.”
“I thought she didn’t matter to you?” Cole said before he thought about it.
Tac gave him a stern look. “I know my duty. I may not like it, but it’s what we are doing.”
“Are you sure?” Cole pressed. Something felt off about the way he was so sure in what was happening.
“It’s not my idea to take her into their territory,” Tac countered.
“I know the woods better than the darkness.” Ian smiled. “I can keep you all alive.”
The men looked at him and he smiled.
“Where do you propose, we go?”
“There’s an old outpost to the north. I stay there when I’m not on duty. It’s as safe as any castle.” Ian glanced from Cole to Tac. “I have my tricks too.”
Cole sighed and glanced from tac and Ian to Dru. This was the only thing they could agree on. Even Tac was willing to stick around long enough to keep Dru out of harm’s way. They were finally united on something. Cole just hoped it stayed that way.
CHAPTER SIX
Dru
She watched as the men talked near the door and tried to calm herself. She’d been here all of two days and already there were things trying to kill her. She’d never been good at dealing with death.
When she was ten her grandmother died and all she wanted to do was crawl in a hole someplace until it was over. Everything changed that day and she knew it wouldn’t be the last time she’d deal with it. She remembered the funeral and watching them close the casket over her grandmother’s figure. She almost looked too peaceful as they slowly took her from the world in her final resting place.
This was different and she knew it. This time it would be her being closed in the casket, but she wouldn’t be near her family. She’d be alone, save four Fae guards that didn’t seem to want to protect her because they cared, but because it was their duty as Fae warriors.
She tried to listen to what they were saying, but they were too far from her. She sighed and ran her hand across the arm of the throne. It was amazing how the carving of it looked so precise. She smiled and felt a tingle in her hand.
Dru pulled her hand away and bit her lip. She was curious. Slowly, she placed her hand back on the edge of the armrest and felt a surge of energy. She gasped as it traveled through her and settled in her chest. Dru pulled back and the feeling was gone.
“We aren’t going to stay here,” Cole announced and Dru shook off the odd feeling in her chest.
“Wouldn’t it be sa
fer to stay here? There are guards and people who will warn us,” Dru said and then she thought about it. If they stayed here, they were risking lives of people who had nothing to do with it. She glanced back at Cole. “No, you’re right. We can’t stay here.”
He squinted at her before glancing to Ian. “There’s an outpost we can go to. Can you ride?”
“A horse?” She felt stupid the minute she said it. She’d never ridden a horse in her life. She’d never even went to summer camp. She shook her head.
“You’ll ride with me, then.” Cole reached for her and pulled her to her feet.
“You’ll be safer with Cole until I can teach you,” Ian said with a smile.
“You’d teach me to ride?” Dru was slightly confused at the idea he wanted to help her. She was the cause of all this, but she didn’t know much about the darkness. Maybe it was more than that.
“Of course. Every Royal should be able to ride a horse. You’ll need it to get around when you are called.” He put his hand on the small of her back and she felt her pulse skip a beat. Everything about this man could kill her, but she felt strangely protected when he was near.
They made their way through the hallway and Dru finally got a look at what the darkness could do. There were bodies scattered through the hallway. Some with missing eyes and others ripped apart. She bit her lip. This is what would happen to her if the darkness captured her. It would rip her apart and ship her body parts to Shara. She was sure of that.
“Don’t look, Queen,” Cole said gently from behind her.
“If I’m your Queen, then I should see it all,” she said without thinking. It surprised even her. She felt a new sense of responsibility with all this. She didn’t know why she was here, but these people needed her. She bit her lip. But so did her family.
Her mother would be worried about her by now. She probably had missed several classes and her friends were probably looking all over New York for her. She didn’t know what to do.
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