Scarlet Forest

by Jennifer Ann Reed

I stumbled when pain exploded in my stomach. I panted and bent over, shuffling backward out of his reach. Bile rose in my throat and spilled past my lips. Caden dug his fingers into my hair and yanked my face up.

  “I’ll take great joy in killing my father’s murderer.” He punched my cheek and blood mixed with my spit. “You’ll never take Kitra’s place.” Another punch and my eye swelled shut.

  FIGHT! My wolf’s scream cut through my reluctance and I sucker-punched Caden below the belt. He gagged and fell face down in the grass and curled up on his side, groaning. I resisted the urge to go to him.

  “You have to stop this.” I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and called my wolf to heal my eye faster.

  Aelfric sneered, and he crouched to look at Caden. “Pathetic. Get up and end this or I’ll break our deal.” Caden crawled to his feet.

  “What did you promise him?” I glanced between my recovering soulmate and my enemy.

  “His pack’s safety.” Aelfric hit me with a blast of green magic. “Finish her.”

  Caden descended on me like a rabid animal. I threw my arms up to block the blows and landed a few of my own. I had to get away from him or bring him back to me or else one of us would die at the other’s hands. He raised both arms above his head, intending to bring them down on my head. I grabbed his wrists over the cuffs on his downward swing and used all my strength to stop his attack.

  I stared into the icy eyes I’d craved to see again since Aelfric had taken him. What I hoped to see had been replaced with Aelfric’s nightmares. Caden’s manacles heated under my touch and his eyes rolled back in his head.

  “I said to finish her!” Aelfric stood by the gate.

  My fae magic slithered up my arms as we wrestled for the upper hand. I focused on the Caden’s bindings and the purple tendrils wove around the blue magic holding him prisoner.

  “I can’t lose you too.” Sweat dotted my forehead while I held his arms at bay.

  Caden’s features scrunched when I pushed more magic into the cuffs. I didn’t want to lose control and accidentally engulf him in my fairy fire, but I was fixated on breaking Aelfric’s hold on him. My energy pulsed and glowed brighter. Suddenly, my wolf pushed it harder, and the sky brightened.

  Gasps sounded around us when we levitated off the ground encased in a violet sphere. The cuffs dissolved and Caden sighed. His red flesh was raised and chafed, but his mark was visible.

  “Look at your mark.” My arms shook while Caden still fought against me.

  The fight drained from him when he saw his wrist. The gaze became distant as he looked around us and then down at me. He shook his head and furrowed his brows. My body relaxed but my magic didn’t. The force built until I couldn’t control it any longer. The sphere exploded and Caden pulled me to his chest, turning in the air. We smashed into the ground and I landed on top of him. The world spun and chaos ensued.

  Chapter 22

  Kitra

  T IME SLOWED BUT EVERYTHING seemed to happen at once. What happened? Is Caden back? I checked Caden for a pulse and found a strong one on his neck. Shouts rang out among the trees as more Dark Ones filtered from them. The group at the base of the hill charged towards us with weapons raised.

  It’s not over yet. The Creator’s voice floated over my ears.

  “Don’t touch them!” Aelfric’s bellow stopped his followers in their tracks. “Caden will do what he’s supposed to do. He won’t destroy his own pack for a girl.”

  Their attention shifted to the newcomers coming from the trees and they changed course. Blades clanged and magic soared through the sky as my family and allies attacked. I don’t remember if I gave the signal to the others, but I doubted after seeing my mini explosion in the air that they would hold their positions. Still, I couldn’t concentrate on anything besides the male lying under me. His breathing came in fast puffs and his eyes followed a zooming line under his lids. I brushed the hair back from his face and he stirred.

  Caden opened his eyes and stared into mine with a blank expression. He blinked rapidly and flipped us over, pinning me underneath him. He shook his head and grabbed my wrists together in one large palm. His free hand caressed my face and slid to the base of my neck.

  “I told you to finish her!” Aelfric lobbed a green orb at one of the female shifters I had trained. The female yelped and crashed against the ground never getting back to her feet. “I want to watch you kill her. Watch you kill your soulmate, Caden. If you don’t, I’ll make you watch me kill every member of your pack. Remember, this creature isn’t Kitra.”

  Still, Caden didn’t move. I licked my lips, and he followed the movement with his gaze.

  “Caden, I know you’re still in there. I know you came back to Moon Stone Ranch for the dagger. You thought you could save the pack if you had it.” His grip tightened around my wrists. “Don’t let Aelfric destroy you.”

  “Don’t listen to her.” Aelfric picked up Caden’s manacles and tried to infuse them with his magic again. “She’ll tell you anything to get you to fail your pack. Listen to her and they all die.”

  “He’s lying.” Wet tracks carved through the dirt on my face. “Caden, he’s a deceiver. This is what he wants, but together we can beat him. He won’t get away this time. We need you, Caden. I need you.” He raised my wrists over my head. “We have the weapon.”

  “The weapon?” Aelfric stalked forward and kicked my side. “It’s a fairytale for fools. No one believes in the weapon anymore. It’s never been found. Now finish her before I kill everyone here and their deaths are on your hands.”

  The fighting in the background grew louder, but I didn’t look away from Caden. “Don’t do this. Be the man your father raised you to be. Don’t let his death be in vain.”

  Caden’s hand squeezed my throat.

  My limbs loosened, and I chose not to fight him. “It’s okay, Caden. I don’t blame you. I can’t imagine a life without you in it or seeing you as a Dark One. I’ll always be your Kitten. I’m r… ready to die.”

  Caden clenched his teeth and lowered his face until our lips almost touched. He tightened his grip and blackness called out to me.

  “I… I love you, Caden Grey.” My eyes fluttered and my lungs cried for air. I struggled not to slip away. I couldn’t go until I told him. Not until he knew the truth. “I c… choose you as my true mate.” The back of my neck burned almost as bad as my chest while a piece of my soul severed from the rest.

  “Kitra!” I heard Ryn’s voice tainted in agony. “Get to Kitra now!”

  With the little strength I had left, I closed the distance between Caden and myself. I dropped my head after the feathery kiss and memorized his face. Caden’s grip loosened and sweet oxygen filled my lungs. I coughed, and he released my arms.

  “Kill her!”

  Caden’s eyes unclouded and tears filled them. “What have I done? Please forgive me, Kitra. Please forgive me for betraying you. For betraying our people. He made me believe you were dead.” He traced the bruising circling my throat. “I love you. I choose you too.” This time his lips molded to mine and my wolf cried out that she was finally home.

  When the kiss ended, he turned towards Aelfric. “You.” Caden raised to his feet. “Are going to die.”

  “This isn’t possible.” Aelfric took a step backward. “She couldn’t break my hold on you. No one can do that.” His mouth slackened when I stood.

  My wolf blazed behind my eyes and my strength returned. Aelfric threw orbs in our direction and we jumped out of the way. By the time we stood again, Aelfric had run down the hillside into the battle.

  To our left, King Roland emerged with reinforcements and the bloodbath continued. Dire Wolves and Gray Wolves fought side-by-side with the fae and vampires. Soon, the ground rumbled, and the chunks of the earth fell from under a group of Dark Ones who were emerging from the trees. Lira charged forward in long sweeps and twirls, leaving shrieks in her wake. Phobos had morphed into his shadow and leapt out of the way of a glass vial launch
ed at his head. Several similarly smashed bottles littered the area around him.

  Kitra? I heard my name called by Phobos and Austin.

  I’m all right. Caden is back.

  I pulled my katana from between my shoulders and sliced through the first Dark One who made it up the hill. I watched Caden call for his wolf and more tears slid down his chin when it answered. I could only imagine what Aelfric put him through. When he looked up again, his eyes hardened. A chill swept over me and left goosebumps dotting my flesh. Is he gone again? Caden charged towards me and shifted mid-leap, ripping into a Dark One who had snuck up behind me.

  The ground shook beneath us and I fought to stay on my feet. The elementals tore the land apart and buried their enemies underneath. No matter how many Dark Ones were killed, more poured from the forest like rats from a sewer.

  “We have to protect the gate!” I pulled my katana from another robed figure. “We have to wait for the other Guardians and Phobos.”

  “You said you found the weapon?” Caden shifted once more and took care of another figure. “Or did I make that up too? I’m not sure what’s real or what’s part of Aelfric’s lies.”

  Phobos and the others were gaining ground and pushed towards the hill. “We’re the weapon.” I pointed to them and back between us. I explained how it worked between fighting the next surge of Dark Ones as they came up the hill.

  “All we have to do is accept this energy and consciously want the same outcome?” Caden grunted as he flipped a robed figure onto their back.

  “Yeah. That’s what my mother’s journal said.” The hill was clear for the time being. “I thought we’d lost you forever. I wasn’t in a good place. Then, the journal revealed the answer when my lowest insecurities and darkness almost swallowed me.” Caden reached for me, but another Dark One raced up the hill.

  Phobos and Austin made it to us. Linc, Zander, and Curtis were still coming up the hill. Ryn sliced through another line of Dark Ones on the opposite side and joined us. Our gazes met, and he dropped his head while the rest of us gathered back to back. Across the field, Allie and Gwen raged against three Dark Ones as they fought their way to us.

  “Glad to have you back.” Linc fist bumped Caden. “You gave us quite a scare earlier.” Linc glanced between his friend and me.

  New advances bombarded our reunion and soon Ryn and I fought beside each other. He finished off the last Dark One on our side of the hill.

  “I can’t believe you chose him.” Several heads turned in our direction. “I thought we had things to work out. Now, my mark is gone and so is yours.”

  I covered the back of my neck, remembering the heat I’d felt earlier. “Yes, I choose Caden.” I had to make him understand. “Ryn, I know you love me, but I’m not your first love. Faerie is. You would die protecting it, and I know you would devote yourself to me and give me the perfect life there. But Ryn, Faerie isn’t my home.” I pointed my katana over our surroundings. “This is. This imperfect world is my home, and I’d give my life for it. Caden is my home.”

  A feminine scream yanked my attention back to Allie and Gwen. They were closer to us now, but a Dark One stood over an unarmed Gwen. Her sword sat several feet from her. The robed figure swung their weapon in an arc towards Gwen’s face and Austin yelled, but it never made contact.

  Bretton held his blade between them. “Get up the hill.”

  Allie and Gwen sprinted to us as Bretton faced off against his foe. The Dark One parried in a circle and I realized it was Aelfric. Bretton swung again, but Aelfric evaded his advance. King Roland slung a blue orb next to them when Bretton’s blade came close to taking off Aelfric’s head. Bretton looked towards the Unseelie King and Aelfric took the opening, stabbing Bretton in the side.

  “Bretton!” Ryn fought like a madman through another group of Dark Ones topping the hillside.

  Bretton dropped his sword and glanced at us. Then, he looked down at the wound and covered it with his hand. His palm came back up saturated in blood. Crimson spilled from his lips and Aelfric cackled when King Roland hit our friend with a blue orb. Bretton fell backward unmoving and stared at the sky.

  Chapter 23

  Kitra

  T HE WAR SURGED AROUND the tiny hill, and the scent of copper permeated the air. Metal clanged while more wails rose to the heavens. My grip on my katana loosened when I stared at Bretton’s lifeless body, resting in a pool of blood at the bottom of the trench. Clumps of earth blasted skyward and rained on our heads. While the others ducked for cover, I continued to gaze at our fallen comrade.

  I begged for him to twitch. I pleaded for a tiny show of life, but there was nothing. Particles from another elemental attack peppered his face. A large crack split the ground beneath him. As it widened, his body slipped out of sight before the earth sealed its wound.

  I heard the others yelling behind me and I surveyed the mayhem spread below us. My body flushed with intense heat while a guttural roar left my lips. I spun and shoved past the others. With wild abandon, I attacked each figure wearing a black robe until my katana was slippery and difficult to hold.

  A yelp pulled my attention to where Phobos was drenched in a slimy substance. Morgana’s robe fluttered open and revealed a suit similar to the one I wore. She cackled and reached for another bottle.

  Phobos! Phobos’s shadow dissolved and appeared behind Morgana. Her neck twisted under his shadowy form and slumped in the grass. Are you all right?

  I’ll be fine. Just not as fast. He shifted back to his husky form and shook out his fur as I ran to him. Don’t touch me, my Queen. We don’t know how the potion will affect you.

  My fingers paused over his head, and Phobos turned to his next adversary. I launched a purple orb past his head when a female Dark One attacked from his right side. My magic struck her torso and knocked her off her feet. Phobos sniffed her after he finished his own battle and confirmed she was dead.

  I turned back to my Guardians and friends and took one step. My limbs froze mid-step and moisture dried on my tongue. A shaky breath traveled down my throat. I tried to scream, but the sound I produced was a feeble squeak. King Roland crept up the hill behind Caden who was fending off a male Dark One. My stomach hardened when I saw a glint of silver peeking out behind the Unseelie’s robe.

  Caden used a blade he’d taken from a dead Dark One and skewered his opponent, but his back was turned to the true danger. King Roland lifted his sword and my cry echoed over the entire battle. Caden’s head swung towards me still unaware of his imminent death.

  Right before Aelfric’s father made his killing blow, Ryn threw himself between them. His sword swung in a horizontal line, removing the king’s head. My breath released and I bent over, pressing a palm over my raging heart. Why would Ryn save Caden’s life?

  More rambling thoughts scrambled my brain. I didn’t understand Ryn’s actions. He could’ve easily let King Roland kill Caden so I would have no choice but to go back to him. Whatever his reasons were, I knew I could trust him again and I smiled.

  I glanced up and watched Ryn turn around. The smile slipped from my face. Ryn’s face slackened and he fell to his knees. King Roland’s sword protruded from his stomach.

  “Ryn!” I rushed to him.

  He pulled the blade free and blood spilled from the gaping hole in his armor.

  I unclipped the bindings over his shoulders and pulled the chest plate off him. I pressed both hands over the wound.

  “So much for talking about things later.” Ryn’s eyes clamped shut and he groaned.

  “Tell me what to do, Ryn.” Tears stained my cheeks. Ryn coughed and blood-spattered his face and my arms. “Austin can fix this.”

  His hand gripped mine before I called Austin over. “No, Kitra. He doesn’t need to drain his energy. You need him for the weapon.”

  “H…how do you know about that?” No matter how much I tried to staunch the bleeding, the red liquid seeped between my fingers and pooled underneath Ryn.

  “I put two and two t
ogether after watching you share your powers with them.” He coughed again. “You never produced a physical weapon to show us, so I guessed.” A small grin pulled at his lips until his chest spasmed.

  “Ryn!” Caden dropped on the other side of him after defeating another Dark One. “Why did you do that?”

  “I couldn’t let our girl lose you after she just got you back.” Their hands clamped together. “Promise me, you’ll take care of her.”

  “I promise, brother.” Caden nodded and tears lined his lashes.

  “Ryn, don’t talk like that.” Caden took over covering Ryn’s wound and I moved to cradle his head in my lap, brushing his hair back. “You’re not going anywhere. I’ll fix this.”

  “Sparkles, it’s okay. The only thing that matters to me is that I protected you.” Ryn’s breathing became labored. Our friends were finally able to draw closer while Phobos attacked anyone who tried to climb the hill.

  “Let me through.” Austin fell beside us. “I’ll have you up and walking soon.”

  “No, Austin. I need you to help Kitra and the other Guardians end Aelfric once and for all. You have to let me go.” Austin took Ryn’s other hand. “You can’t save us all cousin, or you’ll give up your life as well. Tell me you won’t ever do that.”

  “I.” Austin stared at each of us. “I’ll try not to, Ryn.” Ryn nodded and accepted Austin’s words.

  “P… please forgive me for how I treated you.” Ryn’s green eyes focused on me.

  “I have forgiven you.” I rubbed my tears from his bloodstained cheek.

  “But we didn’t leave t… things.” His eyes closed, and he shivered.

  “Shh.” I smoothed his hair. “Things are perfect between us.”

  The hand clamped around Caden’s loosened and Ryn raised it to my face. “It doesn’t hurt anymore, Sparkles. I love you.” His fingers slid from my skin and his eyes closed.

  “Ryn!” My body quaked with each sob. “Please don’t go!”