Kipling cleared his throat and stepped forward. “Forgive me, Rowena, but I have to say that I agree with the Queen on this one. Marcus told me how you saved him from the sea. You found your strength, your powers. There’s no other way you could have done what you did.”
I hadn’t thought much about what had happened in the sea that day, partially because I chalked it up to just another rare situation like my fight with Sebastian. My emotions had been raw and volatile, and someone’s life had been at stake. Marcus had been in danger, just as Tess had been in danger. And once they were safe, the powers fled from my body.
“That was just a fluke,” I said.
“Nah,” Sebastian said, speaking up for the first time since we’d called this little pow wow. “What you did to me was a fluke, but what you did for Marcus? Pretty fucking impressive.”
Marcus knelt beside me and took my hand in his. “They’re right, love. You think you didn’t harness the power of the goddess sword, but I think you did. It’s just taken time for you to have enough faith in yourself to use them. I’ve seen you in action, remember?” A pause. “That fae sword you thought you were able to handle because it was lighter than most normal swords? I handled it myself. If anything, it was heavier. You’ve found your strength, Rowena, whether you’ve realized it or not.”
“Besides,” Jasper said. “We’ve got a pretty deadly combination here in the city. The witches might not be able to kill the fae with their spells, but they can do some harm. And then there’s us, the shifters. We’re damn good fighters.”
And he was right. I’d seen both Eli and Marcus in action. They were strong, powerful, and fierce.
“Okay,” I nodded, scanning the room and locking eyes with each of them in turn. “So we stay and fight.”
Marcus squeezed my hand, and the Queen gave me a slight smile. For some crazy reason, all these people believed we could win, as long as I stood with them against the fae. They thought they had a demigoddess on their side. Technically, they did. But even if I could claim my powers the way I had in the sea, I was only one person. The fae were many.
And they were coming for us.
Chapter 34
The fae waited until nightfall to attack. They came in from the west, the east, and the north. From my vantage point in the tower, I could clearly count their numbers. And it was worse than I’d expected. No longer did the king’s twelve warriors stand behind him but at least thirty in number. He’d lost a few in our battles against each other, so he must have called upon more Unseelies from his realm.
I turned to Silas. “They’re on their way now. Thirty of them, coming from all directions but the south.”
“Thirty?” He arched an eyebrow. “Well, I suppose it could be worse. How long until they land, do you think?”
I peered once again out the window. The fae were still mere specks on the distant horizon. Without my enhanced vision, I wouldn’t be able to see them at all. “Another half hour, I’m guessing.”
“Good.” He gave a nod. “Time to get into position.”
Swallowing hard, I gave him a weak smile. This was it. There was no more running or hiding or sneaking around. No more bartering or dealing. I’d done everything I could to keep the violence from this place, but it had followed us here. And if we didn’t win…
I couldn’t think it.
Silas slid his arms around my waist, and we dropped from the top tower window down to the streets below where Kipling and Jasper stood waiting for our signal. As soon as my feet hit the ground, Jasper tossed a sheathed weapon into my hands. I slid the blade into view and held it before me, a glittering sword with razor sharp edges.
“Come on.” Jasper motioned for me to follow him, and we threaded our way through the dark stone streets of the City of Wings. In our hastily-made preparations, we’d doused many of the lights that kept the city shining even on the darkest of nights. But now, we needed the shadows.
Jasper led me to a small cluster of witches who stood on the eastern cliffside, Tess among them. They were donned in all black, shadows swirling around their curled fingers. There were about thirty in total, not including me and Jasper. On the western side, there’d be the same—Marcus and Silas combining forces. And, in the very front, Eli and Sebastian would fight beside the Queen and the rest of the witches.
We had a good formation, and we outnumbered the fae.
Those facts did not soothe the uneasiness in my gut. Not when they had finally flown close enough for me to see every inch of their forms in all their brutal glory. Like the gargoyles, they beat against the air with wide and powerful wings, their coal black feathers pulsing in the wind.
Their faces had transformed. The skin above their eyes was knotted, and twisting black horns protruded from their skulls. I sucked in a sharp breath and gripped my sword. This was what they truly looked like, I realized. Even when I’d been captured, they’d still worn the hint of an illusion. To keep me from screaming and running? Maybe.
Turned out they needn’t have bothered. I had run despite their terrible beauty.
“Shit. Everyone duck!” Jasper yanked on my arm and pulled me to the ground just as the fae loosed a storm of arrows. The sharp tips slammed into the ground all around us. Several of the arrows found their mark. Witches screamed and collapsed as they clawed at the blood pouring from their wounds, fear and pain churning through their eyes.
On the light wind, I heard a fae shout, “Nock!”
“Not again,” I said, glancing frantically at Jasper. He was the one who was good with battles. He knew how to fight. And right now, it felt like we were screwed. If the fae got off a few more rounds of arrows, everyone would be dead before we’d even had a chance to land our first blow.
“Loose!” the fae yelled. Arrows streamed by. They clattered against the stone, but they also sank into skin. At the screams that answered, a fist wrapped around my heart. We couldn’t just sit here and take it.
Jasper must have thought the same because he jumped to his feet and spread his wings.
“What are you doing?” Quickly, I followed suit—minus the wings—despite the fact that I was now the most visible target.
“I’m making things more even. Get them to fall back,” he said, and then he was off, a sword in his hands. His ebony wings rippled with electric power. Instantly, I rushed to the front of the crowd and raised my voice.
“Fall back,” I shouted into the wind. “Take cover behind buildings where they can’t see you. We’re sitting ducks like this. Now, move!”
The witches obeyed, rushing from view just before another deluge of arrows rained down all around me. I stood my ground and turned, narrowing my eyes at the approaching fae. An arrow slammed into me. Pain reverberated through my body, but my skin didn’t break. The lead warrior’s luminous eyes caught mine, and I shot him a wicked smile that could rival his own.
Bring it on, my eyes said.
Jasper crashed into the fae, his sword swinging wide. The blade sliced through his neck and blood soaked the sky. The fae’s body went limp. And then he fell, those dangerous wings snapping until they disappeared into the sea. A single black feather landed before me.
The nine remaining fae yelled in rage and spun toward Jasper, their arrows nocked, their wings pounding at the air.
“Jasper, fall back!” I called out, bending my knees in preparation for the new assault. I would wait for him to return to the cliff, and then we would charge into the streets to join the witches, forcing the fae to abandon their bows.
But Jasper didn’t listen. He either didn’t hear me, or he didn’t want to. He faced the approaching fae, his sword raised high before him. They loosed another round of arrows, which he swooped to dodge. Each one fell into the churning sea.
“Jasper, come back here!” I tried again.
He stood his ground, swinging his sword when the fae closed in. Bows were discarded and swords appeared in their hands. Steel clashed against steel. My heart clawed its way up into my throat, pounding hea
vily as I struggled to breathe. I clung to my sword as he slammed his blade into one fae and then another. I was hopeless, helpless. There was nothing I could do other than watch.
Jasper’s sword sliced through another fae. Just as he pulled his blade from his gut, a dark-haired, red-horned fae slammed a fist right into Jasper’s heart. Jasper’s eyes went wide as he was blown back with the force of a train. He crashed onto the rocky cliff twenty meters away, his wings cracking and twisting underneath him. His eyes slid shut, and he stilled. I could barely make out the slight rise and fall of his chest.
“Jasper!” I cried out and took a step toward him, but the fae had beat me to it. They were each landing heavily on the cliffs, swords pointed in the gargoyle’s direction.
Shit. I needed to draw them away from Jasper before they sealed his fate.
“Hey, assholes,” I called out. The fae all turned at the sound of my voice. “Want to make a deal? I bet you can’t catch me. The first one who does can have a taste of my finger.”
That certainly caught their attention. Maybe too well.
They lunged toward me with moonlight glinting off their jagged teeth before I’d begun to move myself. I spun on my feet, adrenaline churning through my veins. The world blurred before me as my legs turned to rubber, but I pushed on, my gaze focused on the dark safety of the buildings just ahead.
My breath burst in and out. Heavy footsteps pounded behind me. And, I swore I heard the unmistakable rush of wings. But they wouldn’t beat me. I wouldn’t let them. I pounded my fists by my sides and spun faster before sliding into the nearest city street. Buildings rose high on either side. Shadows tucked in tight. I kept moving, past one building and then the next until my eyes locked on Tess and two other witches. They had ducked behind a stone gargoyle woman who was surrounded by three stone men.
I joined them in their hiding place, only the top of my head poking out above the gargoyle’s shoulder. Two fae strode down the cobblestone street. The red-horned one, and another with bright golden hair. They had slowed their steps and held their swords before them as they scanned the buildings around them. One stopped before a window and peered inside. No doubt they thought we were hiding from a fight. When really we were just drawing them in.
Tess met my gaze and lifted an eyebrow in a question mark. I shook my head and pointed at the next batch of windows. By the time they reached those, we would be at their backs and could take them by surprise. Tess furrowed her eyebrows and shook her head. I knew what she was thinking.
They’ll see us, she said with her eyes.
And with that, she launched into the street, hurling powerful streams of twisting shadows at the fae. Magic slammed into the red-horned fae, throwing him into the nearest building. The window shattered, glass shards raining down on the streets.
I jumped out to join her, but the two other witches fled in fear, their feet clattering on the cobblestone as they disappeared down the street. So, it was just me and Tess then, I thought, swallowing hard as she threw another blast of power at the golden-haired fae.
The fae dodged and rushed forward. I jumped in front of Tess and swung my blade to meet his. My body shook as the swords slammed together. I stumbled back, head ringing from the force of the crash.
The fae curled his lips into a smile and took a step forward. “Just as King Oberon has always said. You’re too weak. A joke of a goddess. I am going to revel in the taste of your flesh.”
Fury roared through me. With a speed I didn’t know I had, I shoved my sword into the fae’s chest. His eyes went wide; his mouth opened in shock. And then he crashed to the ground in a puddle of his own blood.
“Finish him,” Tess said in a hurried whisper. “That won’t kill him. You have to slice his neck.”
I stared down at the fae, my gut twisting. “I can’t do that, Tess. Not when he’s just laying there like that.”
Tess grabbed a dagger from her waistband, knelt, and sliced the sharp edge across the fae’s throat. Nausea bubbled up inside me, and I turned away. I couldn’t look at it. I knew she was right. If we didn’t kill him, then he’d only heal and slaughter more witches. But that didn’t mean I had to enjoy it.
Footsteps clattered on the street. I glanced behind us to find Kipling hurrying toward us, a wild look in his eyes. “Thank the goddess I found you. The fae took us all by surprise with their arrows, and we have so many wounded. I don’t know if we’re going to win.” He glanced around us and frowned. “Where are the other witches who were with you? Where’s Jasper?”
“Some fled. Others are on the cliffs, wounded. Maybe dead.” I swallowed hard as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. “Jasper’s there, too. He’s alive and breathing, but…we need to go help him.”
Kipling pulled a knife and a tub of healing salve from a leather satchel that dangled by his side. “Go. The others need you. I’ll take care of Jasper.”
I hesitated. “Are you certain?”
Kipling placed his hand on my arm and squeezed. “You’re far more help there than you will be here. Now, go.”
Chapter 35
The City of Wings was in flames. The fighting had converged on the northern cliff. Fires had broken out from the flaming arrows that the fae were loosing upon the cluster of clashing fae and witches on the ground. The gargoyles were storming the sky, fighting the alight fae in a deadly game of air combat.
My feet slowed when the sight came into full view, sucking my breath away. Bodies littered the ground, both fae and witches. Those still above no longer cared whether they hit friend or foe with their fiery arrows. All they cared about was death.
With my sword trembling in my hands, I mentally counted. Four pairs of ebony wings. Maybe fifty witches. And only fifteen fae with their black feathered wings.
But with the fires on the ground, it was enough. The writhing shadows disappeared into strands of powerless mist. The witches needed darkness to harness their powers, and the flames chased it all away.
“We need to do something,” Tess whispered, her voice as strained as my entire body felt. “The witches are losing the shadows.”
A snake twisted tight around my heart. The fae would never stop until every witch on this island was dead. Unless…unless I made another deal.
I sheathed my sword and swung it onto my back before striding forward into the heart of the melee. The witches turned to stare, and the fae lowered their swords. Every eye was on me.
“Where’s the king?” I rose my voice to be heard throughout the crowd.
A shuffle to my left, and I turned. King Oberon pushed past his men and stood before me, those luminous green eyes flashing in delight. He curved his lips into a smile, revealing his sharp and jagged teeth. And the blood that coated his tongue.
“There you are,” he said in a rumble of bass. “Surprised to see us?”
“Not in the least.” I lifted my chin. “I want to make another deal.”
He stared. And then he cackled, dropping back his head so that his voice reverberated against the stone walls of the city. Despite his reaction, I knew I had him. One thing I’d learned about the fae. They loved games. They loved to play. And offering up a deal was irresistible to them.
When his laughter finally died, he lifted an eyebrow. “Oh, do tell, Rowena Mortensen. What kind of deal would you like to make with the fae king?”
In the distance, I heard the angry shouts of my guardians.
“Don’t do this, Rowena.”
“No, love, stop!”
“Ro, please!”
“You better not die, girlie.”
“You and me. One on one.” I paused, letting the words sink in before I continued. “If you beat me, I return to the Blood Coven’s castle with you and I’ll never again attempt to escape.”
He sneered. “What do you define as beat? You’re immortal. Our weapons cannot kill you, nor would I attempt to kill you with the goddess sword. I want you alive, remember?”
“Simple. You beat me if you land what would norm
ally be considered a killing blow to a mortal.”
“And you?” He asked, taking another step closer and narrowing his eyes. “What do you get if you win?”
I simply smiled. “Easy. We’re aiming for killing blows, so you’ll be dead. And your Unseelies will leave here and never return, nor will they ever harm another witch.”
King Oberon flashed me his teeth and curled his fingers around the hilt of his sword.
“On one condition,” I said, my own smile going dark. “We fight alone. I don’t trust your fae to stay out of it.”
At that, the fae king began to look a little suspicious. “I assume you have a location in mind.”
“The southern cliffs,” I said.
“What, pray tell, is on the southern cliffs? And remember, girl. If you lie during a deal, then you forfeit your chance to win.”
“Nothing,” I said with a shrug. Which was exactly the point. There was nothing on the southern side of the city except sweet, sweet darkness.
The better to see you, my dear.
“Alright, goddess.” He stepped forward, extending his glowing hand. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
More shouts exploded. This time, they were closer, but I blocked them out. I reached out and shook the fae king’s hand, that bright golden magic binding us together. Now, I just had to kill him.
* * *
The southern cliffs were as promised. This part of the city had been damaged long ago, and the shifters rarely came here. There weren’t even any stone statues to keep watch. Instead, we were all alone on the southernmost part of the island, the city blocked from view from the rock face that climbed high behind us. This cliff was smaller than most, but it jutted out far above the sea like a long fingernail.
Wind battered my cheeks and my hair, but I kept myself steady, gaze locked on the fae king who stood before me.
“You know you will not win against me, goddess. This was a foolish deal to make.” He shifted on his feet, halfway across the cliff from where I now stood, watching him.
Carved in Stone: Protectors of Magic - Book Two Page 15
