by Bailey Dark
“Is that why you cared so much for Altair?” Sadal asks, eyes glimmering. “Because he was so devoted to his people? He’s dead, Verity. He’s dead because you abandoned him for me.”
Pain and sorrow lance through my chest, and I know Sadal has noticed. “I know that,” I whisper. “I know it’s my fault. That doesn’t change things between us. I hate you more than ever.”
“Did you love him at all, Verity?” Sadal asks, his voice tight. “You gave him up so easily.”
“What do you know about love?” I snap, finally tearing away from him.
“Love?” Sadal is on me again in an instant, driving me onto the floor with a cry.
The air is knocked out of my lungs as he straddles my waist, holding me to the ground. I writhe beneath him, trying desperately to free myself. His hands squeeze my wrists, painfully tight. I yelp and flinch back but Sadal holds me fast. My body is cold with fear, a gut-twisting sense of inevitability filling me with nausea.
Sadal lowers his lips to my ear and inhales deeply, smelling me. “I know nothing of love,” he purrs. “Thousands and thousands of years of leading the Bloodbane and I have yet to discover its meaning. No matter how many women I take, no matter how many I pleasure, none of them have stirred my heart. None of them are more than entertainment.”
“Get off me,” I pant, turning my head in an attempt to get away from him.
“You could be different,” he says softly. He presses his roman nose to my cheek and breathes me in. “You could be the one to change everything; make me better.”
“There’s no one in this realm or another that could change you, Sadal. You will always be the dark god you are,” I say forcefully, meeting his black gaze.
He curls his lip at me and leans back. I feel more of his weight settle on my hips, but I sigh when he puts distance between our lips. Suddenly, his hands are at my neck. He squeezes. I feel my eyes bulge as my neck throbs and my lungs scream for air. I wheeze, trying to cry out for help, but no sound comes. Desperations floods through me as I feel my lungs tightening. I claw at him but Sadal isn’t fazed my nails raking down his cheek.
I gasp, choking on nothing. My vision is blurry, and I hear an echoing, vague impression to press my thumbs into his eyes. And then I can breathe again. I take a long, desperate breath, rolling over. I cough violently, face pressed to the carpeted floor. Sadal stalks out of the tent and I can see his fury radiating off of him.
Tears spring to my eyes, half spurred by the pain and partly from my fear. I take another ragged breath and touch the bruises forming on my neck tentatively. I wince as even the softest touch makes my neck throb. Stiffly, I crawl to my feet and slip back into the bed where I bury myself in blankets. It smells of Sadal.
I ignore it, closing my eyes and trying not to think of the torture Sadal put me through. I inhale shakily, wishing desperately that I was with Altair. Maybe I don’t love Altair, at least not yet. But I know that if I had stayed and listened to him – if I hadn’t let myself get caught up in Sadal’s wiles – I would have loved him someday. My cheeks are wet with tears, so soaked I don’t bother to wipe them away.
I fall asleep crying, knowing I’ll be awake throughout the night, frightened that Sadal will return. But I dream. I dream of Altair, and my heart aches even in my sleep.
I see Altair, a scruffy beard gracing his cheeks, his hair unkempt and swept into a hasty, small ponytail. He limps through the empty castle towards a large window overlooking Desmarais. I pad towards him, knowing he can’t see me. I want to drink him in, live in this vision of him forever so I never forget what he looks like.
He sighs, staring out the window. I follow his solemn gaze to the city below and inhale sharply. It’s empty, drab, and grey. No lights are lit and no Fae bustle through the streets. On the horizon, I see a mass of white sails disappearing into the setting sun. His people are gone. My gaze softens as I turn back to Altair, wondering what he must be thinking to see his beloved city so empty.
I reach a tentative hand towards him, to brush a stray hair from his cheek. Suddenly, his hand snakes away from his side and snatches my wrist. I gape at him, eyes wide with shock as he stares at me. He looks me up and down and then laughs wildly. He drops my arm, rubbing at his eyes.
“Gods, I’m going mad,” he mutters.
“Altair?” I whisper, heart soaring. This must be a lucid dream, a dream where I control the outcome.
“It speaks,” he says under his breath. “Great.”
“Altair.” My voice cracks. “I’m so sorry. I know this is meaningless; you’re dead. But I need to tell you how sorry I am.”
Altair’s lovely hazel eyes rake over me. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I fell for Sadal’s trap. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you. I’m sorry that you’re losing this war,” I say, the words tumbling from my mouth.
Altair reaches a hand towards me and gently strokes my cheek. His eyes widen, color returning to his cheeks. “You’re real.”
I press my cheek against his hand as every part of me is pulled towards his energy. “And you’re not.”
He laughs breathlessly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I don’t care.”
Altair sweeps me into his arms, holding me tightly. I clutch at him, shoulders trembling. I don’t care if I’m vulnerable in this dream, I only care that I can be with Altair even if it’s only in my mind. He pulls away, his hands finding my cheeks. His gaze is intense, raw, and his eyes are rimmed with red.
And then his lips are on mine in a desperate kiss. I fall into him, urging his lips apart with my tongue. He nips at my lips and pleasure sweeps through me. I regret every time I rejected him, turned him away after I grew to know him. This should have been our relationship from the start after the curse was broken.
Altair leads me gently towards a nearby chaise and I let him drape me over it. I run my fingers through his hair, twisting his growing locks around my fingers. “Your hair,” I say against is lips, “Is growing so long.”
“You like it?” He asks, grinning.
I giggle. “It makes you look like a pirate.”
Altair leaves a trail of lava on my skin as he drags his lips towards the sensitive skin of my neck. “That sounds like a good look,” he purrs.
I shiver as he runs his tongue over my jugular and my core throbs with desire. I pull him tighter and he eases between my legs. Pleasure floods through my body as he rolls his hips against mine. I gasp, arching my back. His kisses grow wilder, more desperate. He pulls away long enough for our eyes to meet and I lose my breath staring into his animalistic gaze.
Tentatively, I trace one of his ears and he shudders violently. Altair bites his lip, groaning. I think back to the day he first told me about the sensitive ears of the Fae. If only I had taken advantage of it more often, I think wryly. I strain to kiss him, pulling him back into me.
We move together on the long chaise and I wish desperately that I wasn’t encumbered with this ragged night gown. Altair’s fingers trace the muscles of my neck down to my chest. I gasp softly when he cups my breast as if they were as precious as fragile gems. His tongue tangles with mine as the fire between us blazes like a wildfire. My nails dig into his back as his thumb grazes a stiff nipple.
My eyes fly open and I take short, desperate breaths. It’s dark, and I feel my legs tangled in heavy blankets. The night isn’t silent anymore, and there is no chaise. All I hear are the quiet howls of the demons in the distance. Altair is gone.
I drop back onto the pillows and cover my face with my hands. It was so real. It felt like everything I’ve wanted since I realized what a terrible mistake I’d made. It felt like I was truly in his arms. But he’s dead. And my mind is playing tricks on me. I reach for the dagger beneath my pillow again and curl my fingers around it.
This is all I have left.
Chapter 10
Altair
I clutch at the balcony railing, taking deep, ragged breaths. I can st
ill feel Verity’s lips on mine. I can feel her fingers grazing my skin. I know she was here. At first, when she strode to my side and stood quietly, I thought she was only a vision of my desperation and my regret. But when I felt her body heat as she reached for me, I knew I was wrong.
I can’t help the wild grin that spreads across my face as I remember our encounter. A chuckle escapes my lips and I drop my head to my chest. Verity was just as surprised as I was when we touched. Her apology echoes through my mind and my heart aches in my chest. When we last met, she hardly wanted anything to do with me. This time, it was as if I was beginning to get back my Verity.
A soft breeze carrying nothing but silence ruffles the paper gripped in my hand. I turn back to it, knowing I won’t be able to get Verity off my mind. The elegant scrawl on the front tells me immediately that the letter is from Thal. I slice it open with the tip of a knife and break the seal.
Thal has been gone almost a week now, long enough to get him past the mountains on the southern end and get into the wastelands. I can’t imagine where he is now. Our maps are bare, leaving the wastelands in mystery for thousands of years.
“Altair,” I read aloud. “You bastard. I’ve found nothing in the wastes except for half-buried cities of red stone. There is evidence of a once magnificent civilization and a well-traveled highway. It’s empty now. We continue east, towards a strange structure that punctures the sky. Holland is dead, killed by a stray demon when we crossed the mountain pass. Send my regards to his family. Thal.”
I close my eyes, sighing. Four of my best went with Thal, and already we have one casualty. The demons have already extended past their own territory, leaving their armies behind to wander. When this war is over, I’ll fly the length of my kingdom, searching for strays. Until then, I need to send a messenger to Stellium, where I hope Holland’s family has sought shelter with the rest.
Crumpling the letter in my hand, I turn away from the balcony as a horn sounds. A chill trickles down my spine, like ice cold water. I break into a sprint, bursting through the doors of my room and out into the empty halls. I can hear the chatter of activity through the stone walls of the castle and I know the soldiers on the main level are bursting into action.
My legs ache as I push myself harder, skidding around sharp corners. I ignore the pain, focused only on the set of frosted double doors at the end of the hall; the doors that look out towards the mountains.
I shove through them with my shoulder, ignoring the pain. A thrill of fear sweeps through me, stealing my breath as I survey the scene before me. Inside the castle walls, the Fae army is scrambling to prepare for the coming battle. They trip over themselves in their haste to prepare their armor and weaponry. The catapults are being moved into position, facing the east. It’s a flurry of activity, black and gold armor shimmering in the hazy morning sun.
But beyond that, past the castle walls, awaits the stuff of nightmares. The beastly army is quiet, so silent I can hear the crows in the distance cawing as they wait to feast on the carnage. Thousands and thousands of yellow eyes are turned on the castle, staring directly at me. They must have approached in the night and snuck up on us to take us by surprise. Sadal ordered them to wait until dawn to reveal themselves to frighten us, I’m sure. I school my face, keeping it a careful mask of calm as I survey the black army that stretches out over the rolling hills and valleys until it disappears into the forests.
This may be our last fight; our last chance to save ourselves from the darkness. I curl my hands into fists at my side, letting the paper drift away. If this is where my armies will fall – if this is where I will fall – I’ll make sure we raze the demons to the ground before we do. I narrow my eyes, searching the demonic faces leering at me until I spot Sadal in the mix.
In the midst of his armies, he stands on a distant boulder, grinning at me. He wiggles his fingers, as if he can sense my Fae gaze on him. I grimace, pure fury and hate welling in my chest. My blood roars in my ears, tuning out the sounds of my soldiers preparing for the inevitable. As I stare into Sadal’s black eyes, it’s as if space and time come to a furious halt.
Finally, I tear my gaze away from him and turn my back. I close the frosted doors behind me gently and take a deep breath. Fighting the demons head on as we did last time isn’t enough. I fend off the desperation rising in my chest and push away from the doors. There’s work to be done below.
I rush through the halls and down the dusty steps towards my generals that are waiting on the front stairs leading to the palace. They turn weary eyes on me and dip into shallow bows. I wave them back up and tilt my chin towards the walls.
“Sadal is out there,” I say. “If he takes this palace and we’re forced to retreat, or worse, I don’t want him going anywhere else in this damned continent.”
They eye me and finally Kane steps forward. “What do you suggest?” He asks.
“Bring me the alchemists,” I say softly.
My generals exchange a glance. Kane’s jaw tightens and his eyes narrow. “Did they not flee with the rest of the civilians?”
“You know the alchemists,” I say, turning away. “Death is only the beginning to them.”
“As you will,” Kane says sharply, but there’s an unhappy tremor in his voice.
“What else do you command?” Another general asks, looking dissatisfied.
I pause on the steps. “Strike first. Strike hard. Guard the walls and defend the gate.”
Without waiting for their reply, I head towards the main gate. It was built by my father thousands of years ago and is more than six feet thick. The walls are almost thirty feet high and will be difficult to breach. But I’ve seen the demons’ long claws and I watched them scale the mountain. I know it won’t take them long to slither up the walls or through the gate.
I find Moritz at the gate, bundled in his heavy cloak and shouting orders. I join him as his men sprint away to fulfill his orders. “The demons will try to scale the cliffs to the west,” I murmur. “We can’t leave the western walls undefended.”
“My best are already stationed there,” Moritz says.
“Good.” I nod.
I hear footsteps approach and recognize the determined gait of General Kane. I turn and see him deposit three royal alchemists in front of me before stalking away. Moritz eyes me, cocking a blonde brow.
“Your Grace,” Joana, the head alchemist, says as she sweeps into a bow.
“I imagine you have an idea of why I’ve called you here,” I say.
She brushes her black robes off, looking disinterested. “I imagine you have need of our skills.”
“Skill that are nothing more than slight of hand,” Moritz mutters, not bothering to lower his voice.
Joana looks him over with disdain before turning back to me. “How can we be of service?”
“The demons will take the palace,” I say softly, meeting her gaze. “When they do, our men will have retreated to safety through the tunnels. I want to send one last message to Sadal when we’re gone. Do you understand?”
Joana smirks, her thin lips pulled too wide. “I understand completely.”
I nod at her solemnly as she sweeps away with a flourish. Moritz shakes his head. “You’re putting your faith in their pseudo-science, Altair?”
“I’m putting my faith in what I know she can do,” I say, striding away from him.
I take the stairs leading to the rampart above the gate two at a time. Behind me, I can feel the demons’ eyes watching my every move and I have no doubt they can hear the rapid beating of my heart. Adrenaline is starting to thrum through my veins and I feel heady with anticipation. My army is quiet now, clustering in close around me. I swallow thickly and lift my sword in the air. It gleams in the morning light like a beacon.
“We are Fae,” I shout hoarsely. “We are the only Fae who bear this burden; the only ones who are willing to be the shield and sword that protects the rest of the world from utter darkness and evil. Beyond these walls, evil waits for us. And w
e will face it. We will face it with the sun on our swords. Fight for the kingdoms, fight for your families, and fight for glory.”
My voice cracks at my last words and I pump my sword as the soldiers below erupt in a roar. They bellow, thrusting their weapons in the air. The air thrums with power and tension so taut I can feel it straining at me. I grin viciously at the soldiers and roar with them. Even Moritz thumps his great sword on the stones, hiding a grin in the folds of his cloak.
I whirl on the demon army at our gates, a snarl at my lips. Millenia ago, the Fae were just as savage as animals. We ran the wild lands and open fields and heavy forests with feral grins. We hunted like wolves and sang like birds. We were one with nature. Civilized as we are now, our savage natures still reside in us. On Summer’s Eve, we relinquish our control to return to our histories. We’ll do so again today. I feel my muscles rippling, the hairs on my neck raised as I feel the wildness of my ancestors begin to flow through my veins.
I slice my sword through the air, and it sings. “Fae!” I roar wildly.
There is a resounding roar behind me, and I can feel the air shift with the power of our ancient strength and savageness sweep over my troops. I snarl, lips curling back over my teeth and I imagine my canines elongating to the fangs we wore so many years ago. I strap my swords around my waist and crouch low as I call on Maaz’s curse. Strength fills my muscles as I let the shift take me.
When I rise again, I stretch out my wings and feel the feathers riffle in the light morning breeze. Without hesitation, I launch myself straight into the sky as the soldiers below cry out their approval. The archers take aim at the demons and fire before they can break their ominous silence.
The air sings through my wings as I wheel around towards our enemy. I watch as the first arrows bury themselves in the skulls of the demons. They howl in pain and their brothers rush forwards against the castle walls. Our skilled arches reload again without hesitation. With my keen eyes I can see that not even their fingers tremble in the face of the horde of demons that rush the walls like a wall.
