23. What Lies Ahead

twenty-three

What Lies Ahead

Alessia

W e join the others in the woods, moving away from the wretched, acrid scent of charred wood and flesh. I wait for that horrible prickle of guilt to claw at me from the inside, but it doesn’t come. In its place is a steady acceptance—not necessarily a numbness nor a disappointment.

It’s a closure. It’s what I was hoping for when burning down the lord’s home.

Perhaps I am genuinely changing, becoming like the fae around me. Months ago, all of this cruelty and death would’ve devastated me, but I’ve learned to make peace with the grey area of life. Not everything is as simple as goodness or evil.

I’m tired of constantly being torn apart. Instead, I’m acting against those who cause harm, dismantling their ability to hurt others.

Ken gently punches my shoulder. “You will never stand in that vile house again, little demon.”

I turn, watching the structures burn. I wince at the brightness.

Tynan sniffs the air, his gaze dropping to my thigh. I glance down to make sure I’m not bleeding through my pants. Rainer was gentle with his bite, tidy even, and the wounds quickly stopped bleeding .

“I’m shocked you’re not fully human. You do smell delightful,” Tynan says. His looming presence draws closer as he leans toward me.

It’s more annoying than predatory. My gut instinct says Tynan is harmless… at least to me.

The air grows tense. Tynan inhales deeply, a groan budding in his throat as he hovers over me.

His body heat disappears instantly, leaving only a cool breeze as he’s ripped away from me. A loud thump echoes through the air as Tynan crashes onto his back. A strangled gasp escapes his lips. Rainer’s knee firmly presses against his neck, pinning him to the ground.

“Touch her again, and I won’t be so nice next time,” Rainer hisses in his brother’s face.

Ken chuckles. Seraphina watches me. Her eyes crinkle in the corner, and she presses her lips together as if fighting a smile.

Tynan lets out a grunt as Rainer releases him. He extends his hand, only for Rainer to reject it with a slap and turn away.

“I didn’t touch her,” Tynan mutters, rolling his eyes and pushing himself to a stand.

“Close enough,” Rainer shoots back. “Too close.”

Tynan cocks a brow. “I thought you were just friends ,” he mimics the words Rainer said to me when he was between my legs.

My face heats with embarrassment, knowing that Tynan—and likely Ken with his shifter senses—heard us. I yank my hood up, desperate to hide away.

Tynan gives a sharp laugh. “Can’t blame a male for trying.”

Rainer growls. “Try elsewhere. She is mine .” His voice is low and gravely, brokering no room for argument .

My stomach tumbles. There’s something about his possessiveness that gives me a deep sense of satisfaction.

After being used, abused, and manipulated my entire life, there’s something beautifully reassuring about knowing there’s someone there who would do anything to protect me. He might call me his, but he doesn’t own me. Not in the way I’m used to being owned. No. I’m his in the purest meaning of the claim. His to protect. His to support. His to live life with.

Perhaps it’s the fact that I know he’s mine as much as I’m his. Or maybe it’s that I know he would protect me at all costs.

The thought nearly stops me in my tracks.

I want to do life with him.

I don’t want to be just friends.

Ken clears his throat, leaning down toward me. “You look awfully smug over there.”

I bite my lip, glancing away as my face heats.

“I don’t blame her,” Seraphina says, dramatically fanning herself. “That was stirring . Can someone claim me like that?”

Tynan throws an arm around her. “Sure thing, beauty.” He leans toward her neck, inhaling deeply. She laughs and tries to shove him off. “You smell like a snack, too.”

Ken snakes a foot out, tripping Tynan.

“Okay, can we go now?” I ask quickly before the males begin brawling.

Tynan jumps up, glaring at Ken, who snickers with Sera.

Rainer meets my eyes, and the tension in his jaw dissipates. He runs a hand through his hair and exhales heavily. Then, he nods.

“We need to head south,” he says.

Both the palace and mines are south .

“Ryalle is about a day’s ride away,” I add. “Longer on foot.”

“Yes.” He nods. “And a group like us will attract attention. Especially after…” He waves toward the waning flames across the field. “ That .”

“That wasn’t very smart,” Seraphina says, giving Rainer a scolding look.

“It wasn’t about being smart ,” Rainer shoots back. “It was retribution.”

Ken sidesteps to Sera, nudging her with his elbow. She glances at him, and he subtly shakes his head in warning. She sighs and crosses her arms, but she drops the fight.

“This sends a message,” Rainer drawls, inspecting his fingernails as if utterly bored with Sera’s input. “The humans have been much more measured than we initially expected. I theorize they’re not as rash and ineffectual as they want us to think. They’ll know this was an attack from the fae. They’ll take time to reassess their next steps. We have a few days before retaliation—at the very least.”

“How do you figure?” Sera asks. Her tone is no longer challenging. Instead, she sounds genuinely concerned.

Rainer surprises me by not growling at her. Instead, he drops his hand and gives her his attention. “Those were prisoners—not real soldiers but decoys. Plus, the queen is preoccupied with her fête.”

Ken snorts. “I bet we’ll find answers at her party. Call it a bear-hunch, but whatever she’s planning, it has to do with her announcement.”

“If we leave now, we’ll make the fête,” Rainer says.

“You’re certain it’s wise?” Sera asks. “What if it’ s a setup?”

Rainer presses his lips together, staring into the trees. “If it were a setup, she’d have a real army stationed in range of the Gleam, ready to attack upon provocation…”

“She can’t guarantee we’d travel all the way south for her little shindig,” Ken adds. “She doesn’t know we want the iron.”

Tynan plants his boot on a fallen log, resting his arm on his bent knee. “The owl and the bear have been scouting, keeping an eye on things. We’re a mystery to the humans. They don’t know shite about us, but they surely shite their pants about us.” He laughs.

“Let’s go,” Rainer says, gesturing for the group to move.

We start walking, trailing along the edge of the forest. Tynan and Ken lead, with me and Sera following behind. Rainer takes up the rear.

I glance over my shoulder at him. His eyes are lowered, focused on my arse. Slowly, he drags his gaze upward until it latches onto mine.

“I like those pants,” he murmurs, smirking.

Pixie wings flutter in my stomach as I face forward. I step around a rotting stump, careful not to lose footing on the mossy rocks.

“We should head slightly west,” I say to the group. “Rather than straight south.” From what I’ve seen on maps, the forest runs along the perimeter of Lyson. “The trees will offer us cover. If we go far enough, we’ll find the Valor Sea. We can follow it south to Ryalle’s ports.”

“It’ll take longer this way, but if you’re certain we have time…” Ken says.

“She’s right,” Rainer says quickly. “It should be less problematic than traveling through the villages. ”

Ken nods in agreement. “It seemed considerably less traveled when we scouted.”

We maneuver through the forest, hidden within the trees. The lord’s pasture on the left gives way to another field. In the distance, the village rests down a short hill—all boxy, straw-roofed houses and smoking chimneys.

Distant yells ring out as villagers run through the streets, heading toward Edvin’s. Plumes of thick, dark smoke rise into the sky, drawing people toward the calamity.

I return my attention to the group, shaking off any budding sympathy.

“—I’ll glamour your pointy-eared arse once we get to the city,” Tynan says.

“Why can’t you just glamour us now?” I ask.

Tynan laughs. “My power isn’t endless. The more I use, the more blood I need. Although, if you let me have a little taste, that would help me.” He winks at me over his shoulder, and Rainer growls, stepping beside me.

He gently places a hand on the small of my back, reminding me he’s with me. Although he’s tender with me, his eyes are sharp as a hawk’s as he watches his brother.

“What now, little brother?” Tynan chuckles lowly. “It’s true—glamour can last endlessly if I feed on whomever I’m glam—”

Something rustles behind us, like heavy footsteps stomping their way toward us. There’s a grunt, and I turn just in time to see a tall, lanky man with curly black hair fall to his knees, clutching his head .

Rainer turns with his arms crossed, peering down in annoyance at him.

The man whimpers, squeezing his eyes shut.

“Stop,” he begs. “Please stop. I’ll do anything.”

“Who the feck is that?” Tynan asks.

“I dunno,” Ken replies. “He’s been following us since the fire.”

I whirl toward the shifter. “What do you mean he’s been following us?”

Ken gestures toward the forest. “Just watching us by himself.”

“Why didn’t you do something?”

He shrugs. “Eh, Rainer’s got it under control.”

I glance at Rainer, who stoops to pick up a knife the man must’ve dropped after the onslaught of fear power.

“He had a weapon?” I squeak. Seraphina stays quiet beside me. “He tried to sneak up on us!”

“I knew he was there,” Rainer says, his lips twitching as he glances at me. “No sneaking occurred.”

With a gasp, the man drops his hands from his head. He sits back onto the dirt and scoots away from us. His eyes are wide, his skin pale with terror. The dark zig-zag on his cheek marks him as a fellow Tradeling.

Rainer leans forward, snatching the man by his throat and yanking him to his feet. He looks about my age or maybe a couple of years younger.

Something about him is familiar, but I can’t put my finger on it.

“He’s dressed like the others,” Tynan says, pointing at his rugged, flexible trousers tucked into tightly laced boots. His deep green tunic is snugly fit, reinforced at the chest and shoulders .

Tynan leans forward, patting the man aggressively. He grunts. “No weapons.”

Seraphina touches my arm gently, snagging my attention. She leans toward me. “I don’t pick up on the same energy from him as the others.”

The man wheezes, clawing at Rainer’s hand as his face turns from deep red to purplish.

“Rainer,” I whisper. “Don’t.”

Rainer doesn’t wait for me to ask again. He drops the man immediately. “I would very much like to end his life.”

I shake my head, and Rainer runs a hand through his hair, stepping back.

Ken circles the man, a slight grin on his face. “You’re untrained.” He chuckles. “Or else you’d know better than to try to sneak up on a group of warrior fae.”

“Fae,” the man croaks, eyes watering. “Please don’t kill me.”

Ken squats behind the man, resting his chin on his thin shoulder. “You shouldn’t beg the fae.”

Tynan steps forward. He hisses, and his vampyr fangs elongate to sharp, deadly points. The man sobs, pleading even more.

“No, no, please.” He puts his hands together in a symbol of prayer, bringing them up in front of his face. Ken stands, backing away from him. “My sister—she’s in the mines. I just want to get her out.”

Rainer shares a look with Tynan, and then he gives him a sharp nod.

Tynan squats in front of the man, locking eyes with him. His eyes briefly flicker pale—almost white—then return to their normal dark blue coloring. “You’ll answer our questions with full honesty. ”

The man’s expression melts, his brown eyes glazing over. He sniffles up the last of his tears, wiping his dirt-streaked face. He nods rapidly, agreeing with enthusiasm. “Yes.”

“Good.” Tynan pats his cheek a few times more aggressively than necessary. He stands and turns to Rainer. “All you, brother.”

“Why are you following us?” Rainer asks, his tone low and lazy as if he’s entirely unbothered by this turn of events. He leans against a tree beside the man, crossing his ankles as he plays with a dagger, twirling it in warning.

The man stays on the ground but angles his face toward Rainer. “I thought I could use you to get my sister back.”

“Dumbest shite I’ve ever heard,” Tynan says with a sharp laugh. “And I’ve heard a lot of dumb shite.”

“Well, you’ve been hearing yourself talk for years, so I’m not surprised.” Ken arches a brow, trying to suppress his amusement.

“Use us how?” Rainer asks, ignoring them.

The man’s cheeks flush. “I saw your ears. I saw what you did to those other men.” He turns away, swallowing thickly. “The fire.” He sucks in a sharp breath and stares at the ground. “I thought if I captured you, I could barter for my sister’s freedom.”

The silence is so thick I can hear my own breaths. Then, suddenly, a chorus of laughter rings out. Tynan, Ken, and Rainer wear various expressions of amusement as they stare at the man.

“Feckin idiot,” Tynan says. “I love me some idiots.”

“You do love yourself,” Ken adds under his breath.

Tynan glowers at the bear shifter, but he keeps his mouth shut.

Seraphina sighs, wandering off. She investigates some plants growing nearby, paying us no mind. She plucks something, then sets one of her bags down at the base of a tree to stuff the plant inside. Returning to the weeds, she scrutinizes them.

Ken strokes his beard. “I didn’t realize the humans fancied bargains.”

Rainer kicks off the tree, striding toward the man who flinches, putting his hands up in front of his face. Rainer places his hand on the back of the man’s head, shoves it forward, and moves the hair hanging over the back of his neck.

“Same prisoner marking,” he says. He releases the man’s head. “Why were you released?”

“I should’ve never been in that prison,” he mutters, his features pinching in anger. “All I did was fight a guard in the mines—for touching my sister.”

Rainer’s jaw tightens. “How old was she?”

“Fourteen.”

Spicy anger blossoms inside me, bringing a pounding pressure to my head. The fury isn’t to be blamed on my shadow-self. No, it’s all mine this time.

“A feckin child,” Ken says, voicing my exact thoughts with a growl.

Rainer gives me a long, haunted look. I don’t need to ask him what he’s thinking to know he feels the same way I do. It takes a specific type of foul to hurt a child.

“When was this?” Rainer asks.

The man sniffles. “A couple years ago.”

“You haven’t seen her since then?”

He shakes his head .

“Tell me about your release.” Rainer’s mask slips back into place as he wipes the emotion away and returns to his tree, leaning against it and focusing on the man.

“I don’t know what to tell.” He swallows audibly. “One day, one of the queensguards showed up at the prison and offered payment in exchange for serving the queen. I had already been imprisoned for almost two years. I was basically awaiting death, so I had nothing to lose.”

“What was your payment?”

“I requested my sister be free, and in exchange, I’d do anything the queen wanted. I was promised my freedom and my sister’s.”

“So they let her go?”

His expression shutters. He quickly shakes his head. “Not yet. Not until we complete the task.”

Rainer narrows his eyes. “Which is?”

The man points at Rainer. “Go to Avylon and catch a faerie. Bring it back.”

Tynan and Ken laugh, and even Seraphina sighs heavily at this, abandoning her herb picking and returning to the group. Rainer and I study each other. That dark, unsettled feeling creeps through me again.

Rainer turns back to the male. “She never freed you. She sentenced you to death in a more creative way.”

Tynan’s eyes flash with humor. “You sure as shite weren’t going to survive crossing the Gleam.”

“Then my Sheila would never be free,” the man whispers. “I had to try.”

I swear my heart stops beating for a few seconds. Rainer remains stoic, but his eyes lock with mine, silently acknowledging the name we heard. He gives me a subtle headshake, and I know instinctually that he doesn’t want me to say anything.

But I can’t help it.

“What did you say your sister’s name was?” I ask softly.

The guy swallows heavily, meeting my gaze. “Sheila. Sheila Victoria West,” he says reverently.

“Hey,” Ken says gleefully. “That’s—”

“What does she look like?” I interject, shooting Ken a stern look.

The man smiles sadly. “She’s tall. Sweet. Black hair.”

That she always wears in braids .

I fiddle with the end of my own braid, trying not to let my surprise show.

Rainer’s silence doesn’t give anything away, but I bet he’s thinking the same thing: this guy doesn’t know his sister was sold from the mines a while ago. More importantly, Sheila is safe now, in my court, protected by the same fae he had hoped to kidnap and use as bartering tools.

“I’m all she has,” he whispers. “But she likely thinks I’m dead by now.”

“Shame,” Tynan says sarcastically. “Can I drain him now?”

“What?” The man sobs, and tears run down his face. “Please, no! I can—I can help! I can take you to Ryalle. I can help you get to the queen like you want.”

“You don’t know what we want,” Rainer says with a growl. He steps beside me, the back of his hand lightly brushing against mine. His pinky reaches out, entangling with mine in silent support. It’s my new favorite show of affection from him—our private, wordless conversations.

I glance up at him, and his face softens.

“I overheard you earlier… about wanting to attend the queen’s fête,” the man says. “I can help you! I swear.” He clasps his hands together, pleading again. “I need you to help me get my sister. We can help each other.”

Rainer stares him down. “No.”

“What’s your name?” I ask, finding my voice. All eyes swing to me.

“Zephyr,” the man says quietly. Then, he quickly adds, “I have a cousin in Wyrville—he’s a tailor. He owns a shop. He can help dress you for the queen’s event. I promise—I can help you!”

I pause, contemplating this. Glancing at Rainer, he gives me an almost imperceptible smile, his eyes softening around the corner as he watches me, letting me lead.

I think about what Tynan said about his glamour—how exhausting it can be and how it requires blood. The less he has to glamour, the better. Having clean, appropriate garments would be incredibly useful. Zephyr might be able to give us insight. Plus, if we keep him close, I can ensure he gets to his sister after.

I might not know him, but Sera said his aura wasn’t like the others. And Sheila deserves to see her brother again.

Good call , my shadow-self murmurs. Now you’re thinking like the fae .

I balk, processing this. It's not the cruel commentary I've come to expect. Instead of letting my shadow's changing temperament distract me, I put the thought aside for now.

“Okay, Zephyr, you’re coming with us,” I say, working hard to focus on the issue at hand.

“Let me string him up instead,” Tynan says to Rainer, flashing his crazy eyes again. “Those brittle bones will snap so nicely.”

“For the love of the Mother,” Rainer mutters, running a hand over his face. “Listen to my bonded.”

Tynan grumbles. “You’re not even fully bonded.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Rainer says, his eyes locked on mine. “She will always be my soul-bond, and what she says goes.”

My body prickles under his gaze and the implication of his words.

“Come on, new little human,” Ken says. He grabs Zephyr by his shirt and throws him over a shoulder. The guy trembles like a leaf as he whimpers. “Don’t snot on my leathers. I just cleaned them.”

We continue southwest, until the air grows humid and heavy with the scent of saltwater and brine. After living here my whole life, I’m finally getting a chance to see the peninsula.

But there’s not even a sizzle of excitement at the notion. Instead, only a deep, churning fear of what lies ahead.