43. A Lifeless Body

forty-three

A Lifeless Body

Rainer

I stand vigilant beside the open doors, keeping an eye and ear out for any movement. Alessia doesn’t need me to watch after her, but I can’t help it. I thought I was protective before, but it’s incomparable to how I feel now that our bond is completed.

There’s no way I’m going to leave her alone out there with that… I don’t even know what she is. Not quite a human, not quite fae, not quite a queen, and not quite family.

But whatever she is or isn’t, I don’t want her negatively affecting Alessia after how far she’s come.

If Alessia saw me standing here, peeking through the sheer curtains every few seconds, she’d hate it. The thought makes me chuckle.

A dull, throbbing ache steals my attention. I glance down at where I was stabbed. The skin is merely dirtied with my blood, but there’s no longer a visible indication that I was injured. Despite that, my body is still working to heal the internal damage. It’s taking longer than my skin took to recover.

Even so, the healing is happening much more rapidly than I could’ve hoped because of Alessia’s blood and the healing salve.

I shouldn’t be alive right now.

But I am.

Because of both of them .

My eyes narrow suspiciously on the back of Enid’s head. Her hair is a little greyer than Alessia’s ash-blonde, a little messier with larger, knotted curls, but there’s an obvious similarity between the two. But I find it hard to believe the older female is genuine in her affections toward my beloved. So, what does she want?

What the hell was in her healing salve to make it as powerful as Eoin’s magic once was? And why give it to me?

Alessia might trust her, but I don’t.

Looking over my shoulder, I scan the hallway. Straining to listen, I don’t catch the thump of pulses or nearby shuffling. It’s as silent as the dead. I inhale deeply through my nose but quickly realize that’s a bad idea. The scent of rich, sweet, coppery blood floods my nostrils, causing my stomach to swirl with a feigned ache of hunger.

I’ve drank plenty, but the fragrance of human blood is decadent. Shaking my head, I focus my attention back on Enid and Alessia. I can’t let the physical pain or enticing scents distract me. It’s a mental game to push it all aside and stay vigilant.

The two females pull apart from an awkward side hug. They sit silently on the bench, staring at the sea for a few more moments, and then Alessia rises. She says something to Enid, but I focus elsewhere to block out her words. Watching them is one thing, but I don’t need to eavesdrop on their conversation too.

I’m a protective, possessive bastard, but I have to set boundaries to give Alessia her space and freedom.

Besides, I can feel everything Alessia does to some extent. Right now, a warm, peaceful vibration pulses from my connection to her. Whatever is happening between her and Enid, it’s bringing her a sense of joy .

That’s all that matters to me—her happiness. And her safety. And right now, she has both.

She meets my eyes as she begins striding toward the house, and her face lights up. My lips lift automatically in response, my joy a mirror image of hers. She looks like a deadly dream in that form-fitting white gown. The front is stained rusty brown with my drying blood, and her slit is ripped a little higher than it should be because of our bonding event.

My smile transforms into a smirk, and a bolt of heat shoots straight to my cock.

“Gods, you are the most gorgeous rose of all,” I mutter once she’s close enough to hear. Her pale cheeks light up with a pink tint, and I love how sweet she is when I compliment her. As if she’s a little embarrassed, a little bashful, despite being the toughest fae I know.

She glances down, frowning at her dress. “I’m a mess.”

I reach for her hand, lifting it above her head and twirling her around. She obliges me, laughing freely.

“Even in chaos, you’re the most stunning thing I’ve ever seen,” I tell her earnestly. “Curated roses are charming, but it’s the wild ones that radiate with untamed beauty.”

The flush on her cheeks deepens, and she bites her lips. Those big, grey eyes sparkle with love that’s all my own.

She is all mine.

Behind her, Enid rises from the bench. I go stiff. My smile melts away, leaving a hard, blank shell. Instinctively, I step around Alessia to put myself between her and the other female.

She sighs, then chuckles, planting her dainty hand on my bicep. “You don’t have to worry about her. ”

“I will worry about everything when it comes to you, mo róisín,” I say over my shoulder.

Enid approaches me, a broad smile forming on her face.

I scowl harder at the flashy crown atop her head. She wasted no time. “Who do you think you are?”

“Rainer,” Alessia says exasperatedly, stepping beside me. “She saved your life.”

“Great.” I narrow my eyes at Enid. I abhor owing debts. “You started the Trade?”

Her smile drops. “I was exiled from my own home, forced to watch my kind oppressed—my bloodline hunted down. You cannot possibly think I would be responsible for such an atrocity.”

I cross my arms, standing tall and looking down at her. Clearly, Alessia’s short stature runs in the family. “Nobody is ever what you might think they are.”

She tilts her head up, narrowing her eyes right back at me in a ferocious gaze that reminds me so much of the female at my side. “The Trade never should have begun, and I will ensure it ends with a swift, meaningful death.”

We hold each other’s stares, neither wanting to back down first.

“They’re going to need support,” Alessia blurts out. “They won’t have anywhere to go or anyone to turn to.”

I glance at her, unsurprised by her forethought and kind heart. Enid’s expression softens into pride as she nods in agreement. Some of the tension in my shoulders alleviates, and I unfold my arms, shoving my hands in my pockets instead.

“You truly are a Lírshadow,” Enid says, beaming. “I have been walking the realms long before you were even a whisper of air in your great-grandmother’s lungs, dearest. I assure you, I can handle the situation here.”

“Yeah, look at how that ended,” I mutter. “How the hell did you even get free?”

Alessia stomps on my toes, and I hiss.

“Violent little rose,” I mutter, raising a brow at my bonded.

She shrugs, mouthing, “Be nice!”

Enid throws her head back in a laugh, then she turns to Alessia, with a twinkle in her eye. “Your shadow released me from the cell the humans kept me in. A small, thin bit wove into the lock and popped it free.”

The female smiles easily and freely despite the atrocities around us, even after being imprisoned for generations. Though I naturally tend to be skeptical and apprehensive, I try to follow Alessia’s lead, giving her the benefit of the doubt.

I won’t trust her , but I will try to trust that her intentions are not inherently harmful. I suppose.

“Want to prove your intentions?” I say, turning back to Enid. “Then help us. We need the iron from the mines. All of it.”

“ All of it?” Enid questions.

“Yes. There’s no chance we’re leaving you with weapons to potentially use against us.”

Amusement twinkles in her eyes as she glances at Alessia. “He is a good male, you found.” Turning back to me, she adds, “I have no intention of using it against my own kind.”

“Then you’ll give it to us.”

She hesitates, then draws in a long, slow breath. “Now, how do I know you will not use the iron against me ? ”

“Because we need it for the woods,” Alessia jumps in. "And you don't have magic anymore, anyway."

“The woods?” Enid scrunches her forehead in confusion.

A flicker of embarrassment courses through me. The last thing I want to do is explain my incompetency to this female. I clench my teeth, thinking of how to explain succinctly but thoroughly enough for her to understand our needs.

Alessia reaches for my hand, gripping it tightly in hers in unity. She squeezes it almost in reassurance, and when I glance down at her, I see the understanding in her soft smile.

Feckin bond. No doubt she can feel what I just did.

However, instead of being annoyed or resentful, there’s a relief that settles inside me. I no longer have to do this alone or hide the things I’m ashamed of. She loves me for me .

And when Alessia speaks up so I don’t have to explain, that love expands into a warmth, caressing my previously cold heart.

“The woods back home—they’re cursed,” Alessia says. “We have a sorceress who can use iron to help us nullify the magic and fix things.”

“She has done this before?” Enid asks.

“Well…” Alessia shifts her weight, pausing as she contemplates her answer. “Kind of? Admittedly, she needs some practice.”

“I know of a sorceress who can aid you.” A brief pity flickers across Enid’s face. “She also owes you a debt for what you did here today—earning her freedom as well.” She plants a hand on her chest. “She is a dear friend of mine. I will send her to help your sorceress break the curse.”

Alessia lets out a heavy breath. “Than— ”

“You’re giving us the iron.” I quickly cut her off before she can finish thanking the female. “Just to clarify.”

Enid cocks her head, scrutinizing me with approval. Her eyes flit between me and Alessia. “You are good for her.”

“Not what I asked.”

Enid bursts into a short laugh. “If this is what will keep the peace between our realms, it is a small price to pay.”

Our realms. She considers Dovenak her home. Perhaps this could be a good thing, a new chance to make peace with the humans and protect both sides of the Gleam.

“All we want is peace,” Alessia says. She elbows me.

“I am inclined to agree with my bonded.” Sweat glistens on my bare chest, and I squint at the bruised sky. The humidity here is brutal, and the heat will only worsen once the sun comes up. It makes me miss my court.

I’ve always been a creature of shade and darkness. It makes perfect sense why I’d belong to Alessia and her shadows.

“Iron is heavy,” Enid challenges, interrupting my rumination.

“My problems are heavier, and I carry those just fine,” I shoot back. “We’ll figure it out.”

Enid’s lips twitch as if holding back another laugh. Glad she finds me so damn amusing. Can’t say I feel the same.

“You will need help getting it back to Avylon, will you not?” she asks.

“Yes,” Alessia says before I can disagree.

My lips twist with disdain. “Perhaps,” I admit.

“All right then.” Enid strides past us, heading into the house.

“Wait,” Alessia yells after her. “Where are you going?”

“To secure your iron. ”

“How?”

Enid waves a hand over her shoulder. “The God of War owes me a favor.”

“The what?” Alessia gives me a confused look. I shrug at the insanity.

Stopping and turning back to us with a look of pure force, she says, “Lexyll, God of War, can help. I have called on him in need, and something tells me he can assist here in more ways than one. We might need an army with what is to come.”

“But...” Alessia starts, chewing her cheek nervously.

“No fear, dearest.” Enid strides back to her, gently patting her cheek in a motherly manner. “Despite his name, the God of War desires peace, too—not violence. We are on the defensive, not the offensive here, but we must still be cautious and protect ourselves.” Her eyes flit to me. “And you must always protect her .”

“I don’t need you to tell me that,” I mutter defiantly. Unable to swallow all my skepticism, I ask, “Why the hell are you helping us with all this?”

“Two reasons,” Enid says. She points to Alessia. “First is that pretty little thing right there. She is my family, and family sticks together.”

They share a tender moment, and a shock of pure appreciation pulses from the bond. I squeeze Alessia’s hand in acknowledgment, just as she did for me earlier, letting her know that I feel her and that she’s not alone.

I nod in respect because it’s one thing we can agree on. “And the second?”

“You have both done much for me here today. My freedom is because of you both. One might say I owe you.” She winks. “And a Lírshadow always pays their debts. Now, you must excuse me. There is much to do. I will send for you in Avylon once the details are ironed out.”

Alessia snorts at the pun. I scowl harder.

This time, Enid leaves us, and Alessia and I share a long stretch of silent relief.

Now that the iron situation is sorted out, I’d like to return to Avylon immediately. I’m going to kill my feckin brother when I find him—he’s lucky everything worked out.

“We need to find Kenisius and Tynan,” I mutter, scrubbing my brow.

Alessia presses her lips together, giving me a nod of understanding.

We head back inside, striding to the front of the house. The sound of familiar footsteps reaches my ears, raising my hackles. I speed up, practically bolting to the foyer, keeping Alessia safely at my back.

The hallway dumps me beside the grand stairwell, and my gaze shoots up to the figure slowly descending.

“There you are!” Alessia yells. She blows past me excitedly, charging toward him.

“Wait,” I call out, my voice cracking.

Something’s wrong. It’s written in his somber expression and the faint scent of fae blood.

First, my heart drops. Then, my gaze drops to his arms—to where he carries a lifeless body.