Chapter 28

Chapter Twenty-Eight

T he sun disappears behind the moon, the darkness feeling cold and jarring compared to the warmth and light just a moment ago. A natural eclipse should pass within a few minutes, but as the moon reaches its apex, it appears to freeze, confirming that this is no natural occurrence. Suspicion echoes through me, and I become watchful, my body on alert. Something bad is about to happen.

Blaise is at my side in an instant, all traces of humour gone from his face. If Blaise is worried, then I know there is something to be afraid of. The guards in the courtyard are all staring up at the eclipse, their hands hovering over their weapons.

A hand grips my arm tightly, and I gasp, attempting to pull away, but I quickly realise it’s only Blaise. Instead of amusement at the fact he caught me off guard, his eyes are hard. “We need to get you somewhere safe, now ,” he explains gruffly as he pulls me across the courtyard and towards the steps up to the castle.

Stumbling to keep up, I look around for the cause of his disturbance. “What’s happening?”

Looking at me over his shoulder, he appears distinctly fae as his sharp teeth shine in the moonlight. “There is only one group of fae who can control the moon that way.”

Cold, creeping fear slithers through my veins, contaminating everything it touches in my body until I feel brittle and fragile, like I am made of ice and all it would take is one tap to make me crack apart. “The Unseelie,” I whisper, feeling the truth of it deep in my soul.

As though summoned by my voice, an eerie howl fills the air that strikes fear through me. Everything feels heightened, the sounds around me so much louder and every touch much more intense. The howls make my knees shake, the noise so terrifying I want to run as fast as I physically can, my human survival instincts warning me that whatever made the noise would make an easy meal out of me.

“Dread hounds,” Blaise curses, his face paling slightly. “They are like sniffer dogs but ten times faster and more vicious. Once they are given a target, they won’t stop until they find them.”

While he doesn’t say as much, his silence says it all—I’m the target.

Shouts and screams start to sound from the city, high-pitched and full of terror. The Unseelie are here.

They can’t leave their land other than during the night, and with the eclipse, they just gave themselves some extra time. It is the perfect time for them to attack, because none of us were expecting it, and they caught us unaware. While I knew they were a race that flourished during the night and worshipped the moon, I had no idea they had the power to influence the moon. This makes them a much larger threat than I ever imagined.

Dark shapes move in the corner of my eye, but when I spin to look, I find nothing there. Paranoia is plaguing me, especially knowing how fast some of these creatures can be. Am I imagining things, or am I simply not fast enough to see them? I hear my ragged breathing in my ears, blocking out all other sounds. Blaise pulls on my arm again, and I realise he’s been talking to me, but I’ve not heard a word.

“We’re out of time, we need to go!” His shouted order finally gets through as he practically drags me forward.

I stumble, afraid and confused as I attempt to keep up. “Where?”

Out of the corner of my eye, another dark shadow flickers in the distinct shape of a person. I know I didn’t imagine that. Somehow, the Unseelie are already in the castle grounds.

“Into the castle, to Alaric. There are more spells of protection there.” Blaise picks me up, and I am thrown over his shoulder as he speeds up the steps to the castle doors. “The Unseelie are here for you, Iris. My main priority is getting you somewhere safe where they can’t get to you.” Putting me down, he gestures for me to enter the castle. I pause at the doorway and watch as he turns to address the guards filing into the courtyard. “Man the gates! Shoot to kill, take no prisoners, and protect the royals!” he shouts and attempts to push me into the castle.

“Not so fast, Blaise.”

The cool, cultured voice is magnified, sounding as clear as a bell despite the fact that the new arrival is standing at the gates on the opposite side of the courtyard. The voice is one I hear in my dreams, coaxing me to him, so I would know exactly who it is without having to see him—Ciaran.

Leaning against the gate as though he has all the time in the world, he looks down at his smart dark blue jacket and picks off an invisible piece of lint. He seems completely at ease here in the middle of his enemies’ territory. However, as his eyes meet mine, I see supressed emotion that I suspect only I am able to perceive.

Blaise bristles as he faces the Unseelie lord, ready to spring into action. Taking a step forward, he positions his body in a protective stance before me. He really means to protect me, and while I am thankful, that thought also causes fear. It was all well and good before, but I consider him my friend now, and if anything were to happen to him, it would break me.

Ciaran pushes away from the gate, and with a wave of his hand, tall, piercing vines burst from the ground with thorns as sharp as knives glinting as they wrap around the guards. Every guard in the courtyard has been enveloped in living bindings, any movement they make cutting in their skin.

Bile burns in the back of my throat as I watch in horror. Ciaran took down all of the guards with one flick of his hand, leaving only Blaise and me standing. My gaze keeps being drawn to the brambles that trap the guards, the plants twisted and unnatural. There is something wrong about them. They give off an energy that feels erroneous. If Ciaran is that powerful, then what is he going to do with me? I don’t stand a chance.

Pausing at the base of the stairs, Ciaran looks up at us, his pale hair shining silver in the moonlight. He appears so civilised, you would never believe what he is capable of.

“You didn’t want to stick around and say hello, old friend?” Pressing his pale hand to his chest, Ciaran looks at Blaise with disappointment. “I’m offended.”

He’s clearly trying to get a rise out of my friend, and it’s easy to see that the two of them have history.

Taking a deep breath, Blaise rolls back his shoulders and takes a step forward, mustering up every ounce of authority he possesses. “I am sure you’ll live, unfortunately,” he replies dryly. Resting his hands on the top of the stone staircase to the lord’s path, he clears his throat. “You are trespassing on Seelie territory and have attacked our people. That is an act of war. Leave now before you make the situation worse.”

War. That is a terrifying prospect, especially because I know humans will get hurt in the process. Any progress the Seelie made by creating a truce with them shall be shattered, and all fae with become hated once more. More than that, though, people are going to die, and people I care for are going to be at risk.

Blaise turns his head ever so slightly, and I don’t realise he’s trying to get my attention until he speaks. “Iris, get inside.”

Despite the order being quiet, Ciaran seems to hear it anyway. Clucking his tongue in admonishment, he smiles as he examines me with his dark eyes, his expression hardening. “Oh, I don’t think so.”

Just that look in his eyes has me stepping back on instinct, but as I move, I bump into something. I turn with a gasp and see a shimmering barrier stopping me from leaving. It’s almost completely invisible to the human eye, but I can feel the energy radiating from it. There is no way I’m going to get through it, which means I am trapped outside with Ciaran with no escape route. Hopelessness and frustration build inside me, along with a healthy dose of fear. I have no idea how I’m going to get out of this. I wish Alaric and Nyx were here so I could say goodbye.

The bond tightens in my chest, and I feel Alaric desperately trying to reach me. He’s reacting to my panic and despondency, trying to find a way to get to me. I attempt to reach out to him, but my side of the bond feels blocked, as though there is something stopping me from communicating with him. I look at Ciaran, who is staring directly at me, and it’s not hard to work out he had something to do with it.

This whole situation terrifies me, my trembling hands a testament to that, but I brought this conflict to the Seelie’s door, so I need to stand up and try to do something about it. Releasing a shaky breath, I step forward until I’m beside Blaise. “What do you want?”

He smiles at me as though I am the most beautiful female he has ever seen, and for a moment, the rest of the world falls away, that connection between us warming in my chest. “You, Iris. You are what I want.” This would be romantic if it wasn’t for the fact his court is in the city attacking the Seelie. “You will break our curse and free my people. More than that, though, you shall be my queen.” His smile is that of a besotted male, and he offers me his hand. “We are meant to be together. Can you not feel the connection between us?”

I can, and that terrifies me. When he rescued me from the fire and saved me before, it was only ever just him and, but seeing him wielding such power and commanding such creatures reminds me exactly who he is. Are we really supposed to be together? I’m connected to Nyx in a way I cannot explain, and Alaric and I are mates. Is this what Nyx meant when he said the gods were toying with him? Ciaran and I can’t be mates as well, so there is only one other option.

I try to speak, but it comes out as a croak. Swallowing the lump in the back of my throat, I attempt it again. “That’s just because I am the doe in your stories.”

He laughs quietly and shakes his head in amusement. “It’s more than that, and I think you know it.” He curls a finger. “Come with me, Iris, and we shall leave the Seelie Court without any more blood being spilled.”

Wait, is he saying he will call off the attack if I leave with him now? Perhaps there is a way I can help the Seelie in all of this.

If I go with the Unseelie, then they could break their curse, leading to long-term attacks. However, if I stay, they will continue to attack until they get me. I hope the Seelie would be able to save me before then, but significant lives would be lost in the process. Could I have those deaths weighing on my conscience?

“Liar.” Blaise bristles and spits down at the lord, his spittle landing on Ciaran’s cheek. “The Unseelie cannot do anything without hurting others. Releasing you will spell disaster to the realms.”

Blaise is so passionate that it’s easy for me to get caught up in what he’s saying, joining his cause to keep the Unseelie trapped in their forest. After all, this is the sort of thing they do when they have the opportunity—attack and cause harm. I have seen the beauty and harmony the Seelie have created here, and in the battle of light against dark, it should be easy to choose whom to back.

However, the lines are blurred. I have had a lot of time to think over everything while I have been locked away. The Unseelie have come here for me. When they first approached me, Ciaran never showed any signs of violence. It was only as the Seelie took me away “for my own protection” that the dark court came after me. This attack is simply to get the key to freeing their persecuted court. Their methods are brutal, and I certainly don’t agree with how they do things, but not everything is as black and white as it first appears.

“Oh,” Ciaran croons, wiping the spit from his face. “And the Seelie are so perfect?” he counters, his beautiful, poised expression falling away. “What happens to the fae who don’t fit your standards of beauty? Where are they?”

I have wondered where the rest of the Seelie Court are. The city felt empty, and in the limited parts of the castle I’ve seen, there were only ever a handful of fae around. The ones I did see mostly looked like Alaric—human looking but with high cheekbones and pointed ears. Other creatures I saw were all stunning in various ways. I just assumed all fae were beautiful, but now that Ciaran points it out, that seems naive.

Shifting his attention to me, he stares up and seems to see right into my soul. “Iris, there is always a price with the fae, both Unseelie and Seelie alike. Their king has kept you locked away, for protection, I’m sure.” Sneering his last words, he makes it perfectly clear what he thinks of the way I’ve been treated. “I can see you wilting, yet your so-called mate did nothing.” Throwing his arms wide, he raises his eyebrows. “Where is he? Why is he not here protecting you?”

Although his accusations aren’t at me, I feel each of them like a physical blow. He can’t feel Alaric like I can, so while it might look like I am being forced to protect myself without him, I know otherwise. My mate is fighting his way tooth and nail to get to me. I can practically feel his frenzied heartbeat in my mind.

“I came here to rescue you, Iris, to take you away from here and to a place where you can be treated properly.” Shaking his head, he looks to Blaise at my side before turning back to me. “All stories have two sides. Do not make any judgements until you hear ours.”

I always thought all fae were bad and didn’t know the distinction between Seelie and Unseelie. The Seelie were the ones to find me, so they told me their narrative, that they were good and the Unseelie were bad. Now, I am not so sure. Ciaran could have easily killed the guards, but he only trapped them in the brambles instead.

More screams rise up from the city, as well as from behind us in the castle. Whatever spells they had to protect it have been broken. There is no time for me to work out who is good and who is bad, if such a distinction can be made when people are being hurt in the conflict.

“Don’t listen to them, Iris,” Blaise murmurs, his hand tightening on my arm slightly. “They are masters of lying.”

“If I come with you, will you stop this attack and let everyone go unharmed? Immediately.” I tack the last word onto the end of my proposal, remembering what I’ve been taught about dealing with the fae and making agreements specific.

Ciaran stills, and even the breeze around us seems to stop blowing, everything motionless and silent to listen to what’s about to take place.

An eager gleam enters his eyes. “You want to make a deal?”

The way he asks the question makes the hair on my arms stand on end, making me realise that there might be more to bargaining with the fae than I anticipated. It’s too late for me to back down now.

Swallowing the lump in the back of my throat, I nod once. “Yes.”

Before we can go any further, a lightning bolt cleaves through the sky, illuminating everything in dazzling white before disappearing as an earth-shattering thunderclap crashes above us. The king is finally responding to the attack on his city.

I duck out of instinct, my heart pounding in my chest. Blaise is trying to speak to me, helping me back up to my feet, his eyes sweeping across the courtyard rapidly. Following his gaze, I gasp.

Chaos breaks out as figures appear everywhere. Guards in uniforms swarm the area, but they are met with long-limbed humanoid creatures, their faces twisted into grim smiles. Long talons extend from their fingers and toes, slashing at anyone who gets too close. Smaller creatures that look like gnomes are climbing the walls. They are around knee height and wear glistening red hats. Redcaps. I was warned about them, vicious male gnome-like creatures who soak their hats in the blood of those they killed. From the way they glisten, I would assume they have already found at least one victim.

This is like something out of a nightmare.

“Iris!”

My heart thuds painfully in my chest as Alaric comes into view, running across the courtyard, swords drawn. He slices his way towards me, taking no prisoners. His movements are so fluid that it’s almost like watching a dance, his blades glistening with blood as he races up the stairs towards me. He’s barely out of breath as he sheathes his swords and pulls me roughly into his arms.

I’m so relieved to see him that tears roll down my cheeks as I bury my face into his chest. Days have passed since I last saw him, which is far too long in the best of circumstances, but I thought I was going to be taken before I could see him, before I could tell him—

Pulling back enough so I can look up at him, I memorise his features. “Alaric, I love you.”

Joy and surprise shine in his eyes, giving us a moment of light in this dark situation. “I love you too.” He leans in and presses his lips to mine. “I just wish I had more time to show you exactly how much.” Brushing my hair back from my face, he cups my cheeks and stares into my eyes with a firm expression. “This is not goodbye though. I will see you later.”

My answering smile is bright as I nod in agreement despite the fact a small voice in my mind is telling me that he’s wrong. I’m sure that he knows exactly what I’m feeling, but he doesn’t bring it up. He turns to his friend at my side and claps him on the shoulder. “Blaise, take care of her. Don’t let them take her.”

The two of them share a moment, and I look away to give them privacy, feeling overwhelmed by how much this feels like a farewell. The fighting continues in the courtyard, and it’s a miracle that no one has made it up the steps to attack us yet. That probably has something to do with the guards who are battling against the myriad of terrifying creatures below.

Hands land on my shoulders, the bond telling me that it’s my mate’s touch, before he pulls me around to face him. He places a searing kiss on my lips, his green eyes locking with mine. They say everything that words aren’t able to.

With impossible speed, Alaric forgoes the steps and leaps over the stone barrier that protects us from falling, pulling his swords free before he’s even landed. In a flurry of movement, he battles his way towards one male in particular.

“We need to get somewhere safe, come on.” Blaise grabs my hand and tugs, pulling me along behind him. Having to put all of my attention into just staying upright, I send out a prayer to anyone listening to keep Alaric safe. Darting around the side of the castle, Blaise leads me through a less manicured part of the garden, which quickly turns into overgrown bushes and tall plants.

“Catch them. We need her!” Ciaran calls out loudly from somewhere behind us. He’s met with a chorus of howls and screams, thunderous footsteps following behind us.

“What about Alaric?” I ask Blaise as we run, pushing through rough bushes and sharp leaves. I have no idea where he’s taking me, but I trust him, so I continue to stumble on.

“He can hold his own against Ciaran. He will be fine,” he shouts over his shoulder. This should reassure me, but it sounds like he’s trying to convince himself more than me, which only makes me worry more.

Stopping, Blaise makes a noise of success and ducks, disappearing from view. Eyes wide, I glance around, panic starting to rise in me like a flood. Before I can say anything, he tugs on my hand. “Duck,” he orders, and I just manage to do as he says as I pass through a hole in the palace wall.

On the other side, I stand and look back at where I was in wonderment. The hole is completely disguised by plants, and without Blaise’s guidance, I never would have found it. Why has the king never ordered it patched up? A breach in security like that could have led to an attack like today’s. Obviously, I am very glad it was available to us, but I am still surprised it’s here.

“Hurry,” Blaise calls, snapping me from my stupor.

Terrifying noises on the other side of the wall get louder, and I know it won’t be long until they find the hole and follow us through. My palms are sweaty, and my legs feel weak, but I need to stay focused if I have any hopes of getting out of here alive.

With the castle built into the rock, there is only so far around we can go before meeting the cliff, so I’m not sure where Blaise is planning on going next. The plants around us are getting bigger, and just ahead is the edge of the forest. The valley city is surrounded by the rocks of the cliff and the forest, the trees less dense the closer they get to the castle.

“We’ll stick to the forest, as it offers us more cover,” Blaise explains quietly as he releases my hand and slips into the treeline. The pace he sets is punishing, but he makes sure to check that I’m still keeping up with him, offering me his hand over fallen logs and on rough terrain.

The trees run parallel on either side of the city, the area steadily getting wider until both sides meet up with the main body of the forest. We lost view of the city a little while ago, and now we are in a denser part of the woods. My hopes begin to slowly rise. Sounds of trackers and terrifying creatures following us died off, the only sounds we hear currently coming from the attack in the city.

Guilt grows in me with each garbled scream and cry of a child as we flee the city. I could be helping in some way. I may not be a fighter, but I could tend to the injured. Instead, I’m running like a frightened little girl. Y ou have to stay safe for the sake of both races. The thought keeps circling around my brain and is the only thing that stops me from turning around and going back.

A sharp pain pierces my chest, and I lose my footing, dropping to the ground with a hiss of pain. The bond aches and twists, warning me of something , but I’m unable to figure it out. Part of my discomfort is due to the distance I’m putting between Alaric and me, but this new feeling is different. Something has happened to Alaric. I suddenly realise what’s happening. He’s blocking his side of the bond, most likely in an attempt to keep me from worrying about him, but this only has the opposite effect.

“Iris!” Blaise calls out, concern making his brow furrow as he leaps over to me, crouching as he checks me over. “Are you okay? Did you injure yourself?”

Flustered, I shake my head and struggle to separate my own feelings from that of the bond. “No, it’s the bond, something is wrong. We need to go back.”

The forest pulses around us, and everything happens very quickly.

A pile of boulders just ahead of us suddenly shifts, standing upright as two glowing red eyes stare back at me. Standing at least three times my height, the behemoth fills my field of vision. My scream catches in my throat, and only my expression of horror gives Blaise any warning that something is happening behind him.

He turns with his hand on his dagger, but it swings its mammoth fist and smashes it into the side of my friend’s body.

There was no way he could stand against a blow like that, his body flying to the side and falling to the forest floor. Blood drips from his nose, his twisted body completely still. Why isn’t he getting up? I need to know he’s okay, and I start to move forward but freeze at the sound of growling. Slowly turning my head, I see hound-like creatures that must be the dread hounds I was warned about. They are nightmarish, their bodies almost the same size as me when I’m standing.

Shadows wrap around them. I’ve seen something similar from Nyx, but this is different. The darkness seems to obey Nyx, whispering to him like an old friend, whereas these creatures appear to be made of shadow. Their dripping fangs snarl and snap at me, and their strange, almost pearlescent eyes stare right at me. Petrified, I feel immobilised by my fear. There is no running as they are faster than me and experts at tracking. I wouldn’t stand a chance.

Even if I could run, I could never leave Blaise, especially when he’s not able to fend for himself. Had he been awake, he would be lecturing me, telling me to leave him. That is not the type of person I am though, so I take several deep, shaky breaths as I try to calm myself.

We are surrounded by vicious-looking creatures of all shapes and sizes now, but I have to focus on one thing at a time to stop myself from getting completely overwhelmed. The rock creature is stomping around, bellowing and smashing its fists against what I assume is its chest, the ground shaking with each stomp of its feet. Blaise still hasn’t moved, and my eyes sting with unshed tears. He has to be okay. He’s my friend, and I need him to help me get back to Alaric.

The huge creature rears back and prepares to crush him with his fists. This will kill him. I have to do something about it.

“No! It’s me you want. Leave him!” I shout, putting everything into my words. “I will come with you if you leave my friend alone.” I want to sound authoritative, but it comes out desperate, a tear rolling down my cheek. The forest rustles around me, and in the distance, I notice a stag stepping forward, his huge antlers standing proud, and he looks at me as though waiting for something.

Thankfully, my words do the trick, and the rock beast backs off, stepping away, with other strange creatures following its lead. A hound snarls at me, its hackles raised as it slowly treads towards me. More fae are arriving to watch, and as I look around desperately, I feel my hope sinking. All of them are Unseelie. I’m surrounded. They are even in the trees above me. There really is no escape—no, wait, that isn’t a fae creature in the tree, but an eagle. Looking from branch to branch, I realise the birds have returned, and they all seem to be looking at me.

Taking my attention off the hound was a mistake, as it takes the opportunity to leap towards me. Reacting out of instinct, I raise my arms to protect my face. Sharp, blinding pain tears through my arm, blocking out all other thoughts. Screaming in the agony, I try to pull away as the creature shakes its head, my arm still in its jaws. After what feels like a lifetime, it releases me, the muscle and tissue a complete mess of torn flesh. Without magical intervention, it will never be the same again. I clutch the arm to my chest and fall to the ground, blood pouring from the wound as I attempt to put pressure on it. My vision goes fuzzy, and I think I’m going to pass out, the pain so sharp that I am struggling to think straight. I know if I look at my arm it will make me feel worse and I’ll fall apart, so I keep my head up and try to focus on what’s happening around me. Tears of agony roll down my face, and my chest heaves with my rapid breaths.

Birds cry out above me, diving down with their talons exposed. I’m going to get torn apart. However, that doesn’t happen. The hound is preparing to attack me again, but a huge eagle lands on its back, digging its talons in and cutting it with its sharp beak. Other birds of prey join it, forcing the creature to back off and focus on protecting itself. Choking back my tears, I become aware that the other fae seem to be fighting. Squinting my eyes to see in the darkness, I watch the stag charge at a skeletal creature. Other animals are here too, a fox running past me with a redcap in its mouth.

I don’t know what’s happening and why the animals are here, but I am eternally grateful to them.

“Iris,” Blaise whispers, his voice laden with agony. He’s trying to move towards me, but his body isn’t obeying him, so he attempts to crawl. I sob, knowing that this reprieve is almost over and I won’t see him again.

Shuffling as close as I can without knocking my arm or attracting attention, I stretch out my uninjured arm to take his hand, only I can’t quite reach. In the distance, I hear a bellow that I know belongs to Alaric, the bond telling me he is close but not close enough.

“Look after him for me,” I force out, making sure Blaise understands what I’m saying. I’m a complete mess, my words are choked and barely loud enough to be heard, but from the sorrow in his eyes, I know he understands.

Several of the long-limbed creatures walk over, their knees bending in the wrong direction as they lean down and wrap their long, skeletal fingers around me. Lifting me between them, they drag me into the forest.