15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"As the mantle shifts, be prepared for changes in the weather, plants, and even the land itself. Sídhetír is adjusting to the heir and the heir is adjusting to Sídhetír." – Lord Quincy, Seventh Lord of Sídhetír.

C ethin completely ignored the struggling, swearing light fae and the unusually silent Sevrin as he traced the injuries to my face. His fingers moved down to my chest, and I took a sharp breath. My ribs ached something fierce from the pounding I'd taken. He brushed the iron key and jerked back with a slight hiss.

"That was your only weapon?" he asked.

I shrugged.

"If you're hunting fae, you should carry iron daggers. I am happy to supply you with a pair or more. As many as you need to be safe."

"I have one."

"Then why are you unarmed?"

I didn't bother to answer. Truthfully, I hadn't thought about it. My dagger lay uselessly on my nightstand. "I'm not good with a pistol."

"I did not ask about that," he whispered in my ear, kissing it.

"It's the truth."

With a slight chuckle, he brushed my cheek. "Of that, I have no doubt."

The trapped light fae wriggled within the vines, snarling, but Cethin paid him no mind. Instead, he continued to stroke my injuries as his eyes roved my face. He seemed completely oblivious to the light fae's presence.

Sevrin nodded at the light fae in a clear question. I had no answer. What would Cethin do with the trapped fae?

Cethin's thumb traced my bottom lip. "Aidan, I'm sorry I hurt you."

"But you're not sorry you bound us."

"No," he answered. His lips caressed my ear as he whispered, "I will never regret what keeps you beside me."

"Let me go," the trapped fae snapped. "You have no reason to stop me."

"You touched what is mine," Cethin growled, his hand clasping my chin.

"Yours, eh? Interesting," the light fae said.

Cethin's black eyes narrowed and he peered over his shoulder at the fae. The light fae's tan skin turned ashen, and he swallowed convulsively. He wriggled in the tight hold as his eyes darted every which way. "I didn't know," the fae said. "I had no idea. I swear by the sun's light."

"Cethin," I said, drawing his focus.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead. "You're safe."

"I'm not worried about that."

"Then what is disturbing you?"

"What about all the deals he made?"

"Deals?" Cethin asked, glancing back at the light fae.

"Open-ended deals," Sevrin said. "When we were fighting, he mentioned something about hooks."

"That's your game." He prowled toward the fae. "You want enough contracts in place that you can be drawn to this world without the gate."

"T-that's not possible," I said, looking at Sevrin. He had the same wide-eyed expression that I did.

The light fae scoffed. "The things you humans think you know."

He fell silent at Cethin's glare.

"There are many paths into this world. The gate is merely the most convenient and by far the safest one." Cethin circled the fae as he spoke.

The light fae tracked his movements as much as he was able. Sweat covered his forehead and his breathing was sharp and audible to even my ears.

"We have a problem," Cethin said.

"Do we? Why would we have a problem?" the light fae asked.

"You know of my Aidan."

"Why would that matter?" he asked.

"Do not play the fool," Cethin said. "If I allow you to live, you could come back and harm him."

My eyes widened. I don't know why I was surprised at the thought of him killing the light fae. Cethin had destroyed the trolls with little thought. Sevrin struggled to his feet and shifted to my side.

"If you kill me, all those good things I did will die with me," the captured fae said.

"Cethin," I called, unsure of what I wanted.

He glanced at me. "I have no choice. He could hurt you."

"What if I promise not to?" the fae said with a broad grin that rang false.

Cethin snorted. "You would tell another, who could harm my Aidan."

"Cethin," I said again as images of Mr. Hillridge began to bubble up. I did not want to watch another person be killed. Sevrin gripped my shoulders and tugged me against his solid chest.

"Turn away, Aidan," Cethin ordered.

"No."

Sevrin started to force me in the other direction. "He has to do this, but you don't have to watch."

"Turn away, Aidan," Cethin repeated. The fae began to scream obscenities as he thrashed in the bindings in an attempt to free himself. The last thing I saw before Sevrin forced me to look away was Cethin approaching the fae, the claws obvious at the end of his outstretched hand.

Sevrin kept his arms tight around me. "It's all fine. I promise, it's alright."

I shook my head, my muscles tense. The fae continued to scream until the sound was cut off by a wet rip and gurgling. A slapping sound was directly followed by a thud.

Bile burned my throat as I trembled.

Sevrin held me close, rocking me as he made soothing noises.

"It's over, Aidan," Cethin whispered.

I understood his actions, yet part of me couldn't look at him. All I saw was Mr. Hillridge writhing on the fire. I breathed heavily through my nose as my hands shook. Cethin was protecting me. I might not know who Cethin was, but he was clearly a noble fae, and therefore powerful. If someone abducted me, they could force Cethin to do what they wanted.

Once again that put the question of why into my mind. Why had he done this? Was it what Abnus said? Was I his mate?

My vision was filled with his face. Cethin leaned down until he met my gaze. He lifted his hand, but I yanked back from the blood on his fingers. His hand fell to his side. "Are you well?"

I didn't know how to answer that question. My stomach churned and cold sweat bathed me. I could not say with any accuracy if it would have been worse to have witnessed this death or not. The ripping sounds. The wet thunking of the fae's head. His frightened screams.

None of it would leave me.

Cethin shifted closer and pressed a kiss to my temple. "I had to protect you. I will allow no one to harm you."

This was something I knew. He'd said and proved it. But that knowledge didn't dampen the nausea curling inside of me. Cethin would protect me, killing every and any threat. I didn't want people around me to die, even the bad ones.

A weed of doubt wiggled in my thoughts. Was Cethin protecting me because he cared, or because he didn't want to die? I didn't know if he truly cared about me, or if everything was simply him making the best of the situation we'd found ourselves in.

Sevrin's arms remained tight around me, squeezing me, but his warm hold didn't soothe the trembles. I felt so weak. Cethin and Sevrin were both fine, and yet, here I was shaking like a leaf in the wind. I urged my body to calm and my heart to return to normal, but it didn't heed my commands.

Slowly, Sevrin removed his arms from around me and pushed me into Cethin, who immediately drew me close. I pressed against him, burying my face in his neck. His deep floral scent tickled my nostrils and made me snuggle even closer. I hooked my arms around his back, gripping his shirt.

His bloodied hands stroked my hair and back, heedless of the gore he was spreading. "Your care of Aidan is much appreciated."

At first, I thought he was speaking to me, even though he'd said my name, but Sevrin replied, "He's like a brother to me. There is no question of me not caring for him."

"Nonetheless." Cethin wouldn't directly thank Sevrin, because to do so would acknowledge a debt existed between them, and he would never admit such a thing. He held me tight against him. "Let me take care of you."

"We have a physician at the manor," Sevrin said as his feet crunched on the loose rocks.

Cethin, with me in his embrace, drew back. "I will care for Aidan."

"He needs to come home."

"I will allow nothing to happen to him and ensure that he arrives back at Byrne Manor tomorrow, but you are not taking him from me," Cethin said, his voice cold and resonating with power.

I squeezed him. I didn't want anything to happen to Sevrin. He was trying to protect me as much as Cethin was.

"Fine," Sevrin said, reluctance laced through the single word. "I will have to notify my father about your return. Aidan said he sent you away."

"I never left."

"Aidan, did you lie?" The happiness in his tone made me start and forced me to glance at him. Sevrin was staring at me with a broad smile. Why he would be happy I'd lied was beyond me.

"No," I answered, returning to my earlier position against Cethin's neck. "I insinuated Cethin was gone. I had asked him to leave."

Cethin chuckled. "Very clever."

"Ah," was all Sevrin said.

The moment dragged on, but as Cethin held me and whispered in my ear, my trembles began to calm and my pulse returned to normal. I'd all but forgotten Sevrin was there until he said, "Please bring Aidan back to the manor tomorrow or we will come looking for him."

"I will bring him back if he wants to come; otherwise, he will remain with me." Cethin started to direct me to the trees. "Burn the fae body. You humans have a nasty gift of bringing back the dead."

"There hasn't been a necromancer in I don't even know how long."

"Nevertheless," Cethin said, heading straight to the forest, "burn the corpse to ash."

When the tree boughs covered us, the rest of the tension leaked out of my body and left me tired. I sagged against Cethin's side, his arm propping me up. A few birds chirped from their nests and the damp smell of molding leaves hung in the air. My feet smashed the twigs and underbrush littered on the ground, while Cethin was perfectly silent, passing through the woods with nary a noise.

He wound in a nonsensical pattern I didn't bother to pay any mind to. Cethin wouldn't lead me into any danger. Instead, my eyes followed the pattern of light the interstices in the tree branches created. The light danced as the trees shivered in the wind and squirrels leaped from branch to branch. Soon the rushing sound of water joined the symphony of the forest.

The cottage Cethin claimed appeared. A fish broke through the surface of the clear creek and landed with a loud splash, making me start. The cottage appeared the same with its wood siding and stone chimney, completely surrounded by grass. There was one change, though. A simple log bridge spanned the creek.

"You built a bridge."

"Yes," he replied stiffly.

I turned around, and his eyes wouldn't meet mine. From his tightened shoulders and flattened lips, I could assume he was angry, but I doubted that. In my eyes, he seemed embarrassed.

Without allowing myself even a single thought, I cupped his cheeks and drew him to my lips. The closer Cethin got, the faster he moved until we crashed into one another. I was still angry. I was still scared. And I was still worried about where this relationship would lead, but I couldn't deny these feelings.