Chapter 27

We crashed back into the valley between the mountains. Avalon had both hands on my shoulders, and he held me away from him, looking me up and down. "Fucking hell, Morgana. Are you okay?"

He held my arm out and pulled my leather jacket from my shoulders then tossed it to the ground. I tried to pull my arm back. "Heyyyy."

But it didn't stop him. Panic was plain on his face, his eyes were wide with worry, and he couldn't stop his hands from roaming over my body. He patted me from head to toe, and when he got to my head, Monty scrambled down my body to the ground, where he hissed in Avalon's direction.

Avalon hissed back. "And where were you when she was fighting?"

"I was calm the whole time. Until Dacio stepped in," I sighed, "then, not so much."

"Are you okay?" His hands were back at my shoulders.

"Yes, Avalon." I held my arm out and showed him that the cut had already stopped bleeding. "I'm fine."

He let go of a deep breath. "I thought I was going to lose you before I even got the chance to have you."

"I'm here." I tried to reassure him. But even I had to admit it'd been a little too close.

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me flush against his body. His mouth crashed over mine, and a million different emotions ran through me all at once, like a dam had been broken. I remembered what it felt like to be kissed by him, but this was so much more—the way his lips felt against mine, firm and commanding. He was so filled with need it made my toes curl. The flavor of his tongue against mine had me wanting so much more than just a kiss. We'd gone years without each other and now we were so close I wanted to stay like this eternally. It was a silent wish I had for myself to forever be close to him and to remain forever in his arms.

He pulled back too quickly and looked down at me. "I'm sorry, I just had to."

"Don't apologize for that . . . ever." I felt breathless and excitement each time our lips touched. I couldn't not get enough of him.

"I just . . ." His breath heaved. "I could've lost you."

The blade had come way too close to me. I knew it and he knew it. "But you didn't lose me."

"I never will." He curled his hands into fists and held them at his side. Green smoked seeped around his body as he vibrated with emotions. "We just need to figure out a way to kill Dacio. That first blow should've taken him down. And he shouldn't have been able to walk away from the rest of my attack."

"Yeah, what the hell was that with his armor? I've never seen anything like that before." That white, icy smoke was eerie as shit. "And then the armor wound itself back together. It's like he can't be touched."

Avalon turned away from me and began to pace. "Because it is. He had to have made it with his own power mixed with something else."

"That was not demon power. I've felt demon power. Hell, I am demon power. That was something else."

He paused and his eyes widened. "It can't be."

"Share with the class." I motioned to myself. Monty ran back up my leg and planted himself around my neck once more.

"That kind of magic can only come from one place, the fae Winter Court. And there is only one way to counteract it—to get something from the fae Summer Court." He crossed his arms over his chest.

I wrinkled my nose at him. Knowledge of the other islands in Terrea was limited at best. I only knew there were eight other kingdoms but their inner workings were kind of a mystery at this point. "How do you even know that?"

"It's been a long and strange fifty years. But I've had some run-ins with the fae, or should I say, unfortunate experiences. They don't take well to people trespassing on their land, and they certainly don't do favors for free." He gave a heavy sigh and shook his head. "And we need a favor."

Why did I get the feeling we were going to need to go somewhere and do something I really didn't want to? "What kind of favor?"

"We're going to need some kind of dirt or flower from the fae Summer Court. If it just touches his armor, it should deactivate the power from the Winter Court."

"And that should make him vulnerable enough to kill him? I find that really hard to believe."

He nodded. "In theory it should work. Those courts are opposites and one's magic should be able to counteract the other's… in theory."

"You keep saying in theory and it doesn't make me feel any better." I sucked in a deep breath and blew it out in a sigh. "But we don't have any other choice. One way or another Dacio has to go down. So it looks like we're taking a trip to Talamh then. They do still call it that, right?"

He chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, they still call it that."

"When should we leave?" I wouldn't have minded having a moment alone with him. But I knew time was of the essence.

As if reading my mind, his face softened, and he moved in closer to me. "I would love nothing more than to take a moment with you. But I know Dacio, and he will come looking for us, and it won't be long before he finds us."

"How are we supposed to get there?" I'd seen what happened when he crossed out of his lands and into the Swamp Lands. He had nearly died. "I mean, can you even go?"

He pressed his lips into a hard line. "I have a theory."

"Another theory? You're really pulling those out of your ass right now." This did not sound comforting.

"Yeah, but it's all that we've got."

He wasn't wrong. "Okay tell me."

"Your petals didn't kill me, and my power had no effect on you. So, I think if you and Monty just stay close enough to me, I might be able to, I don't know, somehow tap into your immunity to the magic of the land. . . So long as you stay close."

"That sounds insane and like it could get you killed." I crossed my arms over my chest. "Terrible idea."

"Have you got a better one? Because from where I'm standing desperate times call for desperate measures and we have hit desperate times. We can't give Dacio time to plan or regroup. Because he will be ready and waiting." He moved in closer and held his hand out toward mine. "Let's just try to see if it works."

I licked my lips and shifted from one foot to the other, trying to calm my nerves. Sure, I'd tried to kill him before, and he'd tried to kill me, all's fair in love and war, after all, but I definitely didn't want him dead now. I wanted him very much alive and with me. We were figuring our shit out, taking names, kicking ass, and planning to assassinate bad guys. "This feels like a bad way to, you know, test something like this out."

He held his hand out. "Come on, Morgana. Don't back out on me now."

I let my powers flow through my body and into my hands. Purple smoke seeped from my palms and two small petals formed there. I placed my hand over his and the petals turned to ash against him, and I sucked in a sigh of relief. "At least you didn't die."

"Look, all you have to do is let your power flow. As long as you're touching me, and it should work." He looked so confident, like this was his hold-my-beer moment, and I was not here for it.

"Should?" I pursed my lips. "I don't just want to fly over the ocean on a whim. Or a maybe this might work or maybe it won't. You're too important to me.".

"If you can walk into this world without an ally and no knowledge of how it works, or how your powers work, and make all this happen then you can give me the chance to prove this theory and actually help you. We'll fly over the swamp lands to test it. If I start to falter, then we turn back and find another way."

I sighed knowing he was right, knowing there was no other answer. I had to admit defeat. "So now?"

He bent down and swept his arm under my legs and scooped me up close to his chest. "Now."

Monty shrunk to his tiny size again and crawled behind my ear just as Avalon surrounded us with that green smoke and we took off flying as fast as he could. The world blurred around us, and the wind blew my hair from my face. I held my hand on his shoulder and let my magic flow. An almost invisible purple haze covered him, and he smirked down at me.

"We're over the swamp lands." He's moved so fast I could hardly believe it. "And I'm good."

"Cocky is not a good look on anyone." I couldn't help but smile back at him.

He flew so fast it was difficult to tell where we were, but as we approached the fae lands he slowed enough that I could make out the difference between the two sides of the island. One was like a permanent winter had fallen with snow and ice, and the other was bright and colorful with wild plants and warmth. Avalon turned and headed toward a canopy lower on the land. Vines grew over a dome-like structure hiding the fae within. But I could see them moving around and hear the murmurs of their voices.

"You ready?"

No. "As I'll ever be."

He slowed down even more and allowed us to drift into what looked like a training area. There were green satin chairs spread all around and a circular area where two women stood. Vines and flowers grew in all different directions, winding around the canopy in an array of beautiful colors. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach, like we weren't supposed to be here.

"Avalon." I lowered my voice. "I don't think they're going to help us."

"We have to try," he whispered back just as we landed.

"Secure the palace!" a woman wearing golden armor covered in leaves and thorns bellowed. Her eyes were sharp as she watched us touch down. She was delicate-looking with long, dirty blonde hair twisted into sections, and pale skin.

She drew her sword, as did a man at her side. He was taller, perhaps a bit stocky, with thick hair and a rigid stature.

This welcome party is so fun.

Avalon let his smoke drop and let us appear to all around us. "Queen Orla, we mean you no harm. It's Lord Avalon from the demon kingdom of Isramorta. Morgana and I have come to ask a favor of you. May we join you?"

The Queen stood there appearing almost bored as she looked us up and down with deep hazel eyes. She was beautiful, to be sure, with long, red wavy hair that flowed down her back. A golden vine crown circled her head. She wore a dark red dress that was cut in a low V and embroidered with gold.

"A favor, you say." The Queen chuckled. "Come. Join us, but at the first sign of a threat, we will kill you without remorse."

I got the feeling killing without remorse was a way of life for them.

"I'd expect nothing less," Avalon let me slide down his body and place my feet on the ground next to him, but I didn't leave his side, trying to keep that invisible purple haze over him.

Orla stepped toward us. "What is it you need? We are about to leave for the Comortas."

"This request won't take long." He licked his lips and moved to stand just an inch in front of me, almost like he was trying to protect me. "King Dacio stole some land at the corner of the Winter Court territory and has used his earth magic to create his own personal armor that isn't permeable by any demon magic or weapon, so we aren't able to injure him."

The Queen looked as if she didn't believe such a thing was possible, so he continued to explain.

"Frost sparks from it with every blow, but we believe that if we could obtain some soil from the Summer Court with its fire abilities and use it against him, we would be able to pierce his armor so we can defeat the king and bring peace to our lands. Instead of taking something that isn't ours to take, as did the King, we came as a show of good faith and to get your permission."

Even as he explained it all, it made my desire to kill Dacio that much stronger.

"And what do we get out of this?" Orla crossed her arms and arched a brow.

Avalon let his face settle into his deadly serious mask. His lips pursed and the muscle in his jaw ticked. "The satisfaction of knowing that an evil tyrant will be eliminated and not a threat to your lands any longer."

Oral laughed. "As if he would be a threat to us. Unless you can give us something of equal value, the answer is no."

"You've got to be kidding. They could've just taken the soil. They should now just because you're being stubborn," said a slender woman from the other side of the training area. She had strawberry blonde hair and forest green eyes, and I swear I knew her from somewhere before. Her face was so familiar.

"Alina," warned the woman who'd drawn her sword.

Alina! This is the girl from the sacrifice! I knew I'd recognized her. I wanted to run to her, to ask what she'd been through, to find out how she was in fae. Did she find the world as disorienting as I did when I arrived? But I held still. There was so much riding on this one moment I didn't dare ruin it with my own curiosity.

Orla snarled and glared at Alina. "You aren't Queen, so keep your mouth shut."

Avalon scooped me into his arms, waiting just a moment longer. I rested my hands on his shoulders.

"Fine." Alina threw her hands up and strolled over to the weeping willow tree and leaned against it. But Orla had already turned her attention back to me and Avalon.

"Like I said, the answer is no. This sounds like a Winter Court problem." Orla expanded her wings, making her status known. "And my people will watch you leave to ensure that you don't take anything with you."

"I told you," I whispered to Avalon. The fae were not known to help unless there was more in it for them.

"Now, we must get ready." Orla pointed at Alina. "You should go to your room. You have a big afternoon ahead of you."

She pushed off the tree and stumbled right into Avalon and me. "Oh, excuse me,"

She put her hand on top of mine and slipped some leaves between my fingers. She staggered away. "I've been training hard and must have overextended myself there."

I tried not to hug her. Instead, I could only mouth the words Thank you as one of the other fae marched her away. I whispered just for Avalon, "Go. Now."

"We shall take our leave." Avalon burst into flames and took us shooting toward the sky. Once we were far enough away, he glanced down at me. "What was that?"

"She gave me what we needed." I closed my fist tighter around the leaves, making sure we didn't lose them over the water.

A wide smile spread across his lips. "Thank fuck for that. Now what?"

"Now . . . we pray."

His brows furrowed. "What?"

I chuckled and held him tighter. "You'll see."