34. Chapter Thirty-Four

"Fuck!" I snapped, grabbing Fiona. "Come on. We need to back off and take a more defensible position."

She stood there, her mouth agape as one of her sons grabbed her other arm.

"Mother, let's go." He helped me drag her away. It wasn't terribly difficult, but I was used to holding back when I was holding onto a human. We backed away from the circle around Brion's duel with Oisin. Chaos was breaking out quickly. Someone died in the crowd, and blood poured onto the courtyard far from where the redcaps were. Screams were drowning out the sounds of steel clashing but only barely. More people drew their weapons every step I took.

Across the courtyard, Cassius and Sorcha both had their weapons drawn, and two of the redcaps were running for them.

Heath put his massive body between Fiona and the war breaking out in front of us, using it to push us farther back. The courtyard was large enough to have hedge walls and hidden pathways, but I hadn't been given a chance to explore the area before the duel. Fiona hadn't even given me the chance to ask because she'd needed time to be alone. I regretted letting her take it, because now I needed to find a way to get her out of this.

I didn't have much of a chance to say anything. Holding her elbow, I yanked her into my side, no longer caring that I could bruise her with a simple touch if I wasn't careful. Right as I did, two sidhe popped into existence near us. One lunged for her, and I jumped out of the way, taking her with me. The other went for Fergus, who screamed as a dagger sliced over his chest. Eamon roared and barreled into the sidhe assassin. They tumbled to the ground in a bloody struggle over the dagger.

I shoved Fiona behind me as Heath jumped into action, grabbing the arm of the assassin who had gone for Fiona. I heard bones break as he shook his head and dragged her away. Pink hair whipped around as she screamed in pain and struggled.

"We need to run," I said to my charge. Fiona made no move, only staring in horror. "Fiona, look at me. We need to—"

Something slammed into me, and I went sliding on the paved ground of the courtyard. The stone was rough, burning my arm and cheek as I continued to slide into a small stone wall. It wasn't until I was stopped that I could hear Fiona screaming. I pushed myself up; blocking my view of her was an unknown, large body. At my eyeline, I could only see his chest. I looked up slowly, horror dawning on me as I finally reached his face. He was probably over seven feet tall and weighed three or four of me.

I jumped out of his reach, and another fierce beast joined the fight. The massive giant was taken to the ground by a snarling feline I knew weighed somewhere over nine hundred pounds. Unnaturally massive, Hasan was the peak of what a werecat could be, the largest one I had ever seen. Only Jabari compared to him in size.

I didn't have time to say thank you. As Heath continued to tear up the other assassin and the brothers fought the one who had attacked them, I ran for Fiona. Hasan could keep up with that giant. I trusted there was nothing the fae could throw at him that could stop him. As Brion said, my father was too stubborn and too old to die for any fight but his own.

"Fiona!" I screamed as I grabbed her. "We need to find shelter. I need to hide you. I can't defend you out here."

She gave me a shell-shocked look. I picked her up, unable to spare the time to snap her out of it. Not everyone was made for excessive violence, and the first time someone encountered it was always hard.

She felt so light to me as I ran with her, heading for the closest door I could find. As I reached it, I was grateful to see Heath was right behind me. With one arm wrapped around Fiona, I opened the door and let Heath run in to check. When I heard no sounds of fighting, I followed him.

"Use your nose!" I called out. "Find us somewhere to hide. Find…find Leith! He might know the servants' passages, which could give us the shelter we need."

Heath huffed in response and started searching.

"Leith!" I screamed. "We need you!"

No one showed up, and I was wary of going deeper into the palace. I entered the first room I could find and locked the door once Heath was inside.

"Fuck," I said, leaning my head on the door as I tried to breathe. "What am I going to do? What happens if our side loses out there?"

Heath had nothing to say, but that didn't surprise me. He was silenced, thanks to our idea. Real werewolf pack magic didn't allow for contact to those not in their Changed forms. I moved away from the door and started pushing the furniture I could find to block it. First, I went for tables around the room, which were easier to move, then chairs. Heath herded Fiona to sit on a couch.

"And Hasan…Damn it. What was that guy? A giant? Hasan can deal with it. If he gets hurt, though, it's going to be my fault…" I slammed my hand into the stone wall and cracked it.

"That werecat, he's your father?" Fiona whispered.

"Yup. Member of the Tribunal, leader of the werecats," I said, pushing hair out of my face. "He's here to witness the duel because whoever wins takes the seat on the Tribunal. Brion is one of the founding members. Oisin took the position when Brion disappeared with you. We're not just fighting over the fae throne, Fiona. The Tribunal rules most, if not all, the supernaturals in the world. They wrote the Law."

Fiona nodded, her expression hollow. "And those…redcaps…"

"I don't know. I don't know why they're here, but the first kill they made set everything off." I ran my hand through my hair, looking for a window, but there weren't any. "I don't think they were the only ones doing the killing."

Heath nodded his head and huffed.

"Yeah, glad you agree," I mumbled, looking at him and his ice-blue eyes. He was a beautiful and exceptionally massive wolf, like a timber wolf sized up. If I was guessing, he probably weighed in at over three hundred and fifty pounds but knew it was possible I was way off. His feet looked as if they could crush my head with ease. His mouth opened, revealing a set of teeth even I had to respect, and I was a saber-toothed feline.

But he didn't scare me at all.

"We need to sit down and have a long conversation about this growing thing," I said to him softly, reaching out to scratch him behind his ears. He leaned into my touch. I didn't spend much time with Heath in his wolf form unless it was a full moon when I was always a massive cat. Neither of us liked hanging out in the forms given to us by our curse, not for very long. I sometimes strolled around my territory when I really needed to stretch my legs or felt the need to patrol it, but I found more fun and love in the human side of my life now. Heath rarely went into his wolf form unless he intended to fight or hunt, neither of which happened often.

He tilted his head and sat down. For a moment, we took a breather. We'd gotten out of the madhouse. It would take someone time to find us in the palace, even though we were relatively close to the courtyard. The route I had taken was simple enough to remember how to get back outside.

I looked at Fiona and saw tears streaming down her face. She was completely silent, and it broke my heart.

"Hey," I whispered, moving to her. I sat down slowly, trying not to shock her. "Come here," I murmured, pulling her to me.

"My boys," she sobbed. "They're out there fighting, and I'm in here doing nothing."

"There's…Fiona, there's not much you can do except stay safe. With you secure, they'll be able to focus on their own survival."

"I'm their mother, and I let you run away with me. I should be out there!" Fiona curled into a ball, but she didn't struggle against my hold. "I let this be brought on them! I should have fought with Brion to leave them with Rian. They're good boys!"

"They are." I rubbed her back. "I know." I didn't know either of the older sons, but she couldn't smell a lie, and platitudes would help me more than brutal honesty. "I left my father out there. My father, who didn't even know I was involved in this. I understand."

She hiccupped and got up from the couch. I could have held her, but I didn't.

"Your father. You don't look like him at all. Those boys are my flesh and blood. I carried them for nine months and birthed them. You don't understand."

"Do you always attack other people when things don't go your way?" I asked, crossing my arms. "If you ever question my relation to my father in front of him, not even your husband will be able to save you. I am his daughter. He gave me the life I have now. He Changed me into a werecat, and that's all that matters. He became my father that day, and he will be my father for the rest of eternity."

Heath growled softly, but when I looked at him, he was staring at the door.

"Do you hear something?" I asked softly, dropping down to a whisper.

He whined and moved closer to the door. I inhaled deeply and realized the magic that permeated the place was different. Something about it was alive, rich, and active. Someone was using magic near us.

"Heath, get away from the door," I ordered.

He didn't listen, moving and whining. I watched him carefully and noticed how every step was a struggle for him and a shake taking over his entire body.

I ran for him, grabbing him to pull him back from the door.

"Don't move," someone hissed. I couldn't identify where the noise came from, but fear gripped me as I froze.

Slowly, a fae walked out of a deep shadow in the corner of the room. She extended a hand and helped another come out of the darkness. The shadows clung to them as if they were physical cloaks on the shoulders of these fae. As they moved into the center of the room, one looked at Fiona, and the other looked at me. Mine was a black-haired beauty with a cruel smile.

"Beasts are so easy to control," she said softly, touching my cheek. "So, so easy for the fae to control, at least. I've never had an Alpha werewolf as a pet before, though. Or a werecat." Her fingers curled, and her nails bit into my soft cheeks. I felt the bite of them, and blood began to run down my jaw. "Unblock the door," she ordered.

I couldn't stop myself. My feet began to move, and I pulled away the furniture I had carefully used to barricade the door, throwing it to the side with ease. Once it was clear, the door swung open, and two more fae joined the party.

"Fiona," one greeted softly. He smiled gently, passing me without a glance. Magic poured off him in waves, flooding my sense of smell.

"Lie down," the raven-haired fae snapped at Heath, who fell to his belly, whining and growling without pause. I knew he hated this.

"Do I know you?" Fiona demanded, looking at the fae who had gotten too close to her. I struggled to find the strength to move to her side, and I couldn't reach it, couldn't move my feet, could barely breathe. Fiona smartly moved to put the couch between her and the intruders.

"You don't know any of us," the new man said as he walked through the room to her. "But we're friends. We're here to help you get out of this mess and keep your family."

"What do you mean?" she asked frantically, and I saw the disastrous hope in her eyes.

No, Fiona. This can only be a trick. I know you're scared of losing Brion and your sons, but this is a trick. Don't try to use it. Please.

"We heard you earlier in the gardens with your guards," he said, casting one glance back at Heath and me before turning his full attention on her. For that split second, I felt the full weight of his stare, the power in it. Even a moment of eye contact was enough to relax me for a second, thinking everything was okay.

He turned that power on Fiona, and her shoulders relaxed, and her eyes grew misty.

"Yes. If he reclaims the throne, I won't be able to be his wife anymore, will I?"

"No, you won't," the fae said sadly, pitifully, so sad for her, but it wasn't genuine. I knew it wasn't genuine. "But there is a way to stop the duel, stop the fighting, so you may leave with me and live your happily ever after."

"Tell me. I'll do anything for my family. Please!" Fiona leaned forward.

"Come with me," he said softly, extending his hand.

I watched in horror as the one person I had to protect took that treacherous offer and walked out with him and two of the others, leaving Heath and me with the black-haired fae who had control over us.

"Little idiot," she said, laughing as she shut the door. She smiled at me, then Heath. "Now it's time to break you two, so I can keep you. Payment, you see, for helping them with this. I hope you don't mind. I'm a beastmaster. The animals of the world do as I say and join my menagerie. You'll be well taken care of, of course. You'll be the perfect warriors of my home."