Chapter 18

Eighteen

WESLEY

I stalked back to his side to capture his face again between my hands, searching for anything that meant he was fae or something more than the handsome young man he presented. He didn’t flinch this time, rather stared back with curiosity.

“It’s okay if you kiss me again,” he said.

“Uh.” Why did the thought of that short-circuit my brain?

“Search me for power or whatever? I don’t have any, but whatever makes you feel better.”

I let him go. He frowned. “Show me where these berries are,” I said.

He shrugged and led the way. Eight thousand questions and I was still without answers. I tugged the berries off the bush, piling them into the hoodie pocket and wishing for something more substantial or to be able to change into my fucking Stag form.

Finn sat leaning against the roots of the tree we’d created as a shelter. Only one would fit at a time, and that hadn’t been an issue until I couldn’t shift. He looked tired, lips dry, stomach gurgling from time to time. Hungry and thirsty, still I’d pestered him until I was certain he didn’t know.

“No idea how you got stuck in stone in these dreams?” I asked again as I stalked to his side and sat down, pulling the hoodie over my legs and a handful of berries out of the pocket to offer to him.

“Nope. Never remember that part.” He hesitated to take the berries. “I can’t eat them anyway, right?”

“The old legends said eating offerings of the fae made you their slave,” I corrected. “Is being a slave to me better or worse than starving to death?”

“Is it true?”

“No idea. I’m not royalty. I didn’t make these berries.” Would they tie him tighter to the Autumn king, whatever their bond? “I don’t have the power to manifest food.”

“I ate the beans and the carrot stuff in the cabin. Wouldn’t that already make me your slave?”

“Do a hundred jumping jacks,” I commanded.

He stared at me in confusion.

“Obviously you’re not my slave. You made the food at the cabin; I didn’t even offer it to you.”

“Oh, point.” He nodded and took a berry from my hand, popping it in his mouth.

“Taste like anything?”

“Slightly sweet?”

“Do you feel the mindless need to do whatever I tell you?”

“No.” He took another berry and ate it. “Slavery to the fae sounds bad. How many do you think it will take?”

“Does it feel like you’re eating?”

He ate a half dozen more, expression changing a few times to unreadable. “Not really? Maybe I’m super hungry?”

I stewed on that. Could I make food for him appear? Generating magic and actually using it for useful things, were two very different skills, and my ability to turn back into a Stag or clothe myself with glamour had yet to return. Did the Autumn realm change things? My powers hadn’t ever been limited by the court.

“How about water?” I asked and stuffed the berries back in the pocket. I tugged the hoodie down and made my way to the creek. Finn followed, his eyes a bit glazed. Was that magic or hunger? I knelt to cup the water in my hands, drank a mouthful to test it was clear, then lifted it for him. He stared for a half-second, and I was ready to roast him for refusing to drink from my hand if it saved him, but he leaned in, and then yelped as suddenly something yanked his feet out from under him.

He slammed into the ground, dragged at a lightning speed into the water, no longer a narrow creek with a visible bottom, but a raging river. I grabbed his hand and tugged. His fingers slipped through mine and in a heartbeat, he vanished beneath the waves that had not been there minutes ago.

“Fucking world! Stop trying to kill him!” I screamed and dove into the waves halfway expecting it to turn back into a shallow creek bed and break my neck. The water, a slap of icy prickling pain, shoved me, trying to keep me out. My swimmer’s build, sleek and strong with the muscles of the Stag always waiting beneath, propelled me through the water toward the twitching of Finn’s panicked outstretched hand. I feared he’d be dead before I could save him. Had we missed a selkie or some water sprite? Other than us and the shadow wolf/dragon, the realm seemed barren.

Something dragged him deeper, snatching his fingers from mine twice before we could touch. A dark weave of shadows wrapped around his legs. Was it the dragon again? I hadn’t sensed him at all. But the world was his, was he trying to prove a point? Total control and all of that asinine fae bullshit I hoped would die off with the old ways?

I caught Finn’s hand and tugged, but the thing held strong. My heart flipped over in fear at his terrified expression. He was running out of time and air. I swam toward the shadows, determined to rip him free, but my fingers slid through them as though they weren’t even there.

Fuck!

Finn thrashed furiously, but slowed, his hand over his mouth as he fought himself from running out of air. I jolted to the top, breaking the surface and gulping a huge mouthful of the chilled wind before flipping to rush back to Finn’s side. His fighting stilled, eyes open, panic slowing, but he still held on, gaze pleading. Eventually he’d lose consciousness and be forced to drown.

I reached for him, his gaze only half focusing on me as I pressed my lips to his and forced air into his lungs. A kiss of need rather than intimacy, I gripped him around the waist, staring unashamed in his stunned eyes. The shadows would have to take us both. Did Autumn care?

The inky binding around his legs held firm, but I did too. I wrapped my legs around him, arms in a hug over his shoulders. Our kiss ended as I had nothing more to share and ached for air myself. Part fae, part mortal, always meant weak to the fae. Maybe the Autumn king would be happy to be rid of me.

I met Finn’s fearful gaze, the bright light of the day far overhead the only source of miniscule light in our fading drag into the dark. Why die for him? I barely knew him. But, why not? I thought the dragon would kill me. I expected I’d die to free the Summer king and give him the chance to grow. I’d even thought Zephyr would eventually kill me because I refused to tell him what my Vision wouldn’t show me.

My lungs burned and Finn relaxed against me, bubbles cascading through my hair. I wouldn’t watch him die and feel like I’d failed. But least of all, I didn’t want to be alone again.

Let the end take us both, I prayed, and closed my eyes unable to hold my breath any longer.