Winter of the Shadow Fae, page 4
“It looks like Shailyn’s enjoying the night, too,” I added, nodding in her direction.
Lia shook her head and giggled. “Better her than me. I’m pretty sure most of the men who call on me don’t give a rat’s ass about who I am. They just want the title. But, at least, Iston cares about you. I can see it on his face whenever he looks at you.”
It was one of the things that brought me comfort. Iston was a prince, so he already had a title. If he didn’t bond with me, he’d eventually be a king in his own right. Unfortunately, Lia was right, though. Being a royal and finding true love wasn’t easy. We had the power, and so many wanted it as well.
Lia was destined to begin her own addition to the Spring Court, just as I was set to bring about the Frost in Winter. Any man we chose would be the king of our courts.
Sighing, I finished my wine and set my glass on one of the empty tables. “I guess I am lucky to have Iston.”
Lia smiled at me. “Not lucky, Ella. Any man would be a fool not to want you.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Bayleon and Bastian. “The same goes for you. Something tells me your protectors aren’t fools.”
I waited for her to comment, but all she did was look away. If she was in love with one of her protectors, it’d never work with them being cursed. If they had sons, the curse would pass to them, and Lia wouldn’t want that. Bayleon and Bastian were over two hundred years old, but they didn’t look a day over twenty-five. Bayleon kept his whitish-blond hair long, while Bastian had his cut off; he looked more modern. However, one thing I loved about them was the way they spoke. Their voices were smooth like honey, and they had a regal air about them.
Bayleon came up beside Lia and held out his hand just as a slow melody began to play throughout the ballroom. “Would you give me the honor?” he said to her.
Lia smiled and took his hand, following him to the dance floor. A Fall Court warrior headed my way, which was a bold move considering Iston was just across the room, glaring at him. But, before he could get closer, Bastian stepped in front of me, blocking the warrior from view.
“Will you dance with me, Princess?” he asked, smirking devilishly. The warrior scowled and turned on his heel, storming away.
Grinning, I took Bastian’s hand. “Thank you for that.”
Smile fading, he pulled me onto the dance floor and wrapped an arm around my waist, drawing me close. His armor was warm against my skin, and he was so tall he had to peer down at me. I wished I could look into his eyes, but that was only something we could do when no other fae women were around.
“I figured I’d help you out, Princess. Your lover was none too pleased to see another gentleman heading your way.”
“And you don’t think he’ll be that way with you?” I asked.
Bastian shook his head. “The elf prince and I have spoken numerous times over the years. So, he knows where I stand on things.”
I glanced over at Lia and Bayleon and Bastian’s arms tensed around me. When I looked up at him, his eyes were on them. I’d had my suspicions for a while, and it seemed I was right.
“You’re in love with Lia, aren’t you?”
His focus came back to me, and he sighed. “It appears I’m not the only one. She would never choose me over my brother.”
I could see Lia watching us from the corner of my eye. “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” I said to him.
He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I don’t deserve her love.”
It broke my heart to hear him say that, but I knew why he felt that way. Bastian was a good man and even tried to save my mother during the final battle with the dark sorcerer all those years ago. However, his problem lay with the number of women he’d killed over the years. He’d pleasured them to death; that was the Tyvar curse.
“Have you been with any women since you joined the Spring Court?” I asked.
“No,” he replied. Even though his eyes were covered, it was as if I could see his sadness through the mask.
“Does that not affect you somehow?”
Bastian hung his head and blew out a breath. “It gets harder and harder every day, Ella. But I’m getting through it.” I had a feeling there was more he was keeping from me, but his lips pulled back into a sexy grin. “Right now, I’m happy to have the privilege of being with you.”
His sincerity was one of the things I cherished about him. We finished the dance, and I was about to ask him for another when I felt a blast of dark energy enter the room. Gasping, I let Bastian go and jerked around, scanning the crowd.
“Ella, what’s wrong?” Bastian asked, grabbing onto my arm.
I thought for sure everyone would’ve felt the power, but nothing seemed amiss. Iston was deep in conversation with his father and the dwarves. My parents were with their brothers and sisters, laughing and enjoying themselves while the rest of the guests continued to dance. The man from my visions was here . . . the Shadow fae. I could feel his eyes on me as if he was stripping me bare.
Bastian circled in front of me, concern etched on his face. “What happened, Princess?”
I could feel the Shadow fae all around me, but I couldn’t find him. Everyone in the room appeared to belong.
“Do you not feel something strange?” I asked, focusing back on Bastian.
He glanced around the room. “No. I don’t sense anything strange at all.” Then, standing protectively by my side, he held my arm tighter. “Is there danger, Ella?”
I didn’t want to cause a scene. If the Shadow fae was here for revenge, I didn’t want him getting close to my family. The only way to draw him out would be to give him an easy target.
Smiling up at Bastian, I patted his hand so he’d let me go. “I must have imagined it,” I said, laughing it off. “Maybe I had too much faerie wine.” I fanned a hand in front of my face. “If you don’t mind, I think I’m going to get some air.”
“I’ll go with you,” he offered.
I held up a hand. “I’ll be fine. Stay here.”
Turning on my heel, I hurried out of the ballroom and into the cold night air. It was dark, and there was no one on the veranda. Snow swirled around me as my magic built inside my very being. The Shadow fae’s energy had heightened, and I knew he was close. My plan to lure him out had worked.
I could sense him drawing near, my heart beating dangerously fast in my chest. His footsteps crunched in the snow, but I kept my back to him. Then, ever so slowly, I reached for my dagger, knowing I would only have a split second to react when the time came. All I needed was for him to get closer.
My pulse pounded so fast I could hear it in my ears, and my adrenaline spiked. I was so close to ending this, once and for all. I wanted to look into his eyes when I buried my dagger in his cold, dark heart.
Taking a deep breath, I had about three more seconds. Three. Two. One. Grabbing my dagger, I slid it out of my belt and whirled around, ready for the kill.
Everything happened so fast.
One minute, I was in control, but the next, I felt his hands on me, grabbing me around the waist. He was too strong, his power more potent than I anticipated. The hard edge of a blade sliced into my neck, and I bit back my wince against the sting of the cut. Nevertheless, I held my dagger against his as I stared into his stormy gray eyes.
We were at a standstill, neither one of us moving.
His gaze moved to my lips, and he smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess. Although I must say, I wasn’t expecting this kind of welcome.”
“Neither was I,” I spat. “I was hoping to have my dagger in your heart, not at your neck.”
He lifted his eyes to mine, and I refused to look away. He wasn’t at all what I expected from a Shadow fae. His skin resembled that of a Winter fae, and I could smell the hint of snow on him. His mother had to have been one of my kind. However, underneath all of that was pure evil, just like his father.
His grip around my waist tightened, and the blade dug into my neck some more, but so did my dagger at his. Blood dripped down his neck, and I could feel mine doing the same.
“You obviously know what I am,” he said.
I scoffed. “I could smell your stench over a mile away.”
His eyes searched mine. “Then why didn’t you alert your guards?”
It was my time to smile. “Because I want to be the one to kill you. I know who you are and what you want. I’m going to end you.”
A dark chuckle escaped his lips. “We’ll see about that.”
He released me and stepped away, his hungered gaze roaming up and down my body. It was the first time I could see him fully, dressed in a black tux with perfectly coifed brown hair. On the outside, he looked to be in his mid to late twenties, but I knew he was older than that. He bowed his head slightly.
“It was a pleasure, Princess. I look forward to our next meeting.”
Seething, I gripped my dagger. “The next time you come here, you won’t be leaving.”
He glanced down at the blood on his blade and smiled. “Oh, I’m not coming back, Ella,” he said, meeting my eyes again. “You are going to come to me.”
Stunned by his words, I stood there and watched him disappear into the darkness and through a portal, taking his evil with him; I couldn’t feel him anymore. However, there was one thing he was right about. I was going to go to him.
I was going to hunt him down.
Chapter 7
Ella
Blood was on my fingers when I pulled them away from the cut on my neck. I was going to kill that son of a bitch. But, before I could transform myself into someone else so I could sneak away to my place, Merrick appeared in front of me, his smile disappearing when he noticed my wound.
“What happened?”
I could hear voices and laughter edging closer. Not wasting any time, I used my magic to make myself look like a Winter fae woman with long dark hair, wearing a dark green gown.
“Walk with me,” I said in a low voice, moving toward the stone stairs. Once we were off the veranda and away from the palace, I transformed back to my usual self. “Why aren’t you at the ball?” I asked, trying not to sound impatient and failing.
Merrick huffed. “It gets a little lonely when I can see everyone, but they can’t see me.” He grabbed my arm, and I had no choice but to stop. “Stop evading my question. Tell me what happened to you.”
I glanced around quickly but saw no one. “We can’t talk out here. Let’s get to my house. The last thing I want is Iston seeing me right now.”
Nodding, he let me go and followed me down the icy path to my cottage behind the castle. Once we were behind closed doors, I hurried to my bedroom and Merrick followed me. I had to get changed and back to the ball, but Merrick stepped in front of me and lifted my chin.
“Did you cut yourself on something?”
I stayed silent until he released me, his face full of concern. I couldn’t lie to him. “Yeah, on a Shadow fae’s blade,” I confessed.
His brown eyes darkened. “You can’t be serious? There was one here?”
“Yep,” I replied, rubbing a hand over my neck. The wound had already healed.
Merrick threw his hands in the air. “Then why aren’t you telling anyone? This is serious, Ella. Their father killed me for fuck’s sake,” he shouted, his anger palpable.
Not only could I hear the pain in his voice, but I could feel it. It was as if someone had a vice-like grip on my stomach, twisting it in opposite directions. His death had been one that no one in the Land of the Fae had forgotten. He was killed a couple of years before my mother sought out the dark sorcerer to end his evil once and for all. Alasdair had captured my aunt Calista and hid her away in the Dark Forest, hoping to steal her power and make her his. His goal was to take over the Land of the Fae with her by his side. During the rescue mission, Merrick and my uncle Ryder stormed into Alasdair’s camp and fought to free her. Merrick knew Calista loved Ryder, so he took the killing blow meant for Ryder. Merrick had sacrificed himself to save their love.
He turned away and shook his head. “I was there with your mom when she drove her dagger into his heart. I was also there when she died. I can’t go through that again, not with you.”
When my mother became pregnant with me, it gave her remnants of my Keeper abilities, Hence, the ability to see the dead. At the time, she had no clue what was happening or why she could see and communicate with Merrick. He and my mother became close, and he had taken it upon himself to watch after her, just like he’d done with me my entire life. On the day she killed Alasdair, Merrick was by her side so she wouldn’t be alone. And when she was taken to the Hereafter after the magical blast from killing Alasdair took her life, that was when Lailah informed her that she was pregnant. Luckily, my magic kept my mother’s soul tethered to her body in the Land of the Fae. I was destined to be born, so the land gave Lailah the power to bring my mother back to life. Out of all my thirty-one years, I’ve never seen my land grant anyone that kind of magic. My aunt Meliantha and Lia’s healing powers are the closest to it. They could heal people but not bring them back from the dead.
“And you won’t,” I said, feeling the guilt weigh down on my chest.
The Shadow fae was strong, stronger than I anticipated. He’d surprised me, but that wasn’t going to happen again. With a huff, Merrick faced me and I grabbed his hands. He wasn’t going to like my plan.
“I’m going after him, Merrick.”
I’d barely gotten my words out when he pulled his hands out of my grip and threw them up in the air in anger. “Like hell you are!” he exclaimed, pacing back and forth across the floor.
“And how are you going to stop me?” I fired back.
He stopped cold and glared at me for a few seconds before hanging his head. “You’re so damn stubborn, just like your mother. I should’ve known you’d follow in her footsteps.”
He’d told me many times how much it hurt him to see my mother go through everything she had to endure with the dark sorcerer, and there was nothing he could do to help her. This time was different.
“It’s not like I want to do this, Merrick. I’ve been having visions.”
Merrick lifted his head, his brows furrowed. “Like Lailah with her foresight?”
I nodded. “Yes. You were right when you said you could sense something wrong with me the other day. I didn’t want to say anything.”
“What have you been seeing?”
I shrugged. “They’re like movie clips in my head. All I see is the guy who came after me tonight. But that wasn’t the first time. He was watching me yesterday when I helped a Winter fae woman cross over to the Hereafter. I don’t know why he didn’t attack, but there is one thing I know for certain.” I took a deep breath. “In my visions, I can feel his need for revenge. He wants to come after us, after me.”
Merrick kept his stare on me. “And, of course, you’re the only one who can defeat him, right?”
That wasn’t true, but my parents had already faced this evil before. My mother lost her life because of it, but luckily, she was able to come back from it. I wasn’t about to risk her or anyone else’s life when I could do it alone.
“This is my fight, Merrick. The Shadow fae is after me.” I took a slight pause. “And I’m going to make sure he regrets it.”
Merrick’s jaw tensed. “Going after him means you’ll have to go to the mortal realm, Ella. What happens if you get hurt and can’t get back? I won’t be able to follow you there.”
“Oh, sweet daughter. So many secrets.” My heart lurched at the sound of my mother’s voice. She appeared at my bedroom door; her lips pursed as she stared at me. “I can’t hear what Merrick’s saying, but I’m sure he’s trying to talk some sense into that thick skull of yours.”
Merrick went to stand by her, even though she couldn’t see him. “Trying and failing,” he grumbled.
My mother’s eyes dropped to my bloody neck. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I saw you walk out, and I could tell something was wrong.” She stepped toward me. “Are you going to tell me one of Alasdair’s sons did that to you tonight?” When I didn’t answer, her rage electrified the entire room. “I can’t believe this. One was in my court, and we didn’t even know.”
“I knew,” I spoke up. “That’s why I have to fight him, not you. I can sense when he’s near.”
There was a wildness in her eyes when she cupped my cheeks. “If that’s the case, we’ll get our army together, and you can lead us to him. This is going to end, once and for all.”
I reached up and took her hands in mine. “No. This time it’s different; I can feel it. Whoever this Shadow fae is, he’s cunning and strong. I know I’m the one who must go to him.”
She looked away and closed her eyes. “Why do I have the feeling you’re going to fight me on this?”
“Because I’m your daughter.”
When she turned back to me, I could see the sadness in her crystal blue eyes. “My family tried to keep me from going after Alasdair all those years ago. It broke my heart to deceive them, especially your father when I left.”
“Exactly,” I replied. “I don’t want that weight on my chest. That’s why you have to let me go and do what I have to do.”
Merrick huffed and started to pace the room. “This is why you need a Guardian, Ella.”
“No, I don’t,” I hissed, glaring over at him.
My mother’s lips lifted. “What did Merrick say?”
Rolling my eyes, I placed my hands on my hips. “The usual . . . that I need a Guardian.”
She laughed and turned her head in his direction. “Merrick, I’ve tried to convince her to take a Guardian, but you know how hardheaded she is. She clearly gets that from her father and me.”
