Page 2 of Vengeance and Fire

“We need to close the resort or risk exposure. The Fae have brought their war to our doors.”

CHAPTERONE

MAURELLE

“Isaid capture, notkill!” I scream at every sentry before me.

My power runs down my arms and into my fingers, I throw my arms out wide and hit whatever is in its way. The rocky cliffs crack, and guards shield themselves from the falling rocks. Water flowing freely down the waterfall freezes instantly, then cracks, blasting shards of ice into the air, hitting my intended targets. Their screams sound like music to my ears as the soldiers lay before me with various wounds.

Where’s their loyalty? Their devotion? All of them are a disappointment. My blood is boiling with rage, and I want to take it out on all of them. It would be so easy to wipe them all out.You need them Maurelle, the Fae are precious, and our numbers are few.I try to quiet the storm inside me. They may be writhing on the ground, but I won’t kill them, no, that’s not the Fae way. It’s our only law, and I will abide by it. Some of them are already healing themselves as they scramble to their feet and fall in line like good little soldiers. Well, I guess it is my fault my brother is dead, considering the loopholes I created. It was me who sent my guards out with iron spears, I guess it was my way of not getting my hands dirty. I’m a ruthless bitch, I can admit that. I torture, maim, but not kill.Dain. Not him. Fuck.

Fae eyes watch my every move as I pace back and forth on the cliff in front of the now roaring waterfall. One sentry in particular continually looks up and quickly casts his eyes down when he sees me glance his way, and I know, I know he was the fool who disobeyed my orders.

My brother lays lifeless just beyond the curtain of water. I haven’t seen him yet, but I know he’s there. I felt it the moment he breathed his last breath. We shared a womb; his magic was meant to compliment my own. While he lived, I could access both light and dark magic because he’d given me his court willingly. Now, that part of me is lost. It aches like a missing limb, I feel the phantom presence of my greatest treasure, the side I coveted most. The darkness is gone, and I feel empty. Even in death Dain has found a way to betray me.

Now my niece has everything. She has everything she needs to thwart me. The balance is tipped in her favor, but she’s just a child in the grand scheme of things. I’ve had centuries to craft my plans, and I will not have her ruin what I’ve worked tirelessly for. At least she is down a mate. What a waste! Dravyn had so much potential, as a punishment to both of them I let my Wraiths have him. She doesn’t get to have it all. Thaddeus won’t be happy, but that’s nothing a little pussy won’t cure. He will fall in line like the rest of them, and if he doesn’t, well, he can die too.

“You.” I point. I can feel his fear as the other sentries standing next to him take a unified step away. The sentry steps forward, head held high, armor gleaming, the image of perfection, except for his lack of brains. I can’t afford to lose another body right now, but fuck if I don’t want to make an example of him. Taking a calming breath, I step closer and not only look at him but the soldiers behind him.

“I will let it slide that you failed to notice Dravyn’s presence in the castle. With his superior training it would be damn near impossible to detect him through the shadows. I will even let it slide that he managed to spirit my niece away. But what I won’t tolerate is failure. I said capture, not kill!” As I yell the last part, I feel the rage build inside of me again. So much went wrong tonight, and I have suffered a great loss because of it. Knowing I can’t march into Arcadia right now while she’s at her weakest only enrages me more.

“You killed a royal tonight.” I slowly walk around the sentry in question. I track a bead of sweat running down his brow, he visibly swallows, as if there is a lump in his throat. I shouldn’t take so much pleasure in this because he killed my brother, but I can’t help myself. Reaching out my hand as I circle the sentry once more, I stop and snatch another soldier's spear from him. I walk behind the sentry in question and press the spear into his back, hard, but not hard enough to pierce the skin.

“I was aiming for the queen, my queen,” he whispers as he attempts to turn and face me. I only press the spear again, causing him to flinch.Weak.

“Don’t look at me! Do you think I wanted her dead? Did I say that I wanted her dead?” I wait for someone, anyone, to respond, and I lose my shit.

“ANSWER ME!” I scream, using my power my hands light up around the spear, the iron stings my hands as it begins to melt. The sentries armor begins to heat up and I begin to cook him. His breath picks up, and I can already smell the stench of burning flesh. He cries out in pain, whimpering, trembling on his feet. The scent of urine perfumes the air, much to my disgust.

“No, my queen!” they yell in unison.

I am done talking. I take the spear and ram into the sentries back with so much force that I send him careening off the side of the cliff. “It’s only fitting that he dies the same way as my dearly departed brother.” I watch the sentry fall, his screams muted by all the waterfalls around us. I brush my left hand over my burnt hand, healing it instantly, and then I repeat the process with the other. Iron is poison, but a necessary evil.

If you want something done right, then damn it, Maurelle, do it yourself.

“Leave me.” I order them as I turn towards the waterfall.

“Our orders, my queen? There are reports from another soldier that The Night Court has vanished. None of us have access to it anymore. Are we to return to the Light Court?” The captain’s voice quivers at first, he clears his throat. He dips his head before he raises it back up to look at me. He seems to stand taller with his shoulders back, as if he is reminded of who he is supposed to be. I don’t turn around because he is right. The Night Court is lost to me and anyone else in my court, and it will only reveal itself to the one who holds its power. Cordelia. Once she returns, the court will open up to those who reside in the Light Court once more.

“FUCK!!” I yell again. I don’t answer him, they can stand out here and rot for all I care. Too angry to turn and look at them I find the break in the waterfall and walk into the now dark cave. Without the portal’s light I have to let my eyes adjust before I can see. It’s disorienting how dark and quiet it has become, even with all the noise beyond the waterfall. After all this time I took my night vision for granted, and now it is lost to me as well. I gather up my gold body-hugging floor-length gown, making sure I don’t trip on the hem and slowly make my way towards the back of the cave.

Dain lays on his side with his arm stretched out towards the back wall. It seems with his final breath he managed to collapse the back door portal we had created into Arcadia years ago. The iron rod had pierced him straight through his chest. His eyes are closed, he looks peaceful, as if he was happy with what transpired. My brother had accepted his fate. A part of me feels the need to mourn, some very small part of me wants to grieve, scream, and rage. I slowly fall to my knees in beside him. I lift his long locs away from his face and wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth.

“You fool. Maybe I should have left you in that hole a little longer. This is my fault, dear brother.” I sigh. “I failed to notice that although you had been beaten, you were not broken. I had to go and throw it in your face that you had a child. That was my mistake. I gave you hope. I gave you something to fight for. I should have killed her. You would have been none the wiser.” I lean forward letting out a long sigh, I wrap my hands around the iron rod. My fingers start to itch. The first signs of the iron’s poison seeping into my hands, it won’t be long until it begins to blister. I need to act swiftly; I can’t have my flawless skin damaged.

“In the end you were an emotional attachment that cost me too much.” I yank hard on the rod, and it flies out of my hands, and lands behind me on the cave floor. With that done, I stand and wipe the blood down the front of my dress and stand. “No more, Brother. Your blood is not my blood. Therefore, the gloves are off. I was just going to play with her a bit. I was going to keep her alive for you.” Lifting my leg, I nudge his shoulder slightly with my foot and his body rolls on its back.

“You think you outsmarted me. You gave her every ounce of your power; you even snatched the crown from my head.” I look down at his final resting place, my last slight on his existence and smile. I won’t be giving him a proper Fae burial, this is where he died, and this is where he will remain. He made this his tomb, and now he can lie in it.

“I am going to enjoy taking it all back, Brother. I am going to enjoy draining every last trace of blood from her body. And maybe, if I am feeling merciful, I will bring her back here and lay her beside you in the dark cold cave where you made your last move on the chess board.” I can feel my anger rise as I whisper my final words of farewell to my twin. I wish I could make him suffer for what he’s done, but I guess I will have to take it out on everyone who helped Cordelia succeed.

They harbored her, and that’s reason enough to go to war in my eyes. She took what was mine, and I want it back.

“We could have done this together, but you let love blind you. The Fae will rule over all supernatural beings, and in the end, we will be the only Realm standing. My advisors have deemed it so. I’ve seen with my own eyes!” I raise my voice, remembering every time Dain told me I was delusional. Well, we shall see.

“Goodbye, Brother.” I don’t look back as I exit the cave. When I come out it’s to the forlorn expressions of my soldiers. What the fuck are they looking so pathetic for? I was the one who just lost my powers.

“My queen, shall we retrieve the kin—I mean the emissary's body?” The sentry bows. I am having none of this.

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