Page 12 of Shadows of Air and Earth
"I'm ready," she said, her voice hard.
The shadow fae assessed her with one last lingering look before nodding, "Yes I think you are." Turning back to the massive wall of shadow that spread up before her like night descending on the town, she smirked. “They always think fire is my weakness. A foolish notion, the darkness is infinite, it has no weaknesses.”
"Sweet goddess," Xi breathed as the shadows rose even higher than the flames, blocking out its light and heat, pausing just moments to take a sharp inhale before crashing down in undulating waves. Its power smothering the flames, and extinguishing the fire that had set the buildings ablaze.
"Fucking Sheol," I breathed, the shadows hissing as they fell, spilling outwards like a goddess damn flood, pooling around the full score of barricading elementals that lined the width of the street. I smirked at their best efforts to appear unafraid especially when the darkness lapped at their feet.
Only three were not. In fact, they did not even appear the least bit affected. Two I recognized from the tales that Xi had told me. One male, one female, both with pure white hair, stared back. Their presence sinister and cold—heartless.
The third did not stand, instead he sat perched on a beautiful painted mare, colors of auburn, white, and grey, making up the horse’s coat. I narrowed my eyes, nothing about this creature was native to Faerie. It did not even come close to resembling the leathered equine beings with sharp black horns we called nightmares or the grotesque skinless colts of the nuckelavee. Not even the unicorns with their glossy coats and colorful manes came close to this magnificent looking creature, which could only mean one thing.
This horse was a shifter.
A thick, gold collar caught my attention, and I felt my stomach knot with horrific dread, recognizing the tainted power swirling within the adornment and even worse, the fae sittingupon the shifter’s beast. Hazel eyes met mine and it was like looking in a mirror. Dark green hair slicked back from a hard-cut face where lips curled in a satisfied smirk.
"I must say," he drolled in his most charming tone while he sat atop the beast like a goddess damn prat. "I hadn't expected a family reunion."
Bile rose and hatred burned, my air swirled violently around me and I was unable to stop myself from stepping alongside the General. If this was what Remnant Dark was fighting against, then I was with her. This bastard belonged in the deepest grave possible—alive.Only to give him some semblance of hope that he could survive before I sucked every bit of air from his lungs while he clawed through the earth like the pathetic worm he was.
"Uncle," I hissed.
Dismounting, he laughed at my rage. Flourishing a whip looped at his side, he snapped it against the mare’s neck where it latched onto the golden collar, making the beast prance before a bright flash blinded us all. Dressed in soft scarves, the shifter appeared with most of her golden skin on display, long strawberry blonde hair fell down her body to supply some modesty while big, light brown eyes beseeched me to help her.
I could not control the rapid increase of my breath, nor the way my entire body froze, gripped by memories I thought I had overcome. Her eyes, that hair…it was the exact same as my mother’s.
Wincing, her sharp cry unfroze my blood and disgust burned in the back of my throat at the cruel way my uncle tugged her by the collar, slamming her into his side possessively. Pawing at her, he smashed her breast into his chest and groped her ass in front of us, his eyes gleaming ruthlessly only at me, knowing I had made the connection between the shifter and my own mother.
"Just like old times, right nephew?" Eyes dancing with mirth, his hand slid up her curvy form to stroke over her hair like a fucking pet, provoking me. But I was no faeling who attacked out of emotion, not anymore. Fisting my hands, I breathed deep, holding my ground as he continued his grating monologue. "I'd give you some loving uncle advice, since we share the same power, and tell you that your decision here today will either keep your head on your shoulders or send it sprawling on the ground so that you may join your parents. But then again, I do love the idea of your head on a pike in front of the city walls."
Xi’s soft inhale was the only indication of her shock and I could not bring myself to look at her. My darkest secret now exposed…would she ever understand what I had done after keeping it from her for so long?
The air already stirring violently around me whispered its lethal torrent. I wanted to pull it from his lungs and watch him gasp—suffocating on the very element that would betray him. Except his power was equal to that of my own. It had always been that way…unless our secondary power was used. A tainted monstrous trait, common in our family line. A power that could possess a living being, harnessing their energy to be used by their master, and enhance their skills. One he was currently using on the shifter female he was assaulting right in front of us, unashamed of his vulgar acts.
I hadn't realized I moved until shadows anchored my feet to the ground. I did not need to look down to know they were there, not restraining, but calmly embracing. Their master’s hand firmly gripped my shoulder, a touch that was strong and supportive. A slight squeeze that said I’m here for you.
“A fight for another day, Dragoon,” Remnant Dark’s voice was barely audible but I could hear her all the same. Then she tsked loudly for all to hear, "Now now, Commander Rory Dragoon. There will be no heads on pikes this day unless it's youwho is volunteering yours." She smiled sweetly, signaling to the shadows that licked up his body, and my lips twitched.
For the briefest of moments…I saw fear in my uncle’s eyes. Something I thought I’d never see.
If I hadn't already decided to join Remnant Ezra Solaire Dark on this quest, then I sure as fucking goddess would have now, just for that moment alone.
I looked back at the shadow fae encased in a halo of darkness, like a deadly savior that dealt justice outside the normal rules of the fae. She had stepped off the game board, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike, and I was here for it.
Chapter 7
Pawns…we were all pawnsbut if one stepped off the board, then they became an unknown, an oddity—dangerous. That was where I liked to play and Riley Dragoon just stepped off the board to play with me.
I felt the shift just moments ago, his acceptance of who and what I was given by the subtle nod he gave me, his eyes changing from fury to understanding.
"You have no power here, General. Only the queen passes out verdicts of death," Rory Dragoon snarled, attempting to hide the flicker of fear in his eyes at the crawling of my shadows.
Giving the commander my fullest attention, my eyes bored into his putrid soul. His aura an oily sludge, smearing over his essence that reeked of nefarious acts and villainous corruption.
Fae like him made the bile rise from my stomach. No honor, no morality, no empathy. As the queen’s newly favored fae at court, he had been given the title of Commander of the City of Light. Nothing but a lackey for her own amusement and boredom, but the twisted air elemental had a thirst for power and took sadistic pleasure in torture even more so than the queen herself.
I had voiced my concerns regarding him many times but Deirdre would not hear of it. No doubt sending him here as an insurance policy and a reminder of where my loyalties lie.
But fae like Rory Dragoon were one of many, Deirdre knew he could be easily replaced…and well…fae died in the plains all the time,especiallywith beasts of origin possibly roaming these lands. I just needed to make sure not a single one of his company survived.
