Page 54 of Faeling
“Silence,” Vallek hissed. His beast roared in his ears, and he was sure it showed in the furious look he threw Ulrich. “You will saynothing.”
Ulrich’s mouth fell open, a frown darkening his brow. Vallek had never spoken at him in anger before. Perhaps later he would feel remorse for treating his oldest friend so poorly, but right now, he cared far more about the possible threat to his faeling mate.
His second’s eyes flitted past him, to the fae wading around their boat.
“Look at them again and I will have your eyes,” Vallek growled. “Speak her name to them and I’ll have your tongue.”
Ulrich and Mattias looked at him like he’d lost his mind, and perhaps he had. Snapping and snarling, hefeltunhinged, the need to return to his mate, to protect her with the strength of his own arm, a need more acute than taking his next breath.
“It could beher,” Ulrich whispered urgently.
Vallek peeled back his upper lip. “So what if it is? The fae areenemies,as you always claim.”
Ulrich soured. “Then what does that make her?”
“Mymate.” Vallek’s growl was so deep, it nearly garbled the words, but Ulrich heard. “A threat to her is a threat to me. Doyou understand?”
When his second didn’t immediately answer, Vallek lashed quicker than a snake to grab hold of the gorget round his neck. With one move, he could snap the medal from Ulrich’s chest. Take away his position.
“Do youunderstand,lord commander?”
“Yes,” he hissed, a deep anger burning in his gaze.
A hand at his shoulder finally made Vallek relent, and when he stepped back, Mattias put himself between them.
“They no doubt aren’t to be trusted,” Mattias placated. “But perhaps I should know what the hells is going on?”
14
The return run to Balmirra was merciless. Although Vallek didn’t keep up the blistering pace for the whole of it, they ran without stopping through the night. His own legs screamed in agony, but he didn’t listen. Not when all he could hear was the incessant rumble of his beast, goading him to push on.
It was finally Mattias, ever mindful, who argued for a rest. Vallek allowed it, sensible at least that not all of his berserkers had a damned beast whining for their unclaimed mate—but because of the latter, he refused to stop himself. Mattias stayed behind with the main contingent to rest while Vallek ran, Ulrich and a few undaunted guardsmen right behind him.
That suited Vallek just fine. He couldn’t have Ulrich running back the other way to the fae.
It was an uncharitable thought, one he never would’ve dreamed of having about his oldest friend a few days ago.
But everything had changed.
Whether Ulrich liked it or not, whether Vallek himself wasready, the beast had chosen Ravenna. There was no denying it, no stopping it; they had to manage.
For Vallek, that meant taking Asta’s advice and working harder to prove to his faeling that he was to be trusted with her every secret. Then he would find out justwhat in all the hellsshe’d gotten herself mixed up in. Once he’d filled his senses with her scent, he intended to ask her just that.
He got his opportunity sooner than he expected.
The points of the citadel rose above the craggy horizon, spurring Vallek on. He’d long since reached that disembodied mindset that any warrior had to achieve—else running became a true torture. Disengaged from his body, his mind focused on the approaching city.
All looked well, and his gaze trained on the citadel.I’m coming for you, sprite.
His beast paced agitatedly in his chest, the need to see and hold her overwhelming. So much so, he swore he scented her on the wind, a teasing note of jasmine and clove.
One of his warriors broke out of formation to trot alongside him. Raising his arm, he pointed at the southern edifice of the curtain wall. “My king, is there not something upon the wall?”
Vallek’s stomach dropped to his tired feet. A glance at the wall confirmed there was indeed something about halfway up the wall. Whatever it was, it wore blue fabric that flapped in the slight summer breeze of the early afternoon.
Drawing a deeper breath, he realized in horror, it wasn’t his imagination. Her scent truly carried on the wind.
All-Mother, take me now. What had he done to deserve this?
