Page 133 of A Sword of Ice
Weylyn was obscured in the shadows, though Clay could just make out the glittering gold of his eyes in the dark, bright like a cat’s. His voice whispered, too low for Clay to make out the words.
Before him, there were Unseelie Fae. One of them, a pixie, fluttering above his head as if offering illumination. The other Clay recognized immediately as Veles Riel, a purple-skinned half-breed High Fae in King Ashera’s court.
It was not odd to see them together, as Weylyn was the king’s lackey. It was suspicious, however, to see them both whispering about in the dark. Clay wondered if it was some sort of message from the king and strained to hear, yet he could no longer make out any words.
He dared another glance back, but when he did, the two Unseelie were no longer there. But Weylyn was, and his golden gaze was focused brightly on Clay.
He stepped out from the shadows, the rings on his fingers glittering as much as his eerie eyes. “Eavesdropping?” His deep voice pooled against stone.
Clay didn’t feel a need to hide anymore, so he stepped out to face Weylyn fully. “Of course not. I was on my way down when I saw you. I did not wish to interrupt.”
Weylyn’s gaze flicked over Clay and Clay recognized the look. It was the look of someone gauging how much of a threat their opponent was. It was positively predatory and filled Clay with a sense of unease.
Finally, Weylyn’s lips twisted into that familiar smile. “Of course,” he said. “Shall I accompany you?”
Clay didn’t really want to be anywhere near the Fae, but it was impolite to reject him. If he were Ryker, he would have growled at him to fuck off, but Ryker was a barbarian even on his better days. Clay had been raised with propriety, and that meant dealing with people he didn’t particularly enjoy.
“Sure,” he said, walking. He was careful not to give Weylyn his back, though, and walked side-by-side. They went in silence down the hallways. Voices echoed across stone, coming from the long line of rooms on either side of them.
A door to Clay’s right opened and an Unseelie Fae stepped through. He stuttered to a stop, his eyes taking in Clay. A moment later, he bowed low.
Clay felt himself chuckling in amusement. “I am merely a High Lord. I am not the king. You may stand, Fae.”
The Fae stood and something in his eyes flashed. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words never came out.
Because a second later, the castle was ripped apart as a gargantuan rock plummeted through the side, squashing the Unseelie beneath the boulder. Bones cracked and blood sprayed, and Clay could taste it in his mouth.
Then the rock was falling, tearing down with it a portion of the castle, leaving a gaping hole in the side. Clay felt his feet slip against crushed stone, and then he felt himself falling a moment before an arm snaked around his waist and pulled him back to hug the wall.
“Fuck,” he cursed, looking down at the rock and snow below. “That would have been such a shitty way to go.” He turned a smile he didn’t quite feel towards Weylyn, only to find the other male’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. “Great,” Clay said. Because that was exactly what he needed right then. “Please don’t fucking fall.”
Weylyn blinked a second later and turned to look at Clay. “The humans,” he explained. “They are invading.”
53
Fallen King
Another boulder caved in the ceiling. Enormous chunks of broken brick rained down. Iona was barely able to cocoon them within a wall of ice before it hit against the surface layer of their protection. A moment later it crumbled, ice and snow dropping beneath their feet.
The whole front side of the castle had been destroyed, its remains squashing the inhabitants. The scent of blood and broken bone was strong, but not more prominent than the burning scent of ashwood, and the snow and wind drifted into their nostrils.
The humans had marched closer, and in the darkness there was the brightness of flame as their iron ovens burned bits of the poisonous plant and sent smoke billowing across the sky.
Iona’s throat closed up, and she was already feeling the dizzying effects of it, and so were her friends.
“We have to do something!” Julius’ shout was cut off as he went into a coughing fit, staining blood against his pale palm.
Another boom ricocheted across the mountain, a boulder hitting another side of the castle. They staggered from the force of the explosion, Iona falling against her familiar’s side. Shula let out a cry as her feet slipped beneath her, regaining her footing with a few quick twists of her feet.
Rocks pelted against Iona’s head from above, and her gaze sailed upwards to see the night sky blackening against wind and smoke, blocking out the sight of the stars.
“We’re almost out of time,” Ryker growled.
In the ensuing chaos, Iona’s mind wandered. It didn’t go down the dark path of her past, but through different emotions that threatened to meld together in a maelstrom through her mind. Her eyes squeezed closed, her heart raced, and panic threatened to settle deep in the roots of herself.
Mana, please,she felt herself praying.Help us.
She waited for a reply with bated breath, but none ever came. No sign, no sensation of raw magic zinging down her spine to let her know that Mana was listening.
