Page 144 of Wrath of the Fae Queen
“Drake! Drake, my love. Hold on. They are about to pull you up. Sasha? Open your eyes,” Klara calls out, her voice strong despite the tears that run down her face. She grips Rainier’s hand. His face is pale despite his natural dark coloring and his white hair is full of cobwebs and dust.
Drake and Sasha let go of each other, gripping the bars instead to hold themselves still with each jolt of the cage as they rise roughly. Aldrin and Cyprien do their best to wind the winches carefully, but the metal chains are rusty. Sasha cries out a strangled sound and Drake grits his teeth tightly.
I know the burn of contact with that golden metal all too well. It feels like it sears into the soul as it not only sizzles the flesh but also drags out the magic. My heart leaps into my throat with each jerk they make.
They are halfway to the top when Sasha’s velvet shoes slip on her own blood and her body slides sideways. She throws out an arm and catches herself, but not before a spike pierces her side an inch deep. It is painful to watch her extract herself from it. I have never felt so helpless in my life.
Time drags out as the cages slowly inch upward, and we all band together when they reach the lip of the rooftop, grabbing the bars and easing them up despite the agony of contact. How can any of us complain when those we care about are in this condition?
The scent of burning skin fills the air by the time the cages are on flat ground and we all heave from the effort. Rainier uses the tip of a blade to force open the simple mechanism on the lock of his father’s cage. He is met with no magical resistance; the enchantment died with Titania. Cyprien rushes over to do the same on Sasha’s cage, all but shouldering Lord Cedar and me out of the way.
Aldrin holds me from behind, pressing my back so tightly to his chest that I can hardly breathe, but I don’t mind, because I am flooded by his memories and know he needs the contact. The brutal panic of seeing me in a similar cage and state and being unable to break me out. The sheer heartbreak of having to leave me there while he fought another battle to get to me. How he put everything on the line and agreed to not only his death, but that of his closest people, all to free me in time, before I died too.
Tears run down my face as it all replays in my mind and in his.
I’m here now. I’m safe now,I reassure him, and he buries his face in my hair and kisses my neck, needing to feel me. To be enveloped in my warmth and scent.
When I open my eyes, they fall on Drake being helped out of his cage by Klara and Rainier as he struggles to take the few steps. The family embraces tightly, the three of them clutchingeach other, while Rainier takes the bulk of Drake’s weight and Klara heals him now that he is out of the cage’s pull.
Aldrin finally lets go of me, moving toward them and combining his raw magic with Klara’s so she has more power to work quickly with. Aldrin flicks his head toward Sasha, indicating I should do the same.
I turn to find Cyprien in her cage with her, lifting her near-limp form in his arms, then backing out. He doesn’t even flinch when the spikes cut slashes into both of his biceps. I take a step toward them as he cradles her to his chest and she weeps uncontrollably. The moment seems too private as he wipes the tears from her face with his thumb.
“You’re a bastard, Cyprien, but you’ve never treated me as badly as they did,” Sasha says, but she doesn’t push him away. Again, it makes me curious about their past.
When her eyes drift over to Drake surrounded by his family, they remain stuck on Rainier, and her entire face crumples. The pain is clear that the son she would sacrifice anything and everything for will always choose another family and a different mother, but she continues to do what is right by him regardless.
Cedar reaches Sasha at the same time I do, placing his hands on her shoulders. From the way she whimpers and little jolts run through her body, I assume he is healing her. I place a hand on each of them and give him access to my power reservoir. When we connect, I find that Cyprien is doing the same.
“Lord Cedar is one of our best healers,” Cyprien says gently to Sasha, as though he is trying to comfort her. It is strange, seeing him attempt to be gentle.
“I thought all Spring fae could heal.” Sasha’s voice is distant and dreamy.
“Yes, but some like Cedar and Klara have a greater natural affinity and a wealth of training from their time in the army.”
We are left swaying on our feet by the time we are done, and those clustered around Drake look the same. Both will need more medical attention before they heal, but neither is at risk of bleeding out anymore.
Cyprien carries Sasha from the rooftop toward the stairs even though she can walk now, and Sasha stares at him with open vulnerability and bewilderment. He murmurs something to her, and I am almost sure it is a promise that he will get her orc bodyguards out of the dungeon and into the chambers next to hers as soon as she is in bed.
My legs shake by the time Aldrin and I make it down the many flights of stairs and halfway across the palace, back to the throne room. Advisers and regiment commanders descend on us with reports that the fighting has fully ceased and any lingering rioters are being collected and locked up for the day to cool off.That the civil war is finally over and peace has fallen across the city. A search is on for Torin, but he remains unfound. I can hardly register their words, but Aldrin nods and gives them words of praise peppered with new orders.
Leonardo strides toward us, looking as fresh and groomed as ever, with a bloodied-up entourage around him: Belladonna, Valentine and Dante. Leonardo holds out an arm to Aldrin and the men grip each other’s forearms near the elbow and shake, tipping their heads down at each other in respect.
“Thank you for your support in helping me regain my throne and save my court…and for staying true and loyal when it would have been so easy to hand me over to my enemies.” Aldrin’s voice is husky.
“I look forward to future alliances and the fulfillment of our bargain, especially against the corruption that devours this realm,” Leonardo replies, then his eyes slide to mine. He shakes my arm in a similar fashion. “Queen Keira. Next time we meet, Ihope it is under better circumstances than me reviving you from death.”
“I truly hope so.” I give him a wicked smile. “I do have such a bad temper when I believe I am being betrayed.”
He rubs at his cheek, where my magic seared rifts into it. The evidence has been completely healed away. “Yes. I did notice. Send my regards to your father. He seemed quite interested in supplying my court with food trade from his human realm.”
Belladonna comes to me next and curtsies deeply, her large eyes bright with thrill when she glances up at me. “In another lifetime, I think we would have been great friends. I do apologize for poisoning you to death. It was not my intent.”
“And the fact that you poisoned and killed my mate twice now?” I raise an eyebrow at her.
She gives me a coy smile. “He did ask for it, both times. Practically begged the second time if it meant saving his queen. You have a good man there. Safeguard him above all else. Most aren’t as fortunate as us to find their soulmate.” She glances over at Valentine with such brimming love, I wonder if there is a softer side to him beneath the stone-cold exterior.
Dante grips Aldrin by the shoulders, then drags him into a bear hug. “Don’t be a stranger, and never forget everything I have taught you. I will see you at the next war. Unless you need someone assassinated before then.”
