Page 11 of Beneath a Shattered Sky
Reaching along my connection to Danu, I take just enough power to make my three guides visible. I’ve not done it before—not purposefully—so I’m surprised when it works. My own startled excitement makes their images wobble slightly until I can stabilise them again.
“These are my grandmothers. They’re going to help us.” I wave Mab forward. “Tell them what you saw.”
“Hang on,” Maeve says, patting her now-solid body with a grin. “I have something to do first.”
She exchanges a glance with Titania, who sighs, then nods.
In a move so swift I never saw it coming, the warrior queen strides forwards and drives her armoured knee straight intothe delicate spot between Caed’s legs. The Fomorian wheezes, dropping to the sand like a stone.
“Fuck!”
“That’s for how you let them treat her under that mountain,” she says, then moves over to Drystan, who’s smirking at the Fomorian rolling with his legs tucked up in pain.
The dullahan raises an eyebrow, as if daring her, and I roll my eyes. He should really know better than to test Maeve.
Maeve picks him up by his hair and shakes him like a rag doll. “Andthatis for the condescending, stuck up, winter fae attitude. Your mate deserves better than a prick who can’t even deal with his own emotional baggage.”
I’m sure, if Drystan had a stomach, its contents would be scattered everywhere right now. He spits out sand as Maeve drops him to the beach without care, and I can’t help my small smile as I carefully pick him up and right him, so he’s propped up on a piece of driftwood beside the fire.
“Are you finished?” I ask her, amused despite myself.
How long has she been waiting to do that?
“Not quite,” Maeve says, motioning Titania forward.
My eyebrows rise as the Second Nicnevin takes her turn at assaulting Caed’s manhood just as he staggers to his feet, sending him back to the sand with a litany of curses that turns the air blue.
“Never, ever, abandon your duty to my daughter again,” she threatens, then blushes as Maeve raises her eyebrows at her.
“Daughter?”
“Granddaughter,” the ghost corrects, waving away the slip like it meant nothing.
My heart swells in my chest, and I grab them both, pulling them into a big hug. Mab watches in amusement, only to let out a littleooompfas Maeve reaches out and drags her into the huddle.
“We’re with you, kid,” Maeve mumbles, as we break apart and Titania kisses my forehead. “Now. Let’s kick seelie ass.”
Titania sighs and shakes her head. “Not all seelie?—”
“Yes, yes…” Maeve waves her off. “But these ones deserve it.”
“Anyone else?” Caed asks, groaning as he struggles to right himself. “Fuck. I think you broke something.”
“We should be so lucky,” Drystan snaps, spitting out sand.
“Ahem.” Mab coughs, brushing back her long red braids. “As I was saying, the palace is guarded, but a good portion of their warriors are currently searching the eastward road and along the coast.”
“They expect her to flee to the Spring Court,” Maeve adds, giving Drystan an ‘I told you so’ look. “The obvious route for her to take would be straight east.”
“What about Eero and his daughters?” I ask.
They’re powerful fae, and I’d like to avoid crossing paths with them if we can.
“The Summer King spends a lot of time in his throne room,” Mab says slowly, looking at Drystan.
I follow her gaze, and find him grimacing, the lines around his eyes tense. He may not be able to shake his head, but I’m willing to bet he’s telling her not to say whatever she wants to.
“I need to know,” I snap. “And you need to stop hiding things from me. That’s what got us into this mess.”
