Page 114 of A Crown Without Mercy

“History has an ironic way of repeating itself and I fear going to war with my kind will put yours as well as the Faye’s lives to rest permanently.”

Ranan poured more of the effervescent liquid into Kadric’s cup. “You may change your mind when you find out the Acherons have taken an interest in your daughter.”

Kadric desperately racked his mind for something, anything, he could say to explain their interest in Sylvana but came up blank. “What makes you think such a thing? Mira is far too young and Calista and Sylvana spend their days in the fields.”

“You know damn well I am speaking about Sylvana.”

“What are you alluding to?”

“I amalludingto the fact I believe you have done a splendid job hiding her true identity.”

Kadric leaned back and laughed aloud. “True identity? I believe I know who my bairn is.”

“As do we, andyour bairnis a purebred Ascelin.”

Kadric took another drink and tilted his cup at Ranan. “Whatever gave you such an absurd idea?”

“We know, Kadric, and it would be in yours as well as Sylvana’s best interest to accept the Faye’s offering.”

“I will not waiver. Sylvana is my blood, and you will leave her be,” he snarled.

“She is the blood of Phaidra Myrine Ascelin.”

Kadric placed his forearms on the table and leaned forward. “You can call a serpent a dragon all you want, but at the end of the day, it does not become a dragon.”

Ranan stood up and slammed his palms on the table. “I am fucking offering you a way out of a war that is inevitable!”

Kadric jumped to his feet and the loud clanging of the copper pitcher and cups hitting the floor along with the bang of the table having been upheaved reverberated off the walls. Kadric grabbed a fistful of Ranan’s tunic and yanked him forward. “Nothing is fucking inevitable! You can stop this!”

The motion was so quick Kadric, in his befuddled state of mind, having been bound by Faye magic, didn’t have time to comprehend what was about to happen; one moment he was staring down Ranan and the next his body was bouncing off the stone wall.

“Let’s see what you have to fucking say when Sylvana is standing before you!” Ranan bellowed.

Kadric stumbled to his feet and Ranan slammed the door behind him. He sat on the stone slab, placed his elbows on his thighs, and rested his forehead on his fists.On all that is merciful, I pray Sylvana is with the Acherons. They will protect her regardless of what motives they may have. If Ranan, and or the Faye, get a hold of her—they will destroy her to use her.He then thought about his mate and the tears dripped from his eyes.My beautiful Myrine, you took your own life to protect Sylvana’s identity. You should have awaited me, and now I fear it is too late to protect Sylvana.

“I can’t fathom all of that took place last night,” Venthana stated.

“My mind is still reeling, and now I’m locked up and I can no longer penetrate the energy surrounding us,” Sylvana replied.

“They are powerful, Sylvana. I am not surprised in the least. We all know that no one goes in and no one goes out without their permission.”

“Do you know where it comes from? If I have an idea, maybe I can work around it.”

“All I know, based on the stories passed down, is the brothers faced the Faye four hundred years ago when they crossed the veil. The Barouqe Warriors had captured a member of the Mercurial Guardians who led the attack.”

“I have never heard of this,” Sylvana replied.

“Then I will tell you the story. The night of the attack, the starless sky was coal black and even the clouds seemed morose; the only light came from the half-crescent Blood Moon. They crossed the river and into the Black Moor all the while the cold, north wind howled and caterwauled through both the forest and the bodies of the Warriors. They gripped their cold steel and raised their shields, which glinted cruelly under the ominous rays of the moon. The Lycans and Faye swarmed before them with a legion numbering in the hundreds. Riordan, Nicolai, and Kieran stood before their warriors, raised their swords and ordered them forward. The sounds of the enemy’s feet hitting the frozen ground echoed throughout the forest like rumbling thunder. They met the brothers and their army head on with a tempest of barbed arrows arching their way across the sky as they advanced. Steel met steel with a thunderous crash and bodies were being tossed onto the ground, while roars of pain and rage rose from the chaos. Unarmored bodies spilled their blood and organs, saturating the ground beneath their feet.

“My god, it sounds awful,” Sylvana said.

“I can’t imagine being there,” Venthana agreed before continuing. "Riordan was attacked by a Lycan who tried to cleave his head. However, he leapt to the side, evaded the deadly blow, and brought his sword across its chest. He was then attacked by another and knocked to the ground. He grabbed it by the throat and plunged his blade into its chest, all the while its enormous jaws were snapping mere inches from his face. Kieran came from behind, grabbed a handful of its fur, pulled its head back and decapitated it. He then fell to his knees next to Riordan and let out a guttural roar. He hadn’t seen the Faye who dropped from the tree above him, but the Faye’s lifeless body fell to the ground next to him. When he looked up, Nicolai was standing there, the blood dripping from his blade. Riordan and Nicolai pulled him to his feet, but his wound was not healing.”

“The scar on his back, was it the Faye’s blade?” Sylvana asked.

“Yes. It was tainted with a caustic substance.”

“Go on. I’ll tell you about his scar when you’re done,” Sylvana replied.

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