Page 125 of Wrath of the Fae

‘To save you. Ezra refused to help you if I didn’t promise.’

‘And why would you want to help me,Stick?’ I sneer at Ezra. Fuck, I wish I could snap his scrawny neck.

‘Everything I have done has been for my father. For the betterment of my people. I did what I did for my family. I betrayed, killed and lied for them. For my father and his ideology of a stronger race.’

‘Tell that to Tessa.’

He goes rigid before slowly turning to face me.

‘I never meant-’

‘Why are you here?’ I cut in. I have no interest in his explanations or deranged reasons.

I know what he did to us. To Tessa. And there’s no coming back from any of it.

‘We don’t have time for this,’ he insists. ‘We have to go.’

‘Not until you tell me the truth.’

He looks to the floor, anger twitching the muscles in his face.

‘When my father sent me to the Thirteenth Kingdom a year ago, I went. My father sent me away without reason or cause. Left me to watch over the most useless and filthy Kingdom in the realm. I did it. I always did as he asked. I didn’t complain when he abandoned me there. I didn’t argue, even though it made no sense. I’m powerful. I had earnt the riches and comforts he granted others. So imagine my surprise when I returned to tell him the Thirteenth Kingdom was lost and you are still alive, only to find someone else sitting upon his throne. All I had to do was look at him, and I knew it wasn’t my father. His eyes… his powers when I mimicked him… even how he spoke. I knew it wasn’t him. Doesn’t take a genius to work out that Ivan put someone in my father’s place using the power to change faces. No wonder the imposter sent me away. No wonder the King has been issuing ridiculous orders that weaken us. Sending Fae and their powers to the human realm only strengthens Ivan. It doesn’t help us at all. Elias should have seen he was an imposter.’ Angrily, he shakes his head and resumes watching the hall. ‘I left before the pretend king even knew I was there and ran into some old friends by the orchard on my way out.’

‘As he was running away,’Lucca corrects.

‘It’s Jonah,’ I tell them. ‘Jonah is wearing the king’s face.’

‘Jonah? He’s alive?’

‘Very. El… is she alive?’

He lifts his head to see her.

‘Barely. She won’t last long.’

Warm liquid seeps into my eye.

Lucca continues licking me.

‘What are you doing?’’

‘You’re bleeding.’

His voice sounds sad in my mind.

‘I kept telling you to wake up. You clawed your face something terrible, Pup. You’ve cut deep.’

‘You have some weird kinks, Lucca.’

‘Apparently, this thing has healing properties in its saliva.Can you stand?’

‘If you help me.’

‘Hold tight.’

I grip his fur, and he pulls himself up to full size. I’m on my feet, leaning against his neck as I get my balance. He towers over me, his head resting against my back in case I fall.

‘What did Jonah do to you?’he asks softly.‘You’re black and blue.’

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