Page 25 of Wrath of the Fae

Lucca darts right, despite me pulling back.

‘He’ll be fine!’ he insists.

We hear more Fae storming the manor, and I hope to the Goddess that it’s our people and not theirs.

We go left. Then right. Down dark halls and through destroyed lounges or libraries.

We’re heading as far west as we can and finally come to a set of large open double doors leading to an enormous ballroom with polished shiny floors of adamant black.

We stop, checking it’s clear.

Exquisite chandeliers of black glass sway overhead, and floor-to-ceiling windows, enchanted to look like a summer day is blooming outside, line the far side. Tables are pushed to the outskirts of the room, leaving a spacious dancefloor in the very middle.

It's like a party ended here years ago, and nothing has been touched since. There are some doors ahead.

‘Come on.’ Lucca tightens his hold on me and makes for the far doors.

‘Lucca!’ I scream, pulling him down as a sword swings straight for his neck from behind the door.

He misses it by a hair’s breadth before throwing a forceful punch to the gut of the man who swung it. Our attacker skids backwards across the floor, his sword falling with a clatter. Lucca, without a second’s hesitation, pushes me away with a firm shove. I go flying into a table as he faces the man.

Not just any man. No. We’re not lucky enough to be faced with a faceless soldier who means nothing to us.

Ezra stands and straightens his jacket, a twisted sneer on his face as he looks Lucca up and down. As he stretches out his fingers, the sword flies into his palm. He twirls it and points the tip at Lucca. I can sense the iron from here.

‘Sweet fuck,’ Ezra scoffs. ‘Is that you, Lucca? Your face is a real mess. Is that an eye patch?’ He laughs and steps to the side. ‘Can you see me over here?’

‘Oh. I see you,Stick. I see you real good.’

‘If I had to look at that face every day, I’d kill myself.’

‘No need. I’ll be more than happy to kill you.’ Lucca withdraws a sword of his own.

Go.

His words echo in my mind as he uses his power on me, invading my mind with his thoughts and orders.

Before he looks too close. Go find those markings. Save us.

But I’m staring at that fucker. At the man who betrayed us. Betrayed an entire Kingdom. He sent the Seventh Kingdom to the human world for Ivan to steal away. To strip them of their gifts and turn them into monsters for his gain. He bastardised the portal’s archway. Made it so it would tear me apart when I started the thing up.

Don’t you fucking dare!

Lucca’s voice slams into my skull hard enough to make me wince.

Ezra points the tip of his sword at Lucca’s face.

‘You look worse than any monster I help make. But I guess now, your outsides match your insides. All torn up and brutalised. Used up and left for dead. I wonder… do you miss it? Miss being the fuck toy of wealthy humans who enjoy playing with little boys with wings?’

I feel the hatred radiate from Lucca. Not just for Ezra and his words but at the hideous memories of a painful past. At re-feeling the suffering he has tried with every inch of him to move past. Lucca’s wings twitch.

As do mine.

Ezra attacks, swinging his sword with skill and precision. His hope of distracting Lucca enough fails, and Lucca blocks each strike, matching him in every way. Both are incredible fighters. Trained to the extreme. Trained to kill. Lucca punches Ezra’s face, sending him staggering several paces away. He’s quick to right himself. Lucca sidesteps between us, blocking Ezra’s line of sight to me.

‘We’ve been looking all over for your messed up face.’ Ezra snorts and spits blood. ‘You’ve been causing way too many problems. You and my little toy you stole from me. How is my sweet Tessa?’

Tessa? What does he mean by his little toy?

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