Page 28 of Wrath of the Fae

‘Anything, my Queen,’ Wolf replies.

‘If I start to fade. If I start to change at all as I did before, and Tessa can’t stop it-’

‘I’ll help you, Raven,’ she promises. ‘I’ll take your emotions so you don’t lose control again. I swear it.’

I shudder as I remember that night shortly after I returned when I lost control. When all I was, was rage and death.

Until Tessa took my pain away and Lucca knocked me out.

No one knows what the fuck it was that happened to me.

I didn’t go Dark. Not like the Fae do in the human world.

But I certainly wasn’t me.

That, along with the strange voices in my dreams telling me to do things and go places, I think being nervous is justified.

‘If it happens again or I start to fade, I need you to kill me.’

‘No,’ Wolf replies matter of factly. ‘Anything else?’

The doors above shatter, and the sound of snarling and teeth snapping meet our ears.

‘Hounds,’ Wolf hisses, gripping his hammer. ‘How about you turn this thing on, My Lady?’ He raises his hammer. ‘Before we’re all torn to shreds.’

Tessa stands at his side, gripping my discarded axe as she faces the hole above.

‘Tessa,’ I call over. She peers back at me over her shoulder. ‘Promise me you’ll kill me. I can’t-’

‘Just get on with it,’ she tuts, turning away. ‘Always so dramatic.’

Then they come, falling through the hole in the wall one after the other. Teeth bared. Jaws snapping. Drool falling from their lips. Many break their legs on landing but still try to get to us. To tear us apart. Others land and sprint forward to meet Wolf and Tessa.

I take the dagger and cut my palm, slicing deep. Blood spills between my fingers, and I slam the open wound on the centre of the carving.

Nothing. I press harder, smearing my blood over it.

Nothing!

I cut again and again, slicing myself to ribbons.

Nothing!

‘Will you hurry up?!’ Tessa screams, caving in a hound’s skull and splattering herself with black blood.

‘It’s not working!’ I keep trying. ‘I don’t-’

Men start flying through the hole above, landing in the hidden cavern with us. Our men, as well as soldiers. The battle has followed us.

Then Ezra lands before Wolf. His wings stretch out. Blood shines on his pale and smirking face.

Lucca… where is Lucca?

Ezra looks around the room and at the strange markings on the floor.

‘What in the name of the Fates is this place?’ he asks before focusing on me. ‘There you are.’

Tessa, with formidable determination, steps between us.

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