Page 42 of Wrath of the Fae

My eyes glow. So do his. Smug satisfaction etches across his dark features.

No… this is what he did before! As he pinned me to the sink and worked me with his fingers. He made me his.

He made me come and then put his leash on me.

My body goes rigid. And not through pleasure but in panic. I know he sees it on my face as his eyes widen slightly. Utter terror consumes me that he’s about to return his leash and drag me back to the King using the markings he can pull on whenever he wishes.

I expect him to double down on his efforts. To snarl, “Too late, Little Bird, you idiot. You belong to me again.”

But he stops everything in a split second, without a word from me. Without me even trying to push him off.

As horror spreads across his face, his fingers leave me and unfurl around my neck.

‘Raven… what’s wrong?’ he asks.

From the darkness above, I see a shadow descending. By the time I’ve blinked, Lucca has landed behind Reid. He grabs him by the neck and tosses him off me. His face is contorted in rage as he steps between us and withdraws his sword.

‘You don’t get to touch her, arsehole.’

More Fae land at his side. Valker Warriors, each and every one. They stand, weapons drawn, and face Reid.

‘Arrest him,’ Lucca orders. ‘I want him in chains. I want him bleeding!’

The look on Reid’s face as he hears those words is a mix of shock and heartbreak.

‘Cut off his wings if you must,’ Lucca adds. ‘He doesn’t leave here.’ Lucca looks down at me. ‘The Queen needs him alive.’

Reid’s gaze lands on me as I sit and lower my skirt, wiping the remnants of our kiss from my lips.

‘Raven,’ he tries. ‘Do you actually think I’m your enemy?’

He doesn’t get to ask another question before he starts battling with three warriors. Swords clash, and his light slams into them. But I see him defending, not attacking. He’s not trying to hurt them. In fact, he’s avoiding hurting them at all costs and in turn, he’s losing!

He’s disarmed and thrown face down on the floor, his hands behind his back and swiftly put in chains. His wings fade as Lucca approaches him, fearing that he meant what he said. That he would take his wings.

‘Take him back to the cells,’ Lucca orders. ‘We’ll interrogate him like we do the other First Kingdom scum we catch.’

‘I’m warning you!’ Reid snarls as he’s hoisted to his feet. ‘If you don’t let me go, they’ll pay. They’ll be punished-’

‘Your punishing days are done, Reid,’ Lucca laughs hatefully. ‘As are you and El. And you andmyPup.’ Lucca takes my hand in his, kissing my knuckles as he smirks.

Reid looks at our entwined fingers, and his face turns cold.

‘Don’t touch her,’ Reid says through gritted teeth. ‘Not like that. She’s not yours.’

‘You gonna stop me?’

Reid’s wings explode at his back, and a flash of blinding light propels us away. I soar backwards and slam into the ground. When I return to my senses, the two are tearing into each other.

‘Stop it!’ I yell at the pair. ‘I said stop!’

They each have their swords raised. And each are about to deliver a death blow to the other.

I reach out, and with a forceful blast, I separate them. But I’ve done something I hadn’t expected. I’ve sealed them both in two separate shields of golden energy. And when I last used my shield powers… I started to fade. Tessa took my emotions away, and Wolf knocked me out.

But neither are here now.

‘PUP!’ Lucca yells, looking at me with wide eyes. ‘NO! STOP!’

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