Page 78 of Wrath of the Fae

‘Of course. I got them clear, but it’s destroyed the Eleventh Kingdom.' He looks at me. ‘I thought you were dead!’

I slap him hard, making Tessa gasp again and step back.

Slowly, Lucca returns his face to me, glaring with a murderous rage.

‘Ow,’ he snarls through his teeth. ‘Why?’

Words fail me as I start hitting any part of him as he protects himself from my assault. He staggers away as I slap and strike.

Finally, I stop and glare at him, my body shaking angrily. Slowly, he lowers his arms and faces me.

His shoulders rise and fall with each of his heavy breaths, and our eyes remain locked as I scream at him with my mind, telling him everything that happened. Everything that Cyrus said.

The truth, that they are prisoners going through hell.

‘I didn’t know,’ he says finally, still gritting his teeth. ‘I didn’t-’

‘You didn’t bother to check,’ I growl at him. ‘You chose to believe what you heard. It made it easier for you to walk away.’

‘That’s not true, Pup.’

‘El left you for my sister. You lost your Mate. I was repeatedly warned about what can happen to a man when his Mate rejects him. You warned me. Reid and Cyrus warned me.’

‘You think I’m mad with jealousy?’ he growls, stepping closer and leering over me. His nostrils flare, and his fists clench at his sides. ‘You think I would turn on them on a whim?’

‘I told you it didn’t sound right, Lucca. That they would be married and on the side of the King didn’t sound true!’

‘You forget I know them better than you,’ he snarls back. ‘I spent years with them. El is a survivor. Reid and Cyrus are serial killers who would betray anyone if it served their purpose. I have seen them love each other as brothers and hate each other as enemies. I know how they work. They choose what’s easiest for them. They choose power. Every time.’

I shove him so hard he falls on his arse as images slam into me of what they could be going through right now.

‘Two years, Lucca. They have been there for two fucking years!’

‘You have heard everything I’ve heard, Pup. You’ve seen what they have left in their wake-’

‘But have you seen them?!’ I yell. ‘Have you spoken to them? Seen them yourself? Did you even try?’

The ground trembles as my power spikes. Tessa’s hand slides into mine, but she doesn’t use her power. She just holds it.

I take a calming breath.

‘At the arch, El abandoned Rhea to save you. To get you back here so you could be healed. And what… you just left them once they saved your life?’

He stays quiet and continues to glare at me.

‘How did you get away from the First Kingdom?’ I ask him.

Silence.

‘HOW?!’ I scream. They both stagger as the ground shakes.

I don’t. I’m as solid as stone.

‘I swear to the Goddess, Lucca. If you don’t tell me, I’ll go to the First Kingdom and ask them myself.’

‘I don’t know,’ he snaps. ‘I woke up in the middle of nowhere. Alone with nothing but my sword and your dagger.’ He gestures to the blade at my thigh. ‘I had no memories. No idea what had happened after we got back. My face getting slashed and you fading under that arch are the last things I remember.’ He looks at his feet. ‘Within a matter of days, I heard all about the weddings. The new roles they had in the First Kingdom. All of it.’ He lifts his gaze. ‘They were with the new King. They were the enemy.’

I slam my fist into his face so hard he falls to the floor.

---