Page 88 of Wrath of the Fae

Shaking, I slit his throat from ear to ear. I have no idea what else to do. I can’t have those Leviathans free.

And every word this creature spoke was utter truth.

I cut. And I cut deep.

‘Thank you…’ he breathes, closing his eyes and softly smiling, welcoming death gladly.

It is not blood that spills from him, but the smoke.

It slams into my chest, forcing its way inside.

seventeen

‘Openyoureyes.Comeon. Open your fucking eyes, Pup!’

I hear Lucca yelling. I feel him shaking me. But I’m a million miles away, recoiling from the truth that has just been slammed into me. Such darkness and pain followed by magnificent life.

The truth of the King of Monster’s life and death.

The Leviathans. All thirteen. Such creatures. Such gods.

I gasp as I’m slapped and sit bolt upright, facing a wide-eyed Lucca who grabs my head and searches my eyes.

‘What happened?’ he demands. ‘Are you okay?’

I rub my eyes to clear my vision and see I’m still in the same place I was when I passed out. I quickly examine my skin to see any sign of his markings.

I look as I always have. The gold in my veins has even faded.

‘Do I look normal?’ I ask Lucca, feeling my body for any tails or horns.

‘You look pale. You feel okay?’

‘What are you doing here?’

‘That smoke shit took you. I followed.’ He scans my face. ‘Are you hurt?’

‘I don’t think so. Help me to stand.’

I stumble as he gets me to my feet, and I struggle to keep my stomach contents where they belong. He rubs slow circles on my back as I lean over, resting my hands on my knees.

‘What the hell just happened?’ he asks again. ‘Where is it?’

‘Gone,’ I reply, straightening up and looking at the altar. It’s empty. The corpse of the Fae Queen has vanished.

‘Gone where?’

I take a deep breath and rest my hand on my chest, feeling my heart hammer wildly beneath it.

‘Just gone.’ I turn to face the chamber's far end, where a large slit has been carved into the stone wall. ‘I have to go, Lucca.’

‘The others are coming. We’ll get you back to Midnight’s End. Don’t worry.’

‘No.’ I shake my head and face him. ‘I have to go to them. You see that passage down there?’ I point towards it. ‘It leads to a labyrinth of tunnels that stretch across the Thirteen Kingdoms. I can get to the others and get them out.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘Back when the dark creatures were stronger and ruled this realm, they lived on the surface, and us Fae lived below. This was their city. The first sanctuary built beneath the Thirteenth Kingdom. They called it Midnight’s End because it brought this world the first day of sunlight.’

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