Page 126 of A Fate so Wicked

Its thick saliva splattered on my face, disrupting my vision, and my hand slipped, giving the wolf an opportunity to swing its heavy paw at my head.

I curled into a ball to shield my head when it slumped—its weight crushing my ribcage when an invisible force flung it to the side, sending it into a ditch.

Sitting up on my forearms, I watched Talon stroll toward me, leaving a pile of bodies in his wake. He rolled his neck—as if slaughtering a dozen guards was a mere inconvenience—appearing unfazed without a fleck of dirt on his olive skin.

He sheathed his sword as he offered his hand, helping me up.

I used the sleeve of my tunic to wipe my cheek. “How did he do that?”

Talon placed a hand on my back and led us to the pasture, looking over his shoulder to make sure no one was following us. “Well, most fae have some sort of elemental magic. They can manipulate water, control fire. Some, like myself, have solar magic and can harness light. Others, like that one, can shift at will.”

“Into anything they want?”

“No, it’s usually fated. There’s very few who can control what they shift into.”

The grass crunched beneath our feet as we picked up our pace, trying to reach the forest ahead before anyone else came after us.

I peered at Talon. His shoulders were back, his chin tipped up, not appearing the least bit concerned with whatever we may encounter.

The confidence he exuded, the arrogance—once repulsive—now comforted me.

I swallowed a smile. “So, you guys can wield this magic whenever you want, without consequence?”

“Ah, there’s always a consequence, firefly. He likely won’t be able to shift for days now. It’s a delicate balancing act—the well only runs so deep until you burn out. I’ve seen far too many fae push their limits and exhaust their power entirely.” He shrugged, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword. “I knew someone who shifted into a falcon one too many times and could never shift back out of it.”

My eyes widened as I imagined the horror. “What about you? What are your limits?”

Talon grabbed my arm, forcing me to a stop.

I opened my mouth to question why, when he placed a finger over his mouth, silencing me. His body went rigid as he listened to our surroundings.

“We need to go. There’s more coming.” He had picked up on a sound in the distance, too far away for me to hear.

Talon pushed me into a run, and we sprinted for the forest, keeping our momentum until the shelter of trees hid us from view. We kept running until we reached the edge of the field where a wooden stable sat beside a creek, hidden deep within the thicket. Its tin roof was rusted over and worn from the sun due to years—if not decades—of neglect.

The soothing sound of trickling water washed over me.

We stepped inside. Small beams of light seeped through the cracks between the wooden slats, illuminating the settled dust and dirt that covered the beams. Hay littered the ground, stacking high into the corners while horse bays lined the back wall. It was quiet.

“What is this place?”

“It was an old stable we used years ago to deliver resources to fae on the outskirts. However, when King Harkin rose to power, he felt it was no longer necessary. He said it took up ‘too many resources.’ As if providing food to those unable to make the trek to the city was too much of a burden.” He strolled to the middle bay, pushing the upper leaf open.

A dark bay mare neighed.

I approached the stall, and she reared at me as I peered through the barn door.

“Woah! Down girl,” Talon soothed. Unlatching the brass lock, the bottom door opened with a whine, and he stepped in, rubbing his palm along the bridge of her nose.

She snorted.

“Shh. It’s okay, Zephyr,” he continued, stroking her black mane. “It’s Elowyn. You remember me telling you about her, don’t you?”

I waved—unsure what else to do—in a pathetic attempt to show her I wasn’t a threat. “Is this your horse?”

“She was your fathers.” A distant smile pulled at his mouth as he spoke.

Butterflies swarmed my belly. Just when I’d grown comfortable and accepted the feelings I had for him, Talon pulled the rug from under my feet, and I was back to where I began: conflicted and confused. He’d held such a heavy secret without so much as revealing an inkling of suspicion.

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