Page 54 of Chosen By the Fae King

A shout rang through the trees, followed by the sounds of crashing footsteps. I looked up, watching with relief as Sofiya came into view, along with a few others.

Sofiya rushed forward, throwing her arms around me in a fierce hug. “Aeryn! Thank the gods you're safe.” Her amber eyes were bright with tears as she pulled away to check me for injuries.

“I cannot believe they put you with Zoriyah. Did she do this?” she demanded.

“She can't speak,” Raina answered for me. “But it wasn't Zoriyah. Something pulled her in. A wraith, I think. Help me get her up to the bank before I lose my hold on the river.”

Sofiya turned to the wall of ice right when a loud crack zigzagged up the middle. “Hurry!” she yelled.

It was beyond frustrating that I was so vulnerable. But my friends lifted me with surprising ease and got me to safety before the force of the rapids shattered the frost nymph's ice.

Raina dropped to all fours, checking me over. “Her ankle is dislocated. Sofiya, you're going to have to go get help.”

“I think help’s already here,” Sofiya breathed.

Soldiers were emerging from the trees, up and down both sides of the river. Their commanders, Lorne and Liam, regarded us with stolid expressions.

Liam's gaze lingered on Raina. “What did you do to her?” he accused.

Sofiya pointed a finger at him, looking more enraged than I'd ever seen her. “You leave her alone. Raina saved Aeryn's life. The wraith is to blame.”

In a single leap, Lorne was standing five inches from Sofiya. She threw her hands up protectively and his brow lowered. He immediately backed away.

“What wraith?” he demanded.

“The one I killed,” Raina replied. “I froze him and then busted him into pieces. I'm sure you'll find parts downstream.”

“G-g-good j-job,” I stuttered, my teeth chattering uncontrollably.

“Don't try to talk,” Sofiya cooed. “We'll get you out of here. Won't we?” she looked pointedly at Lorne.

The corner of the behemoth's mouth twitched. “Whatever you say, my lady.”

Good gods, was Lorne flirting? I tried to get a good look at them both but was distracted by Liam's quiet grumblings at Raina.

“It's nothing to do with you,” was her reply, throwing his words from last night back at him.

I really needed my brain and body to cooperate. I was missing everything! Well, everything aside from the tension. Soon the river might start boiling from all the heat the foursome was giving off.

My musings were interrupted by a surge of power, like the crackle of electricity in the air before a storm. A pillar of shadows formed before us, twisting and churning until a familiar figure emerged.

Nox strode forward, his gaze scanning the group before settling on me on the ground, shivering at my friends' feet. He took a quick step toward me, then stopped, scanning our surroundings.

My heart pounded as a rush of heat flooded my cheeks. It stung thanks to how frozen I was.

“What happened?” Nox interrogated, his voice a low growl. His fists were clenched at his sides, shadows flickering around him in a display of barely contained power.

Lorne cleared his throat, drawing Nox's attention. “It appears there's been a breach. A wraith–”

“Another?” Nox hissed.

He spun, pinning me in place with his piercing gaze. If I hadn't been shaking I'd have squirmed.

“There's been more than one?” Raina asked.

No one answered. Nox stared at me for a long moment. Acutely. Scathingly. But something else, too. Worriedly.

Cursing under his breath, he came to me, effortlessly scooping me off the ground. My ears were now ringing. I couldn't feel my limbs.

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