Page 18 of Monsters of Air

“Da?” I hissed, trying to fight him as he moved himself between us. “Da. No.”

“Safe?” The Fae laughed. “You can’t keep her safe. You don’t even know how to keep her safe.”

“I can keep her from you!” Da yelled over my protests, his voice a boon that echoed over the trees with so much power I was sure I saw the trees sway.

The head Fae laughed, the air turning cold as all the other Fae joined in. The sound was no longer musical, it was ice.

“You take her to the capital and you claim to keep her safe?” The Fae laughed. “We can keep her safe. We are more than capable of giving her everything she could ever wish for. We will take care of her.”

Now it was Da’s turn to laugh. “What? While you’ll rape her, hoping she’ll have your half bred bastards?”

“Da–” Wait what? Not eat. Rape.

That was worse.

The Fae’s gaze met mine, a smile pushing at his cheeks as dread blossomed through me. All the air had been stolen from my lungs, my head spinning as panic took control. Okay, so I was back to fighting. I didn’t know how I would do it, save my father, save myself… I would figure it out.

“Da—” I tried to pull him back again, needing him behind me so I could save him. Give him time to get away. I could fight these Fae.

Well, I could try. But even if they took me and I saved him, it would still be worth it.

“We will protect her.” The Fae finally pulled his focus from me. “Give her to us now.”

“Never!” Da screamed, his muscles bulging as he stood, ready to take them on.

I couldn’t stop him, I couldn’t pull him back. I opened my mouth to beg, and instead the sound came out as a scream as the wide mouth of the dragon flashed in the dawn.

Something hot splashed over my face, Da’s coiled muscles sagging as the sharp end of the stave pulled back red.

I blinked.

My chest ached as I swallowed my scream, as I watched Da fall face first into the dirt

“Da?” I wasn’t even sure I got the word out as my chest ripped open from the pain. “Da! No!”

I rolled him over, his blank eyes staring up at me as his blood soaked my dress, my knees warm with the last of his life as it oozed from the massive hole in his chest and seeped into the gray cotton.

I looked back at the Fae, at the way the ends of his mouth curled into a smile that was wicked and too satisfied.

“What did you do you bastard?” I roared at it, the trees shaking around us. All he did was smile, smile with that same creepy ass grin.

Oh, fuck, he was going down. I would rip his face off his body if I had to.

“I saved you. Now, it is time to go home, divine one.” He reached his hand out to me like I was going to take it.

The Fae all surged forward, tightening their circle around me.

“You didn’t save me,” I screamed, holding onto Da as I scooted back.

He didn’t move, didn’t try to hold onto me. Didn’t try to protect me like he promised.

He didn’t do anything at all.

Warm tears were dripping down my cheeks, blending with his blood that had splashed on my face. That coated my hands.

“They all say that,” one of the Fae said as he rushed me, his hands hot against my arms as he pulled me away from my father.

“No! Let me go! No.” I thrashed about, his grip hard enough to bruise as he began to drag me away, closer to the tree’s to their land. To Reityne. Toward whatever rapey future awaited me.

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