Page 17 of Forgiving a Fae Warrior

“Impossible,” he whispered to himself. The ground rumbled, shaking the rock formation which Galen peered through. He leaped back, grabbing his pack before one of the larger stones tumbled off to land where he’d been standing. Where the two men fought, the ground had split wide, forming a small gorge where one had not existed moments ago.

That power didn’t come from Sigurd.

Without another thought, Galen strapped his sword to his back and prepared for the worst.

This was no normal Unseelie. They should have such power, especially not of the magical sort. Their magic had faded with their land, fled with the death of the last Unseelie king when his magic did not settle on an heir.

Galen’s heart stuttered as a possible solution slid into place within his mind. The whole world seemed to tilt on its axis as he watched the Unseelie male use his impressive sword to literally cut through Sigurd’s volleys of wind that the King of Air sent rushing toward his opponent.

This was not a fight between a Seelie king and some random Unseelie. Two kings fought this duel, and the King of Air was losing.

Chapter 9

“Shit.”Galensnappedhisattention to Wren. There was no way Sigurd would simply leave her with the Unseelie unless he was certain he could win, but that likelihood faded with each passing moment. What would happen to her if Sigurd lost? Galen’s fist clenched at his side. They wouldn’t let her go free. A human was too valuable.

I have to do something. I have to help her.

No one else moved to intervene, likely afraid of interrupting the duel. But what did he have to lose? Galen was an exile already—condemned. The least he could do was try to atone for his mistake of dragging Wren into this in the first place by getting her out again.

He just needed the right moment…

Galen crept quickly through the tall grasses toward the group of Unseelie. With all eyes on the dueling kings, no one bothered to look his way, but he stayed low to disguise his approach all the same. Wren and Katiya were partway down the slope, ahead of the group at their back, still cheering on their fighter.

He saw Wren mouth something, which caused Katiya to snarl rip her hand away. A smear of red coated Wren’s arm.Shit.His heart kicked against his ribs. She’d been hurt.

There had to be a way to get her out of there, and quickly.

Wren cried out, her full focus on the duel at hand rather than whatever wound was on her body. Galen twisted toward the duel, a resounding gasp floating across the plane as Sigurd crashed to the ground and tumbled like a ball across the dead and dying land. His torn and bloody wings vanish.

A quick glance at the Unseelie showed all eyes on the kings. If Galen were to make a move, that was the moment.

Without another thought, Galen shifted to Wren and wrapped an arm around her middle, pulling her close. Katiya screeched and lunged their way, but not before Galen initiated another shift. A heartbeat later, they stood some distance away, staring at the hill they’d just vacated. A gasp tore from Galen’s throat as other forms shifted in around the Unseelie, these bearing the colors and armor of the Court of the Forest.

Sylvie.Always his mind went to her.

Wren shoved against him. “Get off—”

“Don’t panic.”

“Galen?” Instantly, she stopped struggling.

With her calm and away from the Unseelie, Galen loosened his hold. Wren twisted toward him, her mouth agape. Something about her fortitude in the face of this nightmare warmed him. The hint of a smile twitched at the corner of her lips. “I couldn’t leave you with them.”

She shook her head, chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, but the look on her face was easy to read as writing in a book—relief.

Finally, she—

A screech cracked through the air only a few feet away. Galen’s attention jumped past Wren to where Katiya had appeared, two short swords dawn and her face full of raging fury.

Galen shoved Wren behind him and stepped between her and the Unseelie. He wasn’t about to let them take her back. Not now. Never. Galen unsheathed his sword and adjusted his grip, staring down his foe across the rocky ground punctuated with shoots of browned grasses.

“How dare you!” Katiya raced toward him, blades raised and ready to strike.

He raised his blade just in time to catch the brunt of her strike as the swords crashed down into his. Galen stepped back, steadying himself against the impact ringing up his arms. Given her lithe form, Galen hadn’t expected such strength despite the Unseelie predilection toward physical strength.

Galen shoved Katiya’s blades away with a grunt and realigned his stance, following her movements and anticipating the next strike.

Behind him, he heard Wren scramble across the ground.

---