Page 71 of Oleander
This is it.
Our one chance at survival, and Skyler just took it.
I think that’s all either of us had in us. We stagger into each other, nearly falling to the ground with pure exhaustion. Somehow, we catch each other, propping one another up to watch the show.
The air bubble engulfs the hellhounds, gently picking them up. Their heads cock to the side in confusion like a dog, and I nearly laugh at the absurdity of it all. But my body and mind arestrainingto keep this portal open.
“I can’t hold it any longer. . .” My voice is weak and wobbly until I see the enemy fly through the portal. I sink to my knees, my fingers touching the rune on my neck and disconnecting the magic.
“We did it,” I whisper in relief as something large from the other side dives through the portal milliseconds before it blinks shut. Rolling into a crouch, he kills the last remaining hellhound that jumps out of the woods to ambush us.
Skyler points his sword at him, panting heavily and looking like he’s ready to collapse at any second.
But I will not falter. “Who in the bloody hell are you?” I sneer at the demon shrouded in shadow. I press the tip of my sword to the stranger’s throat, raising his head. “Show yourself,” I demand in a bold voice while fear silently snakes down my spine.
He slowly raises his head, and Skyler and I both gasp as we’re greeted with glowing crimson eyes.
Evil eyes.
They immediately dart down to Skyler’s pendant and widen for a moment before a sinister smile curls his lips, some sort of recognition sparking in his blood-red gaze.
My heart drops into the pit of my stomach as realization dawns on me. This man has seen Skyler’s pendant before.
And he’s a Blood Fae.
“Hello,my king,” he purrs to Skyler.
Notme.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
SKYLER
My body is frozen, immobilized by the Blood Fae’s shocking words.
His king?
I am no one’s king, especially not an evil, murdering Blood Fae that just popped out of the fucking Underworld.
But honestly? I’m spent.
I need a nap, and I don’t want any added drama delaying that nap. I used every drop of magic and physical energy I had left to fling those hellhound cunts back into the pits of Hell after a century roaming free. Sharp pain lashes out at my side, and I clutch my ribs tightly, doubling over as I grit my teeth. I know it’s not good that dirty claws tore through my flesh, but I can’t focus on that right now.
We have to subdue the Blood Fae.
Before I can act, roots burst from the ground, rocks and chunks of dirt flying everywhere. I duck on instinct, covering my head with my arms like a bomb went off. The roots wrap around the Blood Fae’s arms, legs, and torso, tying him up securely.
“Tell me your name,” Oleander demands, lavender eyes glowing as the poisonous tendrils under his skin seep to thesurface, lining his neck and jaw. He’s deadly serious and ready to defend us.
“Rafael.” The Blood Fae’s voice is raspy and harsh, like he’s been breathing a thick, acrid smoke for too long. And maybe he has, coming from the Underworld.
“Why are you here,Blood Fae?” Ander spits the last two words out like they leave a foul taste in his mouth, ignoring the man’s name.
“To escape thathell. The Underworld is no place for Fae, regardless of what you may think of us. We were shunned because of a few bad apples. Forced to live in an inhospitable place for eternity? That seems a little harsh to me.”
I can’t get a read on him, and it’s making me nervous. From what I’ve learned from Miss Estrella, there were more than a few bad apples among the Blood Fae. They were unable to control their dark tendencies and planned a coup to sacrifice their own prince, opening the Rift in order to cause chaos and enact revenge. But the dark magic wasn’t enough to sustain the unnatural tear between the realms. Nature will always return to a state of balance after something catastrophic happens, and the Blood Fae wanted to disrupt that balance. But the magic wasn’t potent enough to maintain the Rift, and they couldn’t continue to sacrifice their royal family. No matter how desperately they tried.
Despite his protests, we quickly add the iron chain to protect ourselves from Rafael’s Blood magic. He’s not goinganywhereunless we allow it.
