Page 56 of A Fate of Blood and Magic
Brenton angled his face in disapproval.
“I know.” I sighed. “She can be angry with me later.”
Rather than watch Brenton leave, I went to stand beside Leah. She kept her hand slightly above the male’s chest, and I watched the threads of her magic swirl inside him, casting a gold hue around him.
“I’ll be back with two more fae,” I said.
“With all due respect, Your Highness, I think you should wait for Brenton to return with others who can bend space and help you bring our people home,” she said. “You’ll be of no use to anyone if you deplete your magic.”
I gritted my teeth, knowing she spoke the truth.
“I’ll return shortly,” I said.
When I returned to the compound in the human realm, the stench of blood and decay filled the air, so much so that I seemed to choke on it with every inhale. It was the agonizing groans that made me want to flee.
Finley was at my side in a few beats. I sensed her exhausted magic, knowing she’d grow more tired before the morning was over.
“Where’s Brenton?” she asked.
“Gathering fae who can bend space,” I answered, surveying my surroundings. “Is your intended here?”
“No.” It came out small. “I looked everywhere and asked any fae strong enough to talk. No one’s seen Etienne. He must be at another compound.”
“We’ll find him.” I was sure of it. What I wasn’t certain of was thestate he’d be in once we did.
“There’s a burial site over there.” She pointed beyond the buildings toward a small, wooded area. “It smells of dead fae.”
I bit the inside of my cheek hard enough to draw blood. “We’ll bring them home as well.”
I summoned Hayden with a wave of my hand. “Find other warriors who can bend space.”
With a quick nod, he ran toward the warriors working together to bring our fae to the surface and away from the underground prison they’d been sentenced to.
When he sensed me, Alastor stood from the fae he’d been healing. He brushed the snow from his pants.
“We’ll have to carry this one.” He pointed at the female. “Her toes are frostbitten, and she has several breaks on both legs. I healed what I could, but there are others worse off.”
“Give me our worst two to take back.”
“The worst we have is one of my lirio,” he answered, his eyes leveled with mine.
I stumbled at his words, rejecting what he implied. While the lirio had been paramount in this rescue, my fae were priority.
Understanding crossed Alastor’s features, and he gave me a solemn nod. A shadow spread over the bloody snow from his feet before Alastor summoned it back. “The lirio you are refusing took a bullet intended for Brenton.”
“Alastor—” But what else could I say?
“The iron hasn’t killed him yet. I have countless lirio who were also shot,” he continued. “Those who survived were able to push it out and are now trying to help Ilgirth do the same, except his bullet is lodged in his heart, and therefore needs a proper healer to tend to him. Don’t worry yourself.” He narrowed his eyes, for a beat mirroring the same hate his sisterhad directed at me. The shadow at his feet edged forward again, and I stilled when the cold tendrils slithered over my boots and around my ankle. “Tend to yours as I will tend to mine.”
“I’ll take him back.” The words grated against my throat as I forced them out.
“Sixty-three lirio offered to come help you. I did not force them. They offered. I have no hold on them as you believe, Elias. I haven’t had a hold on them in months. Still, sixty-three lirio came, and I am only bringing home twenty-seven.” His eyes flashed in anger, and his shadow slinked over my leather pants. It wrapped around my legs, making my skin cold. Suddenly, it drew back and crept to its master. “They agreed to camouflage you in the woods and to be your first line of defense once the battle began. They put your lives before their own because, for years, they experienced what it was like to be held captive. I will be taking my people back home.” He bowed his head but kept his attention on my face. “Do not seek our aid again.”
Vith.
“I’ll take Ilgirth back,” I said, the words streaming together. “Any lirio or nyxx who need it can see one of our healers.”
“There are no nyxx left.” His eyes seemed to pierce straight through me. “Every nyxx who came to fight alongside you died.”
