Page 20 of The Light Falls
“You… know what it’s like to be vulnerable to those around you. I needed power and magic to protect myself from Leandra and all the other predators in the Underworld. I don’t understand how you could do that to me,” I say, anguish filling my voice. “I… I can’t stand the sight of you right now.”
Stumbling, I turn around in a circle, trying to find the door. I need to get out of here. The urge to hurl magic and abuse at him is practically choking me. Why didn’t he ever tell me? There. I focus on the door and place one foot in front of the other.
He takes a step toward me, but I throw out a hand to stop him.
With a sigh, he rakes his hand through his hair, pulling hard at the strands. “When you arrived that day, you were under some kind of memory spell. I don’t know what happened, but whatever it was, I think it scared Leandra.”
That’s why I don’t remember much. I grasp the cold knob and throw open the door. Stalking out of the room with clenched fists and teeth, I walk until I see nothing but barely lit empty hallways. Then, I release the dam holding everything inside. Magic bursts out of me, flying in every direction, as does the scream that’s been building the entire time.
CHAPTERNINE
MERI
Lights are blown out. Walls are bowed. Pillars are warped and barely standing. The hallway is in shambles. On my hands and knees, I slide one foot under me, then the other, and stand. Lightheaded from using that much magic, I sway while I stare at the damage I’ve done.
All these years, I could have been using magic, and she took that away from me. Not only to make me defenseless to her, but to the entire world. Yeah, I survived, but damn, it was close sometimes. And if it hadn’t been for Callyx and Cormal, I wouldn’t have survived her last act. I slam the door before those memories can get out. Of all the things she’s ever done, two stand out as the worst. The Pit and this heinous act. If it’s the last thing I do, I will find a way to destroy her.
A long whistle has me whirling to face the person behind me. One of my guards, Tiernan, stands there with a look of appreciation on his face.
Heat crawls up my neck and face. “How do I fix it?”
He blinks. “Do you have any juice left?”
I lift a shoulder. “I don’t know.” Stumbling over to a pillar, I place my hand on it and close my eyes.Please work.Spiraling down into my core, I dredge up a pool of magic and push it into the stone under my palm. When the marble moves, I open my eyes and watch the pillar return to its former state.
Lethargic, I drag myself another few feet and slap my hand onto the stone. This time, I have to go deeper to get the magic, but somehow, I find enough to fix it.
My knees give out and meet the floor. Hard. I wince.
“I’ll have to come back in the morning. Would you mind helping me to my room?” Lids slide to half-mast. I’m going to pass out soon, and I don’t want to do it in front of a stranger, even if he is my guard.
Strong arms pick me up and carry me for the second time that night. My head bobs back as I look up at him. I’m dying to close my eyes, but I can’t, so I take the time to study him. There’s something about him that has my instincts on high alert.
“You remind me of Rivan. Are you a Fire Fae too?”
Yellow eyes blink slowly. “My mother was a fire drake. Father a lord. I only claim one side of my heritage, though. There’s nowhere to go if you’re a Fire Fae. As a Fae lord’s son, I could rise through the ranks and become a guard.” A slight tinge of bitterness seeps into his tone.
Fire drake. I knew it. “Does Kaius know?”
He jerks his chin. “I haven’t said anything. Why? Are you going to tell him?” Under me, I feel his arms tense.
Unsure, I think about it. If I say something, will that get him kicked out of the guards? I’ve seen the hatred the light Fae have for Rivan. The only thing holding them back are the terms of Rivan’s agreement. Tiernan would have no protection against retaliation.
And then there’s me. Everyone knows Nyssa is my “mother,” but nobody here in the palace knows the truth except Solandis—that I was actually created from essence taken from both the light Fae queen and… the dark Fae king. I’ve never been a hypocrite, and I refuse to start now, but I also need to be cautious.
There might be one way to ensure his loyalty. “Would you swear an oath to me?” I nibble the inside of my cheek while I wait for his answer.
His brow lowers. “I’ve already sworn an oath.”
“To the crown, not to me,” I remind him. Solandis told me the guards will protect the crown.
He stops and stares down at me. “How do I know you’re worthy of my oath?”
“How do I know you aren’t a spy for the fire drakes causing trouble at the border, or an assassin waiting to kill me?” I counter, lifting my chin. It sounds ridiculous to even say it out loud, especially when he is carrying me, but Cormal taught me to never underestimate the timing of a good strategic move. He could be biding his time for some reason.
With an exasperated sigh, he reluctantly nods. “I give you my oath. I promise to protect you, not just the crown.” With those words, he starts moving again.
“Thank you,” I murmur. Exhaustion is weighing me down, but I’m still too uneasy to shut my eyes around him. Thankfully, I see the door to my room coming up on the left. Garren is standing guard outside of it. “Put me down here.”
