Page 41 of The Dark Rises
“Stop. If you say the wrong words, it could kill everyone here. Permanently,” I interject. Hands up, I show her I’m not a threat. “Callyx, get out.”
He starts to protest until he gets a good look at her face. Backing away slowly, he takes up a stance in front of the entrance but continues to watch the scene in the shed unfold.
Meri tilts her head side to side, the power inside her studying me.
I point to the floor where Cormal is laying. “I need to help him, but I can’t do that with you standing between us.”
Her eyes narrow, but then she follows my finger to Cormal.
Some part of her is hearing me. “Take a deep breath. Move a little to the right. That’s it.”
I slide past her and pull out a healing potion. It will speed up his recovery.Wake up, you bastard.We desperately need to show her he’s alive.
Meri sways and crashes to her knees, but her eyes never leave Cormal.
Finally, he stirs, blue eyes blinking rapidly. He frantically looks around until he spots her, then yanks her into his arms.
I throw up a shield around them. A second later, she sags against him and loses consciousness. Thank the goddess.
Cormal shakes her, but I stop him. “She’ll be out for days. I’ll explain after we get to The Abbey. There are too many ears around here.”
He tries to stand with her in his arms, but he’s weaker than he realizes and almost drops her. I take her from him and cradle her tightly in my arms. She feels good. Tiny, but full of curves. I look down at her beautiful face. It all makes sense now. I was first drawn to the darkness inside her. How did I not realize it was my power?
“Where’s the monster?” Cormal asks, his eyes darting around the shed.
“Dead,” I say flatly.
Callyx comes striding in the door, his brows lowered in a thunderous scowl. “I assume it’s safe now that she’s out?”
Cormal tenses. “What the fuck does that mean?”
With a hiss, I zap the two of them. “Not here. We need to return to The Abbey.”
Callyx swings an arm around Cormal to help him walk, but the snarl he receives has him backing off. “Fine. Fall on your damn face. Let’s go.” Within minutes, he has everyone mobilized and moving toward the portal with Cormal’s team protecting us from the rear.
The derelict citizens of The Slag slither out of the shadows to watch us pass, whispering about the monster’s death and Leandra’s anger.
“Where’s Kavi?” I ask Cormal.
“He went to get Lux,” Cormal replies with a hard laugh. “He’s the last resort when things go sideways.” He picks up the phone and calls his second in command. “Stand down. It’s dead.” He narrows his eyes and looks at me. “I’m not sure. Will touch base later.”
“Before it died, it sent out a warning to its maker,” I murmur to Cormal. “Leandra knows we’re actively hunting her.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CORMAL
Madoc places Meri on the bed and carefully sweeps her platinum hair back from her lips and face. For a brief second, he leans down as if he’s going to kiss her but stops himself before their lips touch. I conjure a chair by the bed and sit down, lacing my fingers with hers. His lip curls, but he says nothing. He better fucking stay silent. Not once did he let me hold her on the way back. Snarling like a damn beast every time I tried to kiss or touch her.
Callyx arrives, bringing everyone else with him, including Rivan.
Rivan, Solandis, and Arden step toward the bed, but Madoc holds up his hand. “She’ll be out of it for a few days. Her body is recovering from the power she inadvertently invoked.”
Solandis’ delicate brows rise. “What power? Is this something new she picked up?”
Madoc runs a tired hand down his face. “To explain the power, I need to first take a step back and explain the Dark FaeKingdom and how the crown chooses its ruler. As you may or may not know, the light Fae crown uses wisdom and foresight to choose its ruler. Unlike its counterpart, the dark Fae crown searches for blood and power, specifically the blood of Konnyr and the power of The Wild Hunt.”
Knowledge sparks in the depths of Theron’s violet eyes. As the only other dark Fae in the room, he quickly jumps ahead. “You’re the son of Madox.” There is an awe to his tone I’ve never heard before and based on the expressions of Arden and the rest of the cadre, neither have they. “You went missing a little over three thousand years ago.” He frowns.
