Page 44 of The Dark Rises
“This means more than I can ever repay,” I tell her. “Meri is everything to me.”
Lucifer clears his throat. “Glad to see you finally know Madoc is the true heir to the Dark Fae Kingdom.” There’s a hint of superiority in his expression.
I roll my eyes. “I was waiting for you to bring that up.”
He leans forward. “Denir is weak. If the Dark Fae Kingdom falls, the imbalance will break the Fae. Tell Madoc The Underworld will stand with him and the crown.”
Inhaling sharply at the message, I bow my head. “I’ll tell him.” Madoc must have the crown to call upon his allies, but when he does, they will come to his aid. “Thank you.”
With the bangle clenched in my fist, I leave them all to visit with each other, unable to stay away another second. There’s the tiniest sliver of hope inside me, and all I want to do is share it with her.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
MERI
Opening heavy eyes, I find Madoc sleeping in a nearby chair, feet propped up on the bed. The squinched shoulders and pained expression on his face tell me he isn’t the least bit comfortable. Frowning, I scan the room. Clothes and weapons are strewn everywhere, but it’s just the two of us.
Based on the low level of light coming into the room, it’s early, barely past sunrise. My brain is pounding. Why is he sleeping in here? And where is Cormal?
Memories filter into the dark recesses of my brain. An image of Cormal lying on the floor with his head barely attached. Slashing through skin and bone. A blackened and withered heart. Panicking, I sit up and look around for the shadowy beast. A large, scarred hand reaches out and coaxes my hand in his.
“Cormal is fine. He went to see Lucifer,” Madoc says, his voice rough from sleep. “How are you feeling?”
Like I can’t catch my breath. My heart races from fear and something I can’t quite grasp. I lift up my hands. The bones ache as if the skin is too tight. I put a hand to my head. Images continue to bombard me, showing me the truth. There I am… slashing at the monster with my bare skeletal hands, slicing through the shade as if it has flesh. Using an unnatural strength to pierce its chest and pull out a heart that shouldn’t even exist. My entire body begins to shake.
“Did I really do that?” I ask hoarsely, barely able to get the words out.
Madoc picks me up and enfolds me in his arms. “I’ve got you. Just breathe. Don’t think. Let your mind go.” He turns and sits back on the bed with me across his lap, surrounding me with his strength as his words work to ease the panic inside.
Cormal is fine. I’m a monster. Cormal is fine.
He runs a hand down my hair over and over. Safe and protected, I let my eyes drift close, unable to deal with it all, smothering reality under the blanket of sleep.
Light fills the room when I wake again. Still cradled in Madoc’s arms, I open my eyes and tilt my head back to find him watching me, his grey eyes full of concern.
“Thank you,” I murmur softly, visually tracing his full lips. “The panic was dragging me under.”
He reaches out a finger and runs it down my cheek. “We need to talk. Do you feel up to it?”
A shiver cascade downs my spine. Madoc’s usually surly demeanor is noticeably absent. “This is bad, isn’t it?” I trust him to give the truth without sugarcoating it.
“You killed the monster by invoking the power of The Wild Hunt,” he begins. His voice is even and soothing, but his words are nothing but alarming as he explains what the power is, how it’s essential to be king of the dark Fae, and how it came to me.
“Why didn’t it show up before?” I ask with a hysterical note in my voice.
He runs a hand down my back to calm me. “We’re not sure. Based on what we’ve pieced together with Solandis and Cormal, the power to mimic was the only power you had before you physically met your mother. Once you met her, you started picking up light Fae powers. This is a dark Fae power. Maybe Denir’s presence activated it.” He pauses for a second, as if he’s debating something.
“What?”
“After I left The Below with Aamon, I was drawn to the light Fae court and specifically to you. I believe the power has always been inside of you and the severity of Cormal’s injury triggered it,” he divulges. “I’m not a hundred percent sure, though.”
“You were drawn to me? Or to the power?” I ask with a frown, although I’m not sure I want to hear his answer.
“Likely the power drew me,” he reluctantly admits.
“I see,” I mumble.
A harsh laugh. “You see nothing.”
