Page 91 of Realm of Nightmares
His words were calm. Demanding and reassuring, as though he stood right behind her.
Maeve lifted her chin in defiance.
“I am Maeve Ruhdneah, the lifeblood of magic.” The forest bowed before her, the branches yawning open to allow her entry. “I show mercy to no one.”
Without another look back, she walked into the Stygian Spine.
ChapterTwenty-Seven
Tiernanfadedinto a war zone.
The courtyard of his Court had descended into chaos.
Aran started forward. “What in the seven hells—”
“I’ll fucking kill you!” a feminine voice bellowed, the wrath of her words causing even the dying palm trees to tremble in their roots.
A flash of silver darted across Tiernan’s vision, then Merrick and Ceridwen were there, rushing after the imminent threat.
“Damn it, woman!” A male shouted, his voice pitched with frustration. “Just calm down!”
Saoirse Doran sprinted across the courtyard of Tiernan’s palace with her sword drawn. She was dressed all in black, her silver braid whipping behind her like a streak of shattered moonlight, her blue eyes shadowed with untempered rage. She yanked a dagger free from the band around her waist and launched it, narrowly missing Casimir’s throat.
The drakon ducked low as the blade slammed into the trunk of a nearby palm, inches from where his head had been a moment before. Sweat dripped from his jaw and he bolted out of her reach, shoving his dark brown hair back from his face. “You missed.”
“Then consider yourself lucky,” Saoirse growled, her voice calm with the promise of death. “You betrayed her. You betrayed all of us!”
Her sword arced through the air, and Casimir parried to avoid losing an arm. “Would you just let me explain?”
He ran to the opposite wall, sliding behind Brynn, as though she would somehow keep him safe. She crossed her arms, eyes flashing from deep brown to scarlet.
Merrick drew up short, tucking his hands into his pockets, clearly amused. Lir stood on the other side of the courtyard, his face a mask, unimpressed.
“You can explain when you get to hell,” Saoirse spat, her teeth grazing along her bottom lip, and Tiernan swore the woman almost drew her own blood. “And be sure to tell them who sent you!”
Again, the warrior charged her former captain, but this time, an explosion of thunder rocked the grounds and Tiernan’s magic swelled, the force of his might evident.
Everyone froze and their gazes swung to him.
He smirked.It was good to be home.
Merrick’s grin faded, relief replacing the mirth. “Moh Rí.”
“Tier…” Tears sprung to Ceridwen’s eyes and her body twitched, as though she wasn’t entirely sure if she should move or not. Then she launched herself toward him, throwing her arms around his neck as he caught her in an embrace. “You’re alive.”
He squeezed her tightly and planted a light kiss on top of her head before setting her down. Turning his attention to the rest of them, he leveled Casimir with a glare. “Would somebody like to tell me what the hell is going on here?”
“You made it just in time, my lord.” Brynn blew an errant, bouncing curl out of her eyes. “Saoirse here is attempting to murder the drakon.”
“Notattempting,” she corrected, vaulting over one of the trickling rivulets in the courtyard to get to Casimir.
There was a blur of movement and then Lir was there. He plucked Saoirse out of the air before she could reach Casimir. With her back pressed to his chest, he clamped her arms to her side and her sword fell, clattering against the stone ground. She kicked against his hold, flailed, but her efforts were useless against his ironclad grip.
She hissed, then huffed, annoyed by being disarmed so quickly. “Let me go, you oversized, obscenely gorgeous brute.”
Lir didn’t smile. He simply tightened his hold on her.
Smart move.
