Page 74 of The Unseelie War
Puck's grin softened into something almost fond. “Look at you, being all noble and self-sacrificing. Don't worry about me, spider. I'mveryhard to kill permanently. It's everyone else I worry about.”
The last thing Serrik saw before the world collapsed into swirlingchaos was Puck's grin, twinged with madness, before everything was gone.
The approachto Valroy's camp was surreal in its normalcy. They walked through the merged landscape, past floating chunks of Boston Common and trees that sang lullabies in languages that predated human civilization, and it almost felt like any other evening stroll through impossible reality.
Except for the growing scent of smoke and blood on the wind.
Except for the way the aurora lights overhead flickered erratically, as if the very fabric of merged reality was being stressed by the violence ahead.
Except for the knowledge that they were walking toward what would almost certainly be their deaths.
Ava really missed Serrik’s quiet, looming presence.
Abigail led the way, her usual ethereal grace replaced by something harder, more purposeful. The red flowers that marked her passage bloomed and withered in seconds, leaving a trail of crimson petals that glowed faintly in the strange twilight.
Ava walked beside her, Book clutched to her chest like a shield against the world. Occasionally she stumbled as reality bent around her unconscious anxiety, as she somehow unwittingly tried to slow herself down. Stupid brain.
Behind them, Nos and Ibin walked hand in hand, their earlier confession having created a small bubble of peace in the midst of approaching chaos. She hadn’t seen their conversation happen, but the way they were acting now? It was obvious her interaction with Nos had inspired him to act. She was happy for them, for however little time it would last.
Lysander was walking ahead of them in his humanoid form, his tail swishing with agitation, while Bitty flew overhead in lazy circles,her iridescent wings catching and reflecting the mixed light of the merged skies.
“He is there,” Abigail said softly, pointing toward a distant hill where fires burned against the darkening sky. “Can you feel it?”
Ava nodded grimly. Even from this distance, she could sense the wrongness of the place—the way reality seemed to twist and curdle around Valroy's presence like milk gone sour. “It's like a wound in the world.”
“He has always been that,” Abigail replied sadly. “A beautiful, terrible wound that never quite heals but alwaysaches.”
They continued in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. The closer they got to the camp, the more obvious it became that this was no ordinary military installation. Nightmares prowled the perimeter like hunting dogs, their forms shifting and writhing as they fed on the terror that hung thick in the air. Unseelie warriors moved between the fires with predatory grace.
And at the heart of it all, visible even from their distance, was a tree.
It was wrong in every conceivable way—a twisted amalgamation of bark that seemed to pulse with its own malevolent life. It was nearly devoid of branches, and its trunk was hollow and rotted. But she knew it was alive, and ithungered,for embedded within the surface of its body like some gruesome decoration, was a figure with purple hair.
“Alex.” Ava felt her stomach clench with horror.
“Yes.” Abigail's voice was carefully controlled, but Ava could see the fury burning in her green eyes. “He has made his point quite clearly.”
They crested the final hill, and suddenly they were looking down at the full scope of Valroy's war camp. It was larger than Ava had expected, more organized, more…professional. This wasn't the chaotic rabble she had somehow been hoping for. This was an army, disciplined and ready for war.
She swallowed nervously. “What do we do?”
“We walk in.” Abigail strolled ahead, head held high.
“Wh—what?”Ava staggered. That hadn’t been part of the plan. “We’re just going to—are you kidding me?”
“He already knows we are coming. And he already knows we are here.” Abigail kept walking. “A direct assault against him would be pointless. No. We approach and speak to him directly.”
Glancing at her friends, she saw wide eyed confusion and fear reflected back. But what could she say? What could shedo?Nothing but…follow Abigail. She’d committed to this madness.Fuck.
Justfuck.
“Sure. Why not. Why not? Cool! Awesome! Let’s all just stroll into the Unseelie war camp.Fuck-balls.” So, nervously, they did just that. Lysander and Bitty were now standing close by her, and all of them were behind Abigail as they walked to the center where that horrifying tree was positioned.
And there, they found Valroy waiting for them, his wings spread behind him. His presence was overwhelming—a gravitational pull that seemed to bend reality around him like a black hole bends light. He was magnificent and terrible, a fallen angel who had learned to love his fall. “My beloved wife,” he called, his tone conversational despite the circumstances. “How lovely to see you again. And you've brought friends! How thoughtful. Hm. But I see no spider for our feast this evening. Curious. Where does he lurk, I wonder?”
Abigail stepped forward, and suddenly she seemed to grow taller, more regal, power radiating from her like heat from a forge. “Release her, Valroy. Alex has done nothing to deserve mistreatment at your hands.”
“Mistreatment?” Valroy's laugh was genuinely amused. “My dear Abigail, she exists in my court. She is mine to do with as I wish.” His expression grew more serious. “But you know why she is here. You know what choice I am offering you.”
