Page 172 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
“Fuck them,” I hiss.
I swear to fucking gods, I’ll make her happier than any of her fucking suitors could. I’m the better option.
“You’re mine, Svenn.”
The beasts purr beneath my skin at the replay of her words. “You have me, little fawn.”
I lean in and allow myself a soft kiss on her temple. Nothing ever feels as good as being with her, but I’ve pushed my anger aside long enough. It’s time to rip the throats of the bastards who hurt her. I will take pleasure in ending them one by one. This is destined from the moment she walked into the tent with a battered body.
I touch her healed ribs.
Who the fuck did this to her? It kills me that I wasn’t there for her.
I move from the bed and feel a small tug on my arm. I look down to find little fawn’s fingers latched on me.
“Stay,” she mutters in her sleep.
Every single nerve ending is demanding for me to obey that wish. Her firm grip stirs a burst of emotions in my heart. If only she knew the hold she has on me.
Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll never let you go.
I take that soft hand, kiss every knuckle, and place it softly on the bed.
If I stall this any longer, I’ll lose track of those bastards. And if it rains… I’m fucked.
It doesn’t take long for me to put on my hunting leathers and vambraces. I pack several small blades into the inside of my coat, not that I need them for the kill. They serve an entirely different purpose. I take another look at the sleeping queen before I leave.
I’ll be back soon, Nel.
The amber glow of the early morning light is near blinding as I step outside the tent.
Tall one—Darstan is on his post with a lady on his lap. She’s tending to his wound the same way Rhianelle healed me in the old castle with the elven blessings. I can’t help but feel like I’ve intruded on a very private moment.
I clear my throat to alert them politely, but the couple have registered my presence long before. It’s subtle but they’re both poised to attack me should the need arise. The lady will jam her dagger to my throat and that heavy sword leaning on the tree stump will be lodged into my abdomen if the knight’s swing doesn’t sever my head first.
They’re a team.
And not just any team.
Mates.
Through the sight that was blessed by the pixie dust, I see how Darstan and his wife are bonded by solid chains made of gold. It shines brightly, glowing like blades of morning light passing through a window. Shame fills me at my own ugly thread, barely put together and supported by Nel’s.
I’m not slighted by the couple’s intention to kill me. That’s a fairly normal reaction to a Strigon, and I’m used to it.
The knight’s gaze hardens, then narrows at me.
“I’m heading out. Will you look out for her while I’m gone?” I request briefly, gesturing at Nel’s tent.
He nods silently to me.
“Thank you, Darstan.”
The words sound awkward and uncomfortable. I’m almost grateful that the male did not respond in kind, and merely nods again.
Nel is safe in capable hands and I can begin my hunt. These people who hurt her are still hanging around close. It’s faint but I catch hints of their scent at the edge of the camp, near the trees. It’s becoming clear to me the ones who hurt Nel are her own people.
I head straight into the woods. The smell of blood from the field and fortress is interfering with my senses. I lose their trail several times.
