Page 58 of Fae Unashamed

This war had taken a toll on my queen. She paid with more than just her blood, though she did get stabbed an awful lot—far more than me, and I was the knight who should have been handling all of the sharp things.

Cerri swallowed and turned, but she never took her hand off the wound on her stomach. I couldn’t keep an eye on her and search for Tal at the same time. That meant we needed backup. Though I had no idea what I was doing, I had to start somewhere.

As the new King of Nightmares, I had an army at my disposal—and they seemed to like me. I hoped they didn’t mind the midnight call.

Closing my eyes for a brief moment, I reached all the way into my arcana to find the thread that had once belonged to Faust. While back at the hunting lodge, I could summon the Sluagh just fine. This would be my first time pulling them through to another realm.

Behind me, I could still hear Foxglove shouting and stomping his feet. Cerri stopped what she was doing and pressed one palm to the counter, her head hung forward and tension bubbling between her shoulders.

Come to me warriors, I have need of your aid.

Foxglove’s shouts died on his tongue the moment blue spirit wisps appeared. They burst into the forms of men and beasts, filling the kitchen. Fox scrambled back in a flurry of footsteps and ran from the room. I breathed a sigh of relief now that the man was gone, but I knew that he wouldn’t stay away forever.

He would run off, craft a new plan of action, then return as if he hadn’t come close to pissing his pants only a moment ago.

One of the beasts rubbed up against Cerri’s legs. The tension between her shoulders broke somewhat. She removed her hand from the counter and reached down to pet the creature’s head. Hissing, she pulled back. The stain on her shirt spread a little further as more blood blossomed from her wound.

“Find Taliesin,” I commanded the Sluagh. “Please.”

They all shared a look, as if to askhow do you expect us to catchTaliesin? Yet, they headed off in separate directions to do as I asked. We needed Taliesin back. While we searched for him, the castle was vulnerable.

“Do you think this is a distraction?” I asked Cerri.

She grunted. “Most likely. I can step back and check in with Ostara once I’m done with this potion. It should clear Tal’s mind of all afflictions.”

I explained the crown of thorns I could see atop his head. Cerri paused and considered the implications. In the end, she called the crown a nasty weed and decided to make the potion a magical herbicide.

I was more concerned with the unclosing wound. “I’ve seen you heal from worse.”

She turned away without response. If she bled any more, I would lose her. That wasn’t an option I was willing to accept. A beast remained at her side, and she leaned on it as her strength bled away. The beast looked to me. In its eyes, I could see the face of a man I’d never met.

I fell into those dark, beastly eyes and came face to face with the spirit of a warrior. He seemed just as surprised as I did. Darkness surrounded us on all sides as we stood on petals of light. He laughed, half a scoff and half relief.

The realm reminded me of the dreams that Cerri would visit me in when I was trapped in my beastly form, except this one was far less fleshed out.

“This wasn’t quite what I was expecting,” the man said. His voice was low, but it bounced off invisible walls all around us. “I wanted to ask you. Allow me to give my life for hers.”

I recoiled. Taken aback, I caught my footing and locked eyes with the man who was now a beast in the Sluagh army.

He nodded. “My lover is long gone. She was a mortal woman. There is no chance for me to reconnect with her anymore. So, I ask you to allow me to save your lover instead.”

Without thinking I shook my head. I wasn’t going to let others sacrifice themselves on my behalf. The Sluagh were immortal spirits. When one fell, they would rise again to live on forever. And even so, I hated asking them to fight for me.

“No,” I breathed.

“She doesn’t have the energy left to heal herself. I can smell her blood, and it is growing weak.” The man stepped forward.

Once more, I shook my head. I turned and threw myself out of the dreamscape.

Back in the kitchen, Cerri touched my chest. A question lingered on her lips before she glanced down at the beast at her side. The creature huffed out a breath and lowered its body to the floor where it rested it’s chin on its paws and pouted.

He wanted to give everything he had left to the cause, but I refused to lose anyone tonight.

I turned to Cerri and cupped her cheek. Her skin was almost cold, and the sensation made my heart skip a terrified beat. Just as I touched her, her eyes rolled back.

16

CERRI

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