Page 4 of Veil of Monsters

The silence following his words makes everyone pause, except me. He doesn’t scare me. Confidently, I take a step forward, and a sword lunges straight at me, stopping inches away from my throat. I look at the Wyern steadily holding the blade near me, with wide eyes, ice spitting out of my fingers on instinct, begging me to defend myself. Zurine’s eyes sharply run towards me, looking at my hands, sensing our matching power. She walks to Emerson’s side, leaning down to whisper to him, no doubt warning him how powerful I am. He doesn’t even respond to her as he watches me, his eyes never leaving mine as Zurine straightens but stays at his side. The blade stays at my throat, one move and it will cut me.

“I do not possess that kind of magic, my king.” My voice echoes around the room, followed by many whispers. “But the god of the sea does. We were entered into the Conquest of the Sea, and he stole your memories from us as payment for saving our lives. You came in search of me, along with Zurine, Lorenzo, and Felix. My friends Posy and Nerelyth also joined us.”

Emerson’s eyes are colder than the sea. I’m used to them burning like starlight for me. “You speak of a member of my court who is missing. Are you telling me that he died in there?”

I shake my head. “No, he was alive. The deal I made was to get everybody out alive, even you, who nearly died for me. I wasn’t told of the price, and the price was this. You do not remember who I am. You do not remember who Posy is.”

“Who’s Posy?” he questions, sounding bored.

I nod at her, and Emerson merely glances at her for a second. “Ah, the pretend mate who has tricked my brother with whatever magic you both possess.”

He doesn’t believe me. In his shoes, I’m not sure I would either. Still, it’s so frustrating. The sword presses against my skin, just slightly. Emerson hasn’t told him to lower the sword, but he hasn’t told him to kill me yet, so I’m taking that as a win. “The Fae Prince kidnapped your sister, Solandis.” I look around for her, but I don’t see her here. “You hired me when I was mortal and—”

“I would not hire a mortal,” he interrupts me with a cold laugh.

Fuck it. I slam my hand into the guard’s stomach, at the same time grabbing his hand holding the sword and burning him, causing him to drop the sword. He lunges for me, but I slam the hilt of the sword into his face, blood splattering across my cheek, and he collapses at my feet. Four more guards head my way, but Emerson holds his hand up, stopping them. I chuck the sword on the ground between us. “Do not interrupt me, Emerson. I am your mate. I am to be your queen, and we chose each other despite everything.”

He watches me with cool amusement. “You are fae and I would not choose you.”

I huff. “You might not remember it, but it’s true. We fell in love. You hired me to help find your sister because I was the best. I was a monster hunter, and I helped you, but we found out in the end, it was the Fae Prince who had taken her. He had been hunting me for years because he knew who I was. He took me and he killed me, turning me into a fae, which broke the curse because I am your soulmate reborn. I broke the curse, and your soul knows me, even if your mind has forgotten. That’s why I’m not dead. Anyone else would be, but you can’t kill me.”

Everyone is silent, including him, because they know it’s true. He would have killed me, tortured me for information, if I were nothing to him. Part of him knows. It must. I don’t know if they don’t believe me or not. I can’t read Emerson’s expression. His face is kept carefully blank. Zurine catches my gaze. Her eyes soften just slightly as she looks over at me like she’s searching for her friend’s soul. I carry on, unable to do anything else.

“You then came into the fae court to rescue me from the fae. Both of you did. Even you, Zurine, because we are friends. You came to the court for me, even though it was a place of nightmares for you.” I look at Emerson. “I hated you because I was forcibly turned into a fae. You got me killed, but then you told me everything about you. Then you changed everything and now I see it as a blessing. I want my immortality because it means forever with you.” My voice breaks slightly. “I am your mate. You must know this. Magic can’t take that away. We risked our lives again and again for each other. I would die for you, Emerson, and it’s why I swore to your court. To you.”

I stop because saying any more… I can’t do it with everyone watching me. Emerson rises from his throne, darkness rising with him in the room. “I feel nothing for you, and whatever dark magic you are using will not work on me.”

Like I’ve been stabbed in the chest, I wince. In a few large steps, Emerson comes to stand in front of me, towering over me. Emerson runs a clawed finger down my cheek, parting my bottom lip, and desire floods through me. His nose flares as he watches me. He still wants me.

“I promised to take fae in as refugees due to the war and the fact they are my people. I do not trust you, and you will not get that mercy from me. You will come to my city where the rest of them are, until I have time to figure out your dark magic hold on me.”

“This isn’t dark magic!” I snap.

He growls, leaning into me. “We are at war. I have far more pressing things to deal with than your stories, fae.” He pushes me back a step. Emerson looks at Lorenzo. “Take them to our place, lock them up, and make sure they are guarded. No one is to come out or in. Including you.”

“Emerson,” Lorenzo replies quietly. I know he can’t question his brother in public. Emerson just gives him a look that says this is the end of the discussion before he turns to walk out.

Anger rises in my chest. “Keep pretending all you like, Wyern King. Sit on your cold, empty throne and pretend.”

He doesn’t reply to me, and I watch him go, only for him to look back at me from the door. There is a hunger in his eyes that makes my body burn, but he leaves too quickly for me to say a word. The Wyerns leave with their king, including the guard with a broken nose, who glares at me. Zurine pauses at my side, looking deeply into my eyes like she is searching for my soul. “I know you, somehow, Calliophe. For some reason, I want to protect you, and your story is the only reason that I could imagine. It makes no sense I am loyal to a fae.”

“I know your story with the fae king and your family. You told me because I was broken, forcibly changed into a fae, and I didn’t want any of it. I wanted freedom and to be mortal, but you taught me there is beauty to be found in being fae. You helped me learn how to want to live. So I know you will remember me again.”

She watches me for a long time, like she can’t figure out if I’m mad or telling the truth. It must be confusing for them all, but a small part of me is hurt that none of them seem to remember how we all felt about each other. They are my family, people I would die for, and to have them cut away is more painful than anything I’ve been through. I thought I’d lost my family so many times as a child, over and over, but these are my chosen family. Losing them is like having my heart cut apart. Her voice is quiet, this only meant for me. “Be careful. Figure out a way to get his memories back, because if this is true, he needs you right now. Maybe we all do.”

I watch her leave, hoping to see her soon. When everyone has left, Lorenzo crosses his arms and looks at me. “You say I trained you, and that move was something I would teach. I was impressed, but I’m warning you now, you’ll come with me peacefully, or I’ll tie you up and drag you. We are going to the Wyern cities.”

“You did teach me that.” I smile. “I’ve never seen the cities, but I hoped Emerson would show me them one day.”

“And yet you claim to be his queen.”

I clear my throat, Emerson’s promises flowing too freely through my mind. “I never saw them because, well, we were busy saving the world. Emerson wanted me to swear in to his court first and make sure I wanted everything being his mate meant.”

“He protects his cities,” he muses. “I have always admired that.” Lorenzo doesn’t comment further, giving me a suspicious look like he can’t believe he spoke something personal to me. Eventually he sighs. “My brother’s a stubborn bastard but he didn’t kill you; therefore, part of him must believe your story. For now, I’m choosing to trust my brother’s opinion, but don’t push it. Either of you.”

Posy just chuckles at his threat, like an over-six-foot Wyern Prince is nothing more than a bug to her. I smile at her. Lorenzo leads us down the endless corridors to the Speculis, the room of mirrors, and I’m not too surprised we are traveling this way. Instead of one of the smaller mirrors at the side of the room, he guides us to the massive mirror at the back. Without asking, he grabs hold of both our hands and pulls us through at the same time as him.

When we step out, we’re on top of a rickety, jagged cliff, and all the air leaves my lungs in a whoosh as a bitter cold wind slams into me. I look down at the cities of the Wyerns, the biggest cities in this world I’ve ever seen. The fae couldn’t have known this existed. None of them can. Five massive cities are spread out in front of me, for as far as I can see, and all of it is inside the mountain, but the top is open to the stars above. Jagged rocks stretch up into the night sky, and Wyerns fly around the city, looking like tiny birds.

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