Page 37 of Songs of Retribution

I paced in the trees’shadows, waiting for Lira. Between the instructions she'd received from those who had helped and Lennox coaching her through Landre’s backwoods tangle, we'd almost reached each other.

I'd seen soldiers more than a dozen times throughout the day and had evaded them so far. My hands itched to send a thrush to Mother and get an update on the situation. I couldn't leave a trace of my magic for Carrington's soldiers to discover, though.

Instead, I paced and worried and avoided glistening puddles while holding the paper in my hand so tight it crinkled. I'd found it the previous day, posted on a notice board outside a town. I'd carefully skirted around the edges, avoiding running into anyone.

It was an advertisement for military enlistment for a one-year period and enough gold to keep a family for half a decade. I smashed the sheet tighter under my fingers and struggled to hold my shadows back. I wished I were elemental so I could burn Carrington's kingdom out from under him. Fae had long vowed not to interact with humans or involve them in fairy politics. I'd known Carrington had broken that after visiting the Seelie palace and seeing the human staff he kept. I didn't realize he'd stoop so low as to enlist humans for his military, though.

My boots splashed into a puddle as I kept up my relentless pacing and peeked out past the hood of my cloak to keep an eye out for any movement. Human soldiers couldn't hold much value to Carrington. They didn't possess magic, the ability to ward, or the resilience fae had. Lira alone could likely take out an entire troop of humans, or those her song could reach at least.

Adding Lennox and Shaan would make us even more formidable. I scowled thinking of my brother and the Prince. Lennox wanted to pressure Shaan into doing just that—slaughtering without thought. He didn't understand how deeply Shaan felt things, how much it would devastate him to take that action.

I clenched my teeth and forced thoughts of the Seelie Prince down. I was stuck with him for life on two fronts and it was a misery I could face later. Lifting my face to the gray sky, rain slipped down my cheeks and dripped off my chin. I relished the cool drops over my skin, a brief respite from my inner turmoil.

Regardless of what happened tomorrow, I was alive today, standing beneath the lingering rains of monsoon season, waiting for my wife. I'd have her in my arms soon and I was certain that would bring clarity I presently lacked.

A splash caught my attention, and I whirled around to find Lira dashing through the woods, a fur cloak flying out behind her, her pale eyes wide and shadowed with dark circles. I ran towards her and pulled her into my arms, shuddering with relief as her silky skin touched mine.

She whimpered and pressed onto her tiptoes. She clasped my jaw between her hands and kissed me hard enough that I groaned into her mouth, my arms curling around her slim waist under her cloak. It was a wonder she'd kept the thing on. The temperatures were not as hot as in the Prasanna borders but still warm. She'd been smart, though—kept her supplies, made it out of Carrington's vindictive hands, and ended up here with me again, where she belonged.

She pulled back but clutched me tight, as if she feared I'd disappear if she released me. I tightened my grip around her waist and realized she’d lost weight. Dark circles pressed under her eyes and rain slipped down the sharper edges of her cheeks. The one positive thing about her escape from the Seelie is that she'd have no excuse to go back into that court without me anymore. I'd hated every moment of her being gone and since discovering she’d ended up trapped and held prisoner, anxiety had flooded me.

"Sai." Lira lifted her face and whispered against my lips. Her voice trembled. "There were a few times when I thought I'd never see you again."

I shuddered and pulled her closer to me. Even with her body ravaged by Carrington’s abuse, she was like a gleaming gem amid the sopping, dark world around us. It was like the idea of that and her fear echoed into my bones. I'd rather have limbs separated from my body than lose her. My stomach ached at the thought of Carrington killing or harming her. Shadows pushed against my edges again, longing to unleash, but I had to hold the magic at bay.

"You're safe now." I kissed her temple and my lips tingled as they connected with her skin.

"We have to go." She still trembled, but she pulled away from me and adjusted her bag. Her shoulders sagged with exhaustion, and I grabbed the pack, ignoring her minor protests, and slung it alongside mine.

"We could make camp." I looked her over carefully. She had changed so much since the last time I'd seen her. Her skin was always pale but had a healthy glow to it, like snow glimmering under the sun. Now she looked pallid, reminding me of Neia when she'd lain dying. She wobbled slightly, like her legs would give out. I wanted to howl my outrage, hand her over to someone where she could stay safe, then storm the Seelie palace to end Carrington slowly. "You look tired."

Her fingers twined with mine, like she couldn't bear the separation any more than me, but she shook her head. "Soldiers are after me. I had to use my magic and throw them off the people who helped me. They're heading in this direction. I've used my wind to stay ahead of them, but my magic is spent."

My hand went to her shoulder. I longed to pull her into my arms and carry her, but if Seelie soldiers headed in our direction, we didn't have the luxury of slowing. "We're only a few hours from the border."

She gave a weak nod, and my stomach twisted with fear and concern. I dropped the bags and slid my cloak off. "Here." Rain hushed over my kurta, soaking into the material

"I have a cloak," she said.

"One that is far too heavy and warm for our trip."

"You'll get wet."

I couldn't help but smile, curl my fingers around her chin, and kiss her gently. She was so miserably drained and yet she worried about me getting wet. If I wasn't so consumed by the need to protect her, I would have teased her and seen if I could pull a laugh from her pale lips. "I believe I can handle a bit of rain."

She agreed with a sigh, handing me the thick cloak which I hung on a nearby tree branch. She wouldn't need it in the Prasanna realm, and it would weigh down the packs. I clasped her hand and pulled her onto the path. Now that we were finally together, the journey would be easy. I knew the direction home from there.

"Lennox and Shaan are going to meet us," Lira said from beneath the oversized hood of my cloak that obscured her bowed face.

I side-eyed her. "Meet us?"

"They're traveling nearby. We'll probably cross paths within the hour. I'll keep Lennox apprised of our location."

We reached a deer trail that led to where I’d left my horse and sloshed through the soggy mixture of leaves and mud and branches. My grip tightened around Lira's as she shivered and wobbled with each step. As soon as we crossed the border we could stop, especially if we had Prasanna guards from Shaan's party as well. I could let Lira compel me and regain some of her spent energy. Ever since our time in Kali’s caves, the idea of her compelling me sent warmth sweeping through me.

Even with the comfort of her hand in mine, the right feeling it gave me, I couldn't ignore the implications of her words. Shaan and Lennox traveling home so soon couldn't be a good sign. "Did the Froh not align with our cause then?"

Lira remained quiet for a minute, which told me more than words. She didn't like Lennox and me being at odds, but I had nothing helpful to offer in that vein. I'd hated the man since before I'd met him and that seemed to only deepen.

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