Page 34 of The Fae Lord

But then, to my surprise, Maura turns around and slowly steps forward. She draws herself up to her full height, her green-tinged wings flaring out behind her.

“We will stand with you,” she says.

“Maura...” Pen speaks up, but she hushes him immediately.

“For too long, we have been complicit in the suffering of the Shadowkind. We have looked the other way, telling ourselves that it was not our fight, not our problem.”

She looks around at her fellow Leafborne, her eyes blazing. “But no more. They helped us escape. Now we will help them.”

For a moment, there is complete silence. Then Pen sighs heavily, looks around at the others, and purposefully steps forward. “Tell us what you need us to do.”

FIFTEEN

Eldrion

My skull is pounding. Lightning rods of pain ricochet around my head. With each stab, her face appears.

Alana.

My mother.

Alana.

My mother.

Then Raylon too.

We were so alike we could have been twins. That’s what everyone said. Except, I knew different because he had the power I did not. And he had our mother’s love.

He was lucky, until he was not.

The screams begin, and then the voice. “She is not what she seems. I created her. She is not what she seems.”

My wings flail out sideways and something clatters to the floor, shattering on the cold flagstones.

“My lord?” A voice I don’t recognise. A figure appears. A tall, broad shadow. Small wings.

“Why are you still here?” I pry my eyes open and glare at the silhouette. It folds its arms and shrugs.

I blink harder. Female. Dark hair. Red lips. Is she real?

I jump from the bed and cross the room in seconds. My hand is around her throat. Her eyes widen. I take my blade from my waist and press it to her cheek. I press hard enough to make her bleed. Then I bring the crimson droplet to my mouth and taste it.

I feel her heart beating close to my chest. Fear congeals in the air around her.

I step back, sheathe the knife, and find my robe.

“I am still here because I have nowhere else to go,” she says.

“What is your name?” I narrow my eyes at her.

“Pria,” she replies. “My mother was your mother’s handmaiden.”

“But you are a guard?”

“I am.”

“Do you intend to kill me, Pria?” I sit down, legs open. I’m wearing pants, but I notice her gaze drop to my crotch.