She nods, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I’m sorry…"
I clutch her shoulder. "Go back to the Healing Tents. Burn the letter. I will find you later. But right now, I have something I must do."
I walk back to the Crystal Garden. Back to the stone and the flame.
And I forge.
***
It takes a week, working night and day—sometimes with magic, and the aid of master armorsmiths and who live in this realm, to accomplish my task. On the last day, I take a drink of cool water and admire our work.
A set of armor, half black, half white. Like my sword. It shimmers. Like Yami.
An iridescent dragon is engraved on the chest. And the moonlight steel is built in folds like scales. Strong but light. A midnight cape flows behind, clasped to the shoulders.
I don the armor and go to see Fen. The look on his face is all the praise I need. Then I tell him my plan, and he agrees. It's time for a presenting of our own.
He dons his brown leather armor and thick fur cape, and then Dean leads us to the highest balcony in the Moonlight Garden. He lures his people to the palace with promises of free drink and food, and once hundreds have gathered, he speaks to the masses. "You have heard that Arianna Spero and Fenris Vane were killed by the Prince of Envy." He pauses for effect. "You heard wrong."
I drop our illusions.
Fen and I step forward.
And the people cheer.
***
After, there is the feast Dean promised. And when he promises, he delivers in spades. Wine and ale flow freely, as well as much stronger liquors that glow suspiciously. Nectar of the Elders Ones is the favorite, of course. I stay away in favor of wine and celebrate late into the night with my friends. I eat too much, drink too much. Because tomorrow…
It’s time.
Time to march north and stop Levi.
Time to unleash the Midnight Star.
Fen and Baron escort me to my room, and we stand by my door looking deeply into each other's eyes.
I kiss him, and his body responds instantly, clutching at mine, returning my kisses—my passion. I am consumed by him and can't let him go. "Come in with me," I say, my eyes pleading with him to do what I ask. To join me. To complete what we've started so many times.
His body presses harder against mine, and then he pulls away, and I know his answer before he speaks it. "You've had a lot to drink and we have travel tomorrow. You need rest."
Before I can object, he kisses me chastely on the forehead and walks back to his room, Baron whining at his heels as the wolf steals glances back at me and Yami.
I sigh and let myself into my room. "I guess that's that, my little dragon. He's a stubborn ass sometimes."
I fall asleep quickly, my dreams peaceful without potions for the first time in weeks. And I am heavy with exhaustion when something wakes me. It's the door to my room, opening. A figure slips in. I'm about to reach for my sword when he speaks from the shadows. "Ari, it's me."
"Fen!" I sit up as he walks over to my bed. "You came back? But I thought—"
"I changed my mind."
Those are the last words we speak the rest of the night.
He rushes forward, grabbing me in a fierce embrace, his breath heavy against my ear, his heart strong against my chest. His mouth explores mine with a hungry passion, and his hands tear away my sleeping gown. Our bodies come together. Gently, at first, then with a desire I can barely contain. We lose ourselves. To all that we are. To all that we have wished.
It becomes like a drug, being with him. Our magic finds each other's, the powers blending into a radiant warmth that fills us both and molds us together into one.
And when we finally finish, falling asleep in each other’s arms, I look outside and see the sun begin to rise. And as night turns to day, I realize everything has changed, and I smile for what is to come.
Chapter 14
THE BARGAIN
Kayla Windhelm
"They wouldn't dream of turning on you."
—Asher
It nearly breaks my heart to see what Stonehill has become when we arrive at the gates. Tavian uses an illusion to mask his Fae features, at my advice, as we walk through a gruesome display of torture and death. The roads are lined with wooden pikes sporting the heads of Fae and Shade. At first, the guards do not want to admit us into the city, because I am Shade. But when I explain who I am, they acquiesce.
Tavian is quiet, and I don't blame him. These are his people even more than mine. And what has been done to them is gruesome.
We pass a cart full of barrels and Tavian sniffs the air. "Powder. Explosives."
"Why?"
"Perhaps they are preparing for battle."
I nod, looking at what once was my forge. Now, men I don’t recognize forge crude weapons there, preparing for war with the Fae. I hurry forward, eager to remove them from my line of vision.
In the center of town, on a wooden platform that has become the stage for the cruelest of deeds, a group of soldiers torture two slaves, as more of Levi’s men look on and laugh. Tavian flexes, and I slip my hand around his arm. "We can't interfere," I say. "We can’t fight them all."
"I know," he says through gritted teeth. "Doesn't mean I have to like it."
"Let's just find Fen and Ari and figure out what's going—" the words die in my throat as we approach Stonehill Castle. For there, on either side of the entrance, are two more pikes. With two more heads. Fires blaze in my hands and I feel my blood boil with rage and grief and shock.