She pursed her lips and nodded her satisfaction. When I went to drop my hand, her fingers clutched my wrist tightly. I raised my brows in surprise.
Ignoring my inquiry, she added to the prayer. “To the life given and the life taken too soon, the darkness will avenge you so that you may soar through Sheol’s doors free at last.”
Faerie's winds blew, acknowledging her prayer before she released my hand and walked away without another passing glance at the hallowed ground still wet with her tears.
I followed her, like I always would, to our small camp. The need to whisk her away from this place and let this world come to its tragic end was stronger than ever.
“Well that would be an imbecilic act fairy, where would you live then?”My beast commented dryly.
“There are other worlds.”I said silently back.
“We are born to our world for a reason, fairy boy.”
“Speaking from experience, cat? What goddess damned world did you fall from that has me stuck with you for eternity?”
I snorted as the soft padding of the cat’s retreat was my only answer.
Sitting down in front of her and smoothing out the wrinkles in my bed roll, I felt my soulmate's eyes dissect every inch of me. I was facing the War General of Faerie now and not the fae back in the woods, alive and soaring on feathered shadow wings.
“How long?” Her tone was emotionless, wrapped in layers of steel and ice.
Her strength only ensnared me more. She was a fae misunderstood but I saw through her…I saw her for what she really was…blindingly faithful, pure, and strong.
Faerie never deserved her…and it had destroyed her.
“Since Morta.” I responded.
“Morta–” She laughed dryly, tilting her head to the side. “Why doesn’t it bother you, I wonder? Why do you not hate me for what I have done.”
I shrugged. “I’m a shifter of The West Isles. The City of Light was the home of my enemy and from what I heard, it was already corrupt beyond saving. Your own people sacrificed you to their mad queen on a silver platter.”
Remnant snickered coldly. “Fear of death will make even the most loyal waver.”
I growled low. “Not all of us. Not you.”
She gave me a small sinister smile. “No…but I have never feared death, shifter.”
“What do you fear then, little umbra?”
“My fears have already come to pass. Now I have given you enough of my own answers. It is time you start giving me yours.”
I gritted my teeth against the sharpness of her cold tone. Every instinct in me wanted to see her fire…her life. “The land is diseased and it is not just confined here. Half of Faerie has succumbed to its infestation and it continues to spread.” I growled. “Most of The West Isles have been lost.” Thank the goddess for our ancient healer. His powerful wards spared our most precious and treasured city, Finlandia.
“Is that why shifters are in the east?” She hummed and stroked the shadows that drifted lazily into her lap like a purring kitten.
Oh to bethemright now.
I shook my head. “Shifters don’t relish the thought of setting foot in these lands. Your mountains are puny and the wrong color.” I winked before leaning forwards growling low. “Those shifters you killed were traitors to their own kind. I was hunting them for the crown.”
“You’re not a very good hunter then.”
The cat inside me roared with laughter.
I ignored him and purred. “Perhaps I was hunting more than one thing.”
She quirked a brow at me, understanding flashing in her eyes. “Am I supposed to believe that you used yourself as bait to draw me out? Almost getting killed in the process?”
“I would risk death every fucking day if it meant I would still be in your presence for one more minute of it.” I was not ashamed to admit it, it was the truth and the fae did not lie.
