“Different how?”
“Those were lesser fae we fought in the woods. That’s why they waited until the pack was weakened by the madness before attacking. It’s probably why they have to use the madness at all.” Moving to a section of wall nearby, I find more elegant script carved into it with precise cuts. “But these markings were made by high fae using magic, like the one with violet eyes who just attacked us. They were more intelligent, older, more… human. Just look at the precision here compared to the other markings.”
Kieran stands behind me, and I catch another wave of his scent as he leans in, his body caging mine.
“High fae look almost human, but they’re much stronger and more dangerous. They’re the ones who make the big plans, who lead the others.” I gesture to the wall. “And based on what I’m seeing here, they’re fighting amongst themselves, and with the lesser fae.”
“Over what?”
“Territory.” I frown as I study the elegant script, trying to ignore the prickle on the back of my neck as Kieran’s breath fans my skin. “But not just any territory. These markings use the magic of the land around them, so… they need land that already has magic in it. Places where they can hide from humans in plain sight—especially the lesser fae, who can’t glamour themselves as easily.”
Understanding dawns in Kieran’s eyes. “Pack lands.”
“Exactly. This whole time, we’ve wondered why the madness was spreading. Now we know. They need the magic that keeps humans from finding our territories—it would work for them too.” My fingers trace the edges of the symbols. “And they need to make sure we’re weakened before they attack. That’s why they went after Pack Onyx first—our venom, not to mention our lands are large and magic-rich. And now…”
“Now they’re making a big move against as many packs as possible.” Kieran’s voice is grim. “That must be why they’re spreading the madness. They need us weak.”
“It’s even worse than that.” Fear churns in my gut as I review everything I know, everything I’ve noticed from all the packs we’ve visited so far. “They’re planning to attack multiple packs at once. If they take us one at a time, the other packs will band together. But if they weaken us with madness, then strike everywhere at once…”
“We won’t be able to help each other.” Kieran scrubs a hand over his face. “Can you read any more of this? Do they lay out their plans?”
“There’s a map, I think…” Trailing off, I scan the symbols for as much information as possible. “Four packs, one in each direction, leading away from Pack Onyx land. And the madness is nothing compared to what they’ll do to them.” Looking up at him, I force myself to say, “They’ll kill entire packs to get what they want. Just like they did to mine.”
We spend the next several hours gathering information and resources. The lesser fae, like the ones who attacked Pack Quartz, want to take territory by force. But the high fae prefer subtler methods—bargains and tricks, like the madness, to slowly corrupt pack lands from within. We’ll need to be prepared to fight both, so I gather whatever herbs and first aid supplies we can find deep in the vaults and chambers of the abandoned Pack Onyx land.
All the while, my heart aches, and pain blooms in my chest. It isn’t just the rejected bond anymore. Being where my people once lived, knowing they were here and are now gone, is even more painful than I could’ve imagined. I thought it would bring me peace to learn more about them, but now I’m grieving something I never knew I once had: a family, a home. A pack.
“I can tell that something is wrong,” Kieran says as we gather mugswort from the fields behind the old herbalist’s house, which have grown wild in the years since. “You don’t have to tell me, but… you can. Even with everything between us.”
Heart in my throat, I admit to him, “I wish that I’d had this.” Looking around, I no longer see the visions that I once did, but the memory of them is vivid in my mind’s eye. “A place to grow up where I belonged. Where I was safe and protected, and… accepted.”
Kieran is silent for so long that I think he won’t say anything. Then he tells me, “I wish you’d had that too.”
There isn’t much to say to that, so instead I lead him toward the old Pack Onyx weapons vault, hoping to find some cold iron for both of us to use. Thankfully, despite the disrepair and years that have passed, much of the vault is intact—no doubt because the fae can’t touch cold iron.
I grab a few small daggers and knives for Kieran, brushing off his suggestion that he take a sword. “Only if you know how to use it.” A set of claws, further up the shelves, gets my attention. “These would be useful.”
Reaching for them, I find myself just a few inches too short—which is when a warm, strong, masculine presence approaches from behind. “Let me help,” he says, his chest pressing against my back.
“I can get it myself.” My voice comes out breathless, and we both know it’s not from exertion—or pain, since my wound has finally closed up. “Just a little…”
Instead of moving away, he stays right behind me, his fingers hovering just below mine. I can feel his breath on my neck. “I know you can do it. You can do anything you set your mind to. That’s one of the things I…” He stops himself, clearing his throat. “One of the things that makes you special.”
Pain lances through my chest in time with the beating of my heart. “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t try to…” I pull the claws off the shelf and whirl around with them between us, meaning to hand them to him. Instead I find myself holding them up like they’re a shield. “Just don’t. Please.”
His expression is full of regret and something else—something that looks dangerously like longing. But he made hischoice. Again. And I can’t let myself hope anymore, especially when it makes me feel like such a fool.
I’m saved from anymore back and forth by the sound of howling so sharp it cuts right through me. We both freeze, listening. It’s not just one wolf, but many—a warning being passed from pack to pack.
“Fae attacks,” Kieran says grimly. “The first of many, if we’re right about their next moves.”
My heart races for a whole new reason. “We have to warn the others. Pack Diamond is the closest—they’re the most likely to be hit next.”
“That’s at least a day’s journey off our planned route back.” But he must see the determination in my eyes. “You’re right, though. We can’t leave them undefended.”
