We trudged through the deep snows and quickly realized the blizzard whipping around us was going to not only slow us down but would be terrible through the night.
“Let’s get as far as we can, head back to the beach to sleep for the night, and then spirit back in the morning. There’s no point in trying to sleep out here in this,” Gaea yelled over the rushing winds.
We kept going until we crested a hill. I tried to keep my face down as much as possible to keep the air from piercing my skin, but luckily, she was paying attention. She grabbed my arm and yanked me down, pointing to a small cottage in the valley below. A fire glowed from within, and we watched as two fae dressed in black circled the small house, looking into the old windows with weapons drawn.
Gaea drew her thumb across her neck and pointed again. I nodded slowly, and we crept down the hill. I wasn’t certain who was in that little home, but they were about to be robbed at the very least. We got all the way to the cottage until the wind could no longer mask the screams from within.
“A child!” Gaea yelled.
She shot up and ran for the cabin, pulling her own hidden knife out as she slammed through the door and disappeared. I yanked my sword free and followed, hoping she hadn’t just run right into a trap. As I entered the small home, I saw one male with his knife held to a child’s neck and his arm around her mouth. Lesser fae. The child’s mother, with buds of a stag’s horns similar to my own, screamed and thrashed about as the other fae tried to hold her down.
“Get the fuck away from her,” Gaea said to the male with the child.
“Only if you’ll take her place, pretty kitty,” the male said.
“Deal.”
“Gaea,” I warned.
“She’s a child.” Her voice was calm, low and dangerous.
The male holding the mother grunted as she made contact and jolted free of his grip long enough for me to rush forward and step between them. “Who are you?”
“Who the fuck are you, lesser?” he spat.
“I’m here on the king’s order to take these females to the castle.”
“Well, too bad he’s not here to help ya.” He pulled his own sword from a sheath strapped to his back.
I had hoped my lie would cause him to pause, but as he stepped forward, I realized he was a sea fae and threats of the king would do nothing to cause him fear. The sea fae believed themselves invincible in the northern kingdom because their queen had Autus by the balls. Or so they thought.
He slammed his sword into mine. I planted my feet ready to counter. The space was small. He swung his sword and I moved back, causing him to gouge the cracked wall with the tip of his blade.
“Just give me the child,” Gaea said from behind me. “I promise you can have me instead.” I heard her knife hit the floor and turned just in time for my opponent to swing and nearly take my arm off.
“Give me your word,” the sea fae told Gaea.
“I promise,” she said, sticking her hand out.
“Gaea, don’t,” I said as I continued to fight. I knew what she was doing, but if they thought I was worried about her, they might mistake her for easy prey. I hoped they did.
The mother continued to scream as the four of us filled her tiny home with lethal violence.
I jammed my foot into the thigh of the fae across from me at the same time as the other fae shoved the girl across the room and captured Gaea’s hand. One moment he was smiling, the next, they were gone.
“Where the fuck did they go?” the one left shrieked.
“She took him to hell. Be sure to give him my regards.” I jammed the tip of my sword through his stomach and lifted until he was nearly cut in half. He fell unceremoniously to the blood-soaked floor. For a moment, time stood still. I’d killed him. And though I searched for my essence to lash out at me for defying my true nature, there was nothing but silence. I slowly turned to the frightened female.
“Tian. Run,” she screamed again, yanking her child toward the door. “I won’t go with you, demon. I won’t let my child near that monster.”
Gaea popped back into the room, and though she panted, she was unscathed.
“I’m not here to take you to the king. Please,” I lowered the sword. “I only said that hoping they would be scared off. I am like you. Do you see my horns?”
“The king has a stag fae working in his castle,” she spat.
“Yes, that is me. But I’m also part of the rebellion. Have you heard of them? Do you know of Rook?”
