Maeve woke up gasping.
She’d been consumed by a river of blood. It swallowed her under, promising to drown her. The awful sensation dragged her back to a terrifying memory she longed to forget, to a moment in time she thought she’d already overcome.
Now, drenched in sweat with her sheets tangled around her, she was trying to catch her breath.
She was alive, not trapped in the trenches of that angry sea.
Goosebumps pebbled across her skin and she shivered, reminding herself it was a bad dream, nothing more.
Yet it had been soreal.
The metallic stench of blood lingered on her skin and despite being slicked with perspiration, she was freezing. Icy cold panic left her shuddering.
Searing pain throbbed along her arm. Her wrist was on fire. She glanced down at the new imprint there. The star between the two mountains blazed.
The overwhelming urge to make haste slammed into her, knocking the air from her lungs. She had to get out of here, she had to escape. Someone she loved needed her. Their life was in jeopardy. She knew it with every fiber of her being. Within the deepest part of her soul.
But she would never get there in time.
She would never be able to save them.
ChapterTwenty-Four
After the horrors that frightened her awake, Maeve sat in her bed, unable to fall back to sleep.
She was wasting too much time.
It was necessary for her to get to Diamarvh as quickly as possible and beseech the eternal warriors to aid her. The Ether was becoming a distraction. The longer she spent stuck in the realm of the in-between, the more difficult it became for her to focus on her priorities. To remember what good could come of being here in the first place.
Tugging back the covers, she climbed out of bed and pulled on her velvet robe, careful not to disturb Cahira, who was curled up at the foot of the bed, sound asleep.
In the corner of her room was a stack of books, most of which Aed had delivered to her from the library at her request. Shuffled in the middle of the pile was the one detailing the origins of Diamarvh, the home of the Wild Hunt.
Maeve grabbed the book and sat in the plush chair by the hearth. As if sensing her presence, flames sparked to life, warming the space. She tucked her feet beneath her, leafed through the beginning pages, and started to read.
Diamarvh was unlike any place she’d ever read about before. Crafted by the magic of Dubhan, the Lord of the Wild Hunt, it was a castle built into the cliffs of a mountainside and endlessly shrouded within a thin veil of clouds and mist. It was said Dubhan fractured the mountain with his bare hands, crushing the face with nothing more than his fist. Rumors circulated around his existence. Many believed he was the most legendary warrior of the ancient fae ever to live.
When he was finally slain, his soul searched the battlefield, collecting the spirits of only the bravest and truest of heart to join him in the thunderous skies to foretell of wars to come. The Wild Hunt made their home in Diamarvh, the tallest mountain peak in the Ether where they charted the stars, always in preparation of the next great battle.
If Maeve wanted to win the Wild Hunt to her side, she would first have to convince Dubhan.
Easy enough, though the idea made her slightly nauseous.There was always the slim chance he would refuse her, that he would tell her she wasn’t worth his time.The sooner she found out, the better.
But there was no map, no explanation of how to find Diamarvh. Asking the god of death was out of the question. If she even mentioned trying to find the home of the Wild Hunt, she had no doubt Aed would lock her in her bedroom and station guards at every exit in the House of Death.
She could go to Rowan. He had more or less told her either he would go with her or she wouldn’t go at all—typical male ego. But after last night, when he bared his soul to her, she wasn’t certain it was a good idea for them to spend any more time together.Especially if he was still in love with her.
Which left her with only one other option.
Standing, she set the book on the chair. She discarded her robe and dressed quickly, opting for leather leggings, boots that rose to her knees, and a thick black sweater stitched with gold. After freshening up in the bathing suite, she grabbed her Aurastone and strapped it neatly to her thigh.
Maeve ruffled Cahira’s soft fur on the way out the door and went in search of Laurel.
* * *
Busted and damn near broken,Tiernan and Aran continued trudging through the northern edge of the Kethwyn Woods. Each step brought them closer to safety, but it was a laborious and grueling process. Though he could walk, his injuries were not yet fully healed. His arm was still broken, the mending a precise and intricate process, and beside him, Aran continued to limp. The gash in his leg was seeping blood, leaving a trail of red on the snow-covered ground. They were just on the outskirts of the forest, and if Tiernan’s calculations were correct, it wouldn’t be too much longer until they reached the edge and were able to leave it behind completely.
A twinge of regret twisted inside him.
