Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Gasps break out as Zyran pushes Orion to the ground. Orion just laughs like a madman, blood pouring from his crooked nose. He looks like he enjoyed being punched in the face, and Zyran looks like he is happy to swiftly repeat it. I quickly intervene.
“Zyran.” I grab his arm, and he pauses, looking back at me with his black eyes filled with pure fury.
“Did he hurt you?”
“No. No, he didn’t.” I shake my head. “I’m okay, Zy. He’s an asshole, but reluctantly, he is my friend.”
Zy searches my face for a long moment before looking down at Orion. Orion’s eyes are on mine, and he smirks. “Take her again and I won’t stop,” Zyran warns.
“Try it, bat,” Orion growls, pushing himself to his feet.
Zyran growls right back. I stand between both of them, and I become well aware we are not alone anymore.
I look around at the dozens of people staring at us with a mixture of fear and curiosity.
Zyran looks impossibly out of place, and people are gawking at him.
I suppose they’ve never seen a gargoyle before. Or one quite like Zyran.
Zyran doesn’t even seem to notice them as his hand sinks into mine. He lifts my palm up, kissing my knuckles, and heat spreads down my spine. Orion snarls low. “Did you miss me?” Zyran asks me, winking.
I link our fingers. Maybe it is foolish to throw everything into this venture that I know so little about.
But it’s Zy, who has been there in the Folkland for me, and he cared for me at my lowest, when Tannith died.
“Yes, I did.” The truth is, I did miss Zyran.
He’s become part of my life now—one I don’t want to willingly give up.
There’s so much we don’t know about each other, complicated as it is, but he has become someone I can’t lose.
“You’re not a welcome guest in my court.” Orion looks at our joined hands in disgust. “In my pack, we prefer bats eaten as a snack.”
“Is everyone playing nice?” Reed steps up to my other side, his smooth, cheerful voice echoing around us.
“There’s always some drama at the balls, don’t you agree, everyone?
” He glances at Orion. “Your face looks sore, bastard. I’d hit you, but it seems our bat friend has done a good job of breaking your nose already. ”
“It’s fine.” Orion just glares at Reed.
“I don’t think there’ll be many balls where every Champion is in attendance. Perhaps we should celebrate with a dance.” Reed offers me his hand. “If the beautiful princess would allow me?”
I look over at Blackfire storming through the crowd, heading up towards the alpha. His eyes trace back to me, and he nods. Blackfire is going to sweet talk Alpha Gaia into letting them stay, and Reed is a distraction with me. They work so well as a team; it’s surprising no one has noticed before.
“Don’t fight, you two.” I take Reed’s offered hand, running my eyes over his dark sea-blue shirt that clings to his muscular body and tight trousers.
Reed pulls me into the middle of the dance floor, and he only has to look at the orchestra, and they immediately start playing. “I can’t dance very well, Reed.”
“I saw you dancing with Orion just fine. Let me lead you.” He wraps his arm around my back and holds me close to him. His eyes sparkle almost mischievously. “You look stunning in that dress, Mere, but I believe you’d excel in shades of blue.”
“Always so charming, Reed.” I sigh. “Is there anyone who doesn’t fall for your charms?”
“Apparently, just you,” he murmurs. “We need to talk about so many things. I’m not sure where we should begin, but I want to make something clear.
I should have told you about my past before Orion did in that kitchen.
What my family has made me do since I was a teenager is shameful, but you should have heard it from me.
It’s not a choice…it’s expected, and for years I just accepted my life as it was until the Folkland.
Until you.” He moves us softly to the music.
“There’s nowhere in this world I’d rather be than at your side.
I’ve not made that plainly obvious, and I’m doing a terrible job of trying to win you over.
I’ve never met anyone like you, Mere.” He cradles me gently in a slight dip.
“I’m asking for a second chance and for you to see me, not my past.”
“I’m still mad at you all for not telling me about Tannith and her fate.
There are so many things I would have been able to say to her, so much time I could have spent differently if I knew there was an end so soon.
But I’m not mad at you for her death. Not anymore.
Orion told me about his suspicion of the goddesses, and I suspect the same.
I felt their fury…and then she was so sick.
That wasn’t any of you…but you did lie to me about things…
but your past? No, Reed, what you did is not who I see when I look at you. ” I squeeze his hand in mine.
His eyes soften. We turn slowly to the music.
Other dancers have joined now, so it’s not so strange we are dancing.
“I swear on the sea itself that I didn’t know she was dying.
She would have had years, and my concern was getting you both out of the Folkland alive.
I would have spent every moment with you—going through every book, speaking to every person with a history of magic and runes, every subject that scholars study on magic—trying to find a way to turn her back when we were free.
No one’s really tried to turn them back before.
They’re usually traitors, people that no one has any interest in trying to save, until Tannith.
She will not be forgotten, not ever, while we all live.
Tannith’s memory and love for you will be held in our hearts. ”
My heart clenches. “Where does that leave us?”
He tugs me closer. “You gave up part of your soul for me. I really am not worth it—”
“Reed,” I interrupt. “You are worth it; it’s why I did it in the first place.
I see you, and I chose correctly back then.
I have a feeling the goddesses would have hated me even if I had made the other choice, and punished Tannith either way.
They didn’t want a creature of oblivion becoming the human Champion. Someone else did.”
We both know who. That dark god. Reed spins us along, leaning closer.
“I’m going to dedicate my life to being worth it for you.
You mean a great deal to me, Meredith. I’m proud of you.
I don’t want you to think for a second that you aren’t everything I think of from morning to night, and in my dreams, I hope to see you.
” The look on his face as he stares into my eyes is so sincere.
“There are things I need to talk to you about to do with my pack. It’s—”
“I’m tired of pack talk for now. It’s all we’ve really done since I got here.” I stop him. “This is my first ball, and so far, there has been a fight and no drinking.” I look up and clear my throat. “I’ve also found something.”
He follows my gaze to the swords. “So, they’re really here.”
“Orion says this place is locked, but he has a plan. A way of getting us back in after tonight, and we just have to play nice. I don’t know if it’ll be possible to get to them, but if anyone can, it’s Orion.”
“You’re not alone in this. The minute you gave up three parts of your soul, you made it so you’d never be alone again.” He leans his head close to mine. “We will get them together, Mere. I won’t let that god take you from me.”
“What if we fail—”
I start stumbling over my words as a sharp pain nicks my neck, and I let go of Reed.
He reaches for me as I lift my hand to my neck, pulling out a small red arrow with the symbol of the Crone Pack woven into the wings of the arrow.
Something red—my blood but sickly sweet smelling—is dripping from it onto my fingers. Poison?
My legs buckle underneath me, and agony slams into my chest, burning through every inch of my veins.
Reed reaches down, stopping me from falling to the floor.
His hands dig into the lacing of the corset, pulling me up until we’re face to face.
Every emotion is written on his face: worry, fear, and desperation.
“You’re not dying on me yet, little human. ”
He slams his lips onto mine, kissing me deeply as his magic washes over me like a wave at sea.
I feel it flowing through my veins, washing out whatever poison was just injected into my neck.
I kiss him back, clinging to him, until he pulls back, eyes wide, staring at me.
I still don’t feel well. The room sways as he picks me up into his arms, and Zy is there, touching my neck. “She needs blood—”
I don’t know what makes me do it, but my mouth slams onto Reed’s neck, as shadows build a wall around us and encase us in darkness.
Reed groans as my teeth sink into his skin and his hot blood pours into my mouth, tasting like salt, the sea and something completely addictive.
His hands tighten on me, holding me to his neck.
I barely feel Zy touch my cheek. “Let go now. You will kill him, and as much as I’d like to see that, you are attached to the fish.”
Reed growls protectively, pulling me tighter, but I let go, my body feeling like a rock in his arms. “I still feel her heart slowing. We need healers now!” Reed roars. “Orion!”
He looks at me as people hurry, wolves growl, and the world spins. Something crosses his face—shock? It’s the last thing I see before I pass out.