Forged By Heart and Claws (Of Fae and Wolf Trilogy #3)

Chapter 1

Briar

The floor of the sanctuary-like hall shook so hard that my teeth rattled, despite Vad’s arms and dark, leathery wings surrounding me. My stomach roiled, and my pulse hammered.

You don’t know what you’ve done. The words my Many-Greats-Grandfather had spoken moments ago rang in my ears, along with the screams of the guests who had joined us for Vad’s coronation and our wedding.

What had I done? He’d never told me why I couldn’t marry Vad and become his Shadow Queen, so what the fuck did that even mean?

A rumbling crack rocked my body, and I placed my hands on Vad’s chest and pushed back from him to get a better look.

Briar, no, Vad linked through our new fated-mate bond, trying to pull me to his chest once more, though I fought him, the strange added weight of the crown atop my head pressing down hard.

Blood trickled down my cheek from where the sharp tips of the crown had dug into my scalp just moments before the earthquake happened.

The discomfort vanished when I saw why he’d said that.

The palace was falling apart. Shattered glass and slick oil streaked the floor.

Most of the guests were flying away through a massive hole that had formed in the ceiling.

Other people were trying and failing to use magic against the fire that had broken out where the massive chandelier had fallen.

Their panic increased as their magic continued not working.

What was this? Why had it happened when Vad placed the crown on my head?

As if Fate had a wicked sense of humor, the earthquake stopped as quickly as it had started, and the fires extinguished for no apparent reason. Thick coils of smoke rose from the singed red carpet and charred benches.

My lungs ached, and Vad’s worry and distress pulsed through our bond, adding to my own panic.

Eerie silence settled over the room, and my wolf nudged for my attention.

Something silver glimmered out of the corner of my eye, and I turned toward the dais where the wedding and coronation were supposed to take place and looked up.

On the back wall above it, a shining silver stag shone on a black banner with the black shadow-furred wolf banner below it.

I inhaled, and Vad followed my gaze.

For a moment, everything seemed to still.

The stag gleamed as if lit from behind the banner. A lump formed in my throat. Were my eyes playing tricks on me?

Its multi-pronged antlers shifted, and the woven silver lines lifted off the fabric like thread becoming flesh. My breath caught, and nerves prickled down my arm. Something about it called to me.

My right hand tingled, and I tore my gaze from the stag to the fiery butterfly tattoo on top of my hand and wrist. It pulsed and flared, the wings fluttering within my flesh, their gentle rhythm rippling despite my body feeling weighted down. “Vad,” I gasped and pulled my hand closer to me.

His arms flexed, keeping me tight against him, but when he saw my hand, his body somehow became more rigid. Something sharp pricked against my lower back and the nape of my neck where his hands sat.

The stag’s hooves struck the marble floor of the wrecked hall with a resounding echo. Its black eyes focused on me, and it walked in our direction, its hooves clicking as the air thickened until it was hard to breathe.

Its silver form radiated soft light, and my wolf stirred, hackles rising in caution. She wasn’t sure what to make of this creature any more than I was, but she wasn’t hunkering down or surging forward like it was an actual threat… at least, not yet.

The hoofbeats resonated through me as it approached, the stag’s eyes glistening like liquid night as it stared into my soul. Vad’s arms remained around me, but I pulled out of his grip, taking a step toward the stag.

What the feck, Briar? Vad stepped in front of me and spread his wings, cutting off my view of the animal.

Don’t fight it unless it gives us a reason to, I linked with Vad. It feels as if it’s calling me.

Vad's wings extended a little farther, and he inhaled. I won’t allow anyone or anything to harm you again.

I need you to trust me. It’s coming toward us anyway.

For a moment, he remained in position, but when I touched his back, he lowered his wings.

The stag was ten feet away.

My heart pounded, and Vad’s hands clenched at his sides as the massive stag stepped in front of me. I tipped my head to meet its gaze, and my stomach clenched. This magical animal had to be at least twenty feet tall.

It lowered its head toward me, and my entire body tightened.

Vad flinched and raised his clawed hands with a deep, threatening growl.

The stag pressed its muzzle against my head, the touch soft as velvet. Every nerve within me seemed to ignite at once.

Wait, I linked as the warmth of its breath swept over my face and the spot where my pulse raced in my throat.

Huffing, Vad didn’t strike but kept his stance ready to attack.

A cold jolt of energy pierced my skull, ran down my spine and into my limbs, and spiraled back until it focused in my wrist. The blood in my veins surged hotter, and yet my wrist remained chilled. My heart pounded as rage flowed through the bond from Vad.

“Stop now.” Vad swiped at the stag’s throat, but his hand went through it as if it were a ghost. The stag's ears flicked back, but it didn’t look at him.

Vad lurched back as if an unseen hand had thrust him away.

He lunged for me, but something pulled him farther back until he was about twelve feet away.

When it released him, he lurched forward but stopped short as if he’d hit an invisible wall.

His steel gray eyes flashed as he snarled, but no sound left his mouth either.

I wanted to help him, but I couldn’t. My hand ached, and I jerked my gaze downward and found that the butterfly had stopped moving. A greasy sensation sloshed in my stomach, and a sharp, icy scent like mint and junipers filled my lungs. A pained cry rose within me, but my voice locked in my throat.

Vad pounded against the invisible barrier, screaming at the stag. His cold fear rushed through the warm spot that connected us, shrinking and mixing with my pain.

I tried pulling away from the stag, but I couldn’t. My legs refused to move, my feet seeming glued in place with the stag still towering over me. Vad's rage and fear coursed through me, bellowing inwardly.

I'm all right. Even though this entire encounter was uncomfortable, a part of me knew that it didn’t need to end.

It hurt you! I will kill it for that. Vad narrowed his eyes and breathed heavily.

The stag huffed and stomped one glowing hoof as if in warning.

The magic continued to swirl inside me, but I had to calm Vad down. I couldn’t bear feeling how scared and upset he was.

I tugged on the warm spot in my chest where Vad and I were linked, and pushed soothing calm toward him.

Some of his tension ebbed, and the stag’s velvety nose brushed my forehead again, its soft fur tickling me. The stiffness in my wrist intensified, and I shut down my connection to Vad enough that he wouldn’t feel my emotions so clearly.

Another blast of warm air struck my head and chilled before the stag drew back.

My chest heaved, and I pressed my other hand to my wrist, fingertips brushing the butterfly mark, which had gone still.

The ink was locked in place, and my skin crawled. I’d gotten used to the way the tattoo moved, and now it felt like I’d lost something.

Pressure built. The air tasted harsh and sharp, as if lightning was about to strike. My breath frosted, and every hair on my body stood on end.

Are you all right? The link between Vad and me was calmer now, but his words were clear. His posture remained tense.

The room darkened, and the air dulled, reinforcing that the stag and its magic had vanished. But the discomfort running through me hadn’t. I did find relief that there wasn’t so much pressure on my body.

My wolf-shifter eyes adjusted to the darkness, and I turned to Vad. Yes. I paused as my throat tightened. How had I not noticed this before? Your shadows are gone. Are you hiding them? My stomach clenched, and the discomfort echoed within me, as if it were trying to get me to focus on something.

“Run!” His expression twisted into agony, and his wings flared. He lunged upward and flew over me, then dropped.

I spun around and saw an orange-haired man running toward me. “You stole our magic, you bitch!” His words, shrill with rage, cut through the silence.

I searched for a weapon as he removed a dagger and jumped. Vad spread his wings to shield me and reached for the attacker.

“No!” I exclaimed as the dagger cut through his wing. His pain exploded through me, and blood hit my face and body as I pivoted around him and jumped on the fae’s back.

The attacker stumbled forward and fell into Vad.

Vad stumbled back, and something clanked to the ground.

The bloody dagger slid a few feet away from where it had fallen from Vad’s wing.

But before I could do anything, the fae dropped to the floor and rolled on top of me, closer to the dagger.

His weight compressed my lungs, and before I could fight back, something sharp struck the side of my stomach.

Then his body lifted from mine, and I sucked in a large breath and reached for my side, where the fucking prick had stabbed me. Thankfully, my dress with all its layers had partly protected me. I grabbed the handle of the dagger and pulled it out of the fabric.

“No one harms Briar.” Vad bared his teeth, his fangs longer than I’d ever seen them. He held the man by the throat. “Now you must die.”

Blood spurted from Vad’s wing, but he didn’t seem to notice. His claws cut into the man’s flesh, puncturing and crushing the attacker’s throat. Then Vad slammed our attacker’s body to the floor with a sickening crunch.

“Are you okay?” Vad rushed over to me, the man’s blood covering his hands.