Chapter Sixteen
F or the first time in weeks, I am able to sleep restlessly.
Granted, it does not last long as the rocky bed is far less than comfortable, and the suns intrude on our camp only a handful of hours after setting.
Welcome to the fae realm. Where the nights are short and the days feel neverending.
I suppose that type of thing is to be expected when you have two suns in the day sky.
Yes, I am distracting my mind with random useless thoughts as we carefully traverse the jagged terrain of Nàdair. After all, we are only a few steps away from the barren territory that surrounds Lebetem. Since the last time I laid eyes on my mother, she was selling my fifteen-year-old self into slavery after slaughtering my Dry brethren, I do not think she will be pleased to see me.
That is why I requested to lead once we reach the area. It may have been a while since my last visit to the area, but my memory is sharp, and I am confident that I can help us navigate the area undetected.
That is until we make our way around a rather large rock formation and come face-to-face with a small group of Imp warriors and the Lord herself.
While many species of fae opt to forgo any type of dressings, Imp are the only ones who look most like a naked human woman. If she had red skin, horns, and wings. The only bit of modesty they embrace is coal-colored hairs covering their genitalia.
Just what every guy wants. To face off with his naked mother and her equally naked lovers.
I would shudder if it weren’t an outward signal of weakness. And the one thing that Teintean will greedily gobble up is weakness.
“Well, well. What have we here? A halfling fae and his elf lover with their earthen slaves, perhaps?” I manage to cool my expression and ignore her jabs. I only hope that Blake and Forsythia are playing along as well.
“Lord Teintean. We mean no trouble. We simply wish to pass through the portal located in your territory.” My voice remains calm and collected even though I can feel the rage boiling inside of me.
“Is that so? And what are you prepared to offer me in exchange for my kindness?”
Kindness. One word that breaks me. My wings rip from my back, and a roar tears from my throat.
“Kindness? Much like the kindness you showed to my people?”
“You dare threaten me, slave? Your people are gone. I am your people now. I am your blood, and you are weak.” She comes at me so quickly I don’t have time to respond. Grabbing me by the neck and lifting me, slamming me against the rock at my back.
For a being that is nearly half my size, I am sure the sight is quite comical.
“I can smell the cobalt on you child. You have no strength here. None to protect you, your friends, or the repulsive little heartbeat that makes my mouth water. It’s been so long since I had a baby.” She leans in close and licks my cheek. “Their innocence makes them so much more delicious.”
Speak ill of me, and I can withstand it.
Speak ill of my mate, and I will endure it.
Speak ill of my child, and I will end you.
Faster than she can comprehend, I flip our positions. Pinning Teintean against the rock and squeezing her throat tightly.
I lean in close and whisper in her ear. “You are right, mother. We do share blood. However, I think your ego has been clouded by your pure bloodline status. Allow me to even the field.“ Before I can stop myself, I grip both of her wings tightly and wretched them from her body. Tossing them to the side as the lifeless limbs fall between the cracks of the rocks.
Teintean screams. Either in pain or anger, but I care not. She pays with her wings for threatening my family.
Sparing no time to allow her recuperation, I grip ahold of her horns. The long length and unique curvature of them is what identifies her as a leader and the last of her pure bloodline. She begins writhing and yelling obscenities at me. But I care not.
I lean in closely once more, this time forcing her to look into my eyes. “And this mother is your penance for slaughtering my kin. You will not die in agony as they did. Instead, you will live on the rest of your sordid days as a lone fae, rejected from her clan and indiscernible from the slaves you trade in.”
She begs and tries her hardest to pull my hands free. She begins flinging magick around me. Scorching my clothes, and still I care not. My grip stays firm as I slowly rip each horn free from her skull. Blood sprays like a fountain each time I pull one free.
Once both horns are in my blood-soaked hands, I drop the weeping woman to the ground. An Imp’s horns drive their connection to their magick.
I turn around and throw the horns at the pitiful excuse for Imp warriors that accompanied Teintean. “Collect your wretch and allow us passage.”
They all nod far too enthusiastically. Four of them simply snarl at what remains of Teintean before flying away. The fifth seems to waver and ultimately goes to her, helping her stand and supporting her while she walks away.
Teintean spares one parting glance and spits her words at me. “I knew you were a vile Imp, just like the rest of us. Your Drys family would be appalled by you.”
I take the opening and finally get a chance to speak what I have come to understand myself. “Yes, I am an Imp as well as Drys. I cannot change my genetics, but I can change who I am and what I become. I will never know what my Drys would have thought of me because you took them from me. And if I were truly as vile as you, mother, I would have simply slain all of your lovers where they stood and sold you into slavery. But I am not you, and I never will be. And now, I am free of you.”
She spits in my direction before her lone confidant tugs her along.
When I turn back to my companions, I worry what they might think of me. They all hold impassive expressions, but Forsythia is the one that speaks.
“How do you feel, Lucian?”
I think for a moment as the question hits me as more complicated to answer than I had anticipated. But ultimately, the answer is solid.
“Would you think poorly of me if I said relieved?”
She beams a beautiful smile at me, and any worry I have dissipates instantly.
“I would think poorly if you weren’t Lucian. You confronted the woman who took so much from you, and yet you let her walk away. I have to admit, that’s a lot stronger than I could have been in your position.” My mate’s praise is cut short by Midori.
“You are covered in blood. Everything is covered in blood. I am covered in blood! Is this how things will continue with you three?”
She throws her hands up in exasperation, and Blake cuts the silence with a laugh. Soon we are all laughing, Midori included.
Perhaps we are all becoming a bit mad from our time in the fae realm?