3. Lira
3
LIRA
I looked around the dark room for something to use as a weapon. There was nothing in sight, and I wished I hadn’t removed the daggers I’d hidden in the toilet tank the night I’d tried to escape.
Nightbane snarled and moved toward the door as it opened.
My breath caught as Tavish rushed into the bathroom with his sword drawn. His eyes widened, and he took in my state of undress before looking around for my tormentor. He shut the door and raised his sword, ready to strike.
The beast wasn’t concerned with the bathroom but rather with whoever was in the bedroom.
“Is everything—” Finnian started to say from outside the door, and the knob turned.
I snatched up the side of the towel, ignoring my aching muscles as I covered my entire chest. My face heated from Tavish seeing me like this. I didn’t want to add anyone else to the equation.
Tavish froze. “Do not come in here. Lira is in merely a towel.”
“Which is why I’m trying to hand her this gown,” Finnian responded without worry, opening the door enough to slide his arm through and hold out the dress.
I snagged the gown from his hand, and Nightbane ran into the bedchamber. The beast snarled, and I heard another man yell. He didn’t sound like Caelan or, unfortunately, Eldrin.
Not wanting anyone else to enter, I moved to shut the door even before Finnian had removed his arm.
“What the blast?” he groaned.
I grimaced and opened the door slightly. “Just remove your arm so I can get dressed.”
“Aw, why should Tavish get—”
“Finnian, be quiet,” Caelan called from the bedroom. “Or do you want to die?”
Tavish moved beside me with his teeth clenched and his sword sheathed. He was upset, and I couldn’t blame him.
Deep, menacing growls sounded from Nightbane, but I didn’t hear an attack. More like he was warning the others to stay away.
I’d freaked out over nothing. Figured.
“When Nightbane became anxious, I thought…” I bit my bottom lip. I hated the shiver that shot down my spine. I wanted to vanish.
Tavish’s expression smoothed, and he cupped my face in his hands, forcing me to look him in the eye.
“Hey, I’m not upset with you. If you were alarmed, you did the right thing.” His nostrils flared. “My issue is with Finnian and all the things he says.”
He was comforting me, and I wanted to return the favor. “He only says half the stuff he does to get under your skin. Maybe if you ignored him, he’d stop pulling your leg.”
Forehead wrinkling, Tavish stared at me as if I had two heads. “Sometimes, I have no idea what you’re trying to say to me. Earth is such a strange place.”
I laughed, the sound light and reminding me of my old self… and then the ache of missing my sister and parents squeezed my heart. I tried to push away the sadness and focus on the present. “What I mean is that Finnian likes to annoy you.”
“Yes, and if he’s not careful, I’ll wind up losing my temper and killing him for it.” His eyes narrowed and flashed with darkness before his face softened. “Is he the reason for your sudden sadness?”
I shook my head, not wanting to get into it. I tightened my grasp on the gown, my face warming as I remembered I was standing here in just a wet towel. I lifted the light-blue gown and smiled. “But if we don’t get out there, he’ll continue to make comments, and I’d rather he not die on my watch.”
Tavish’s Adam’s apple bobbed as his gaze darted downward. A warm knot formed in my stomach—a knot I’d experienced only around him, which had gotten me into this whole mess to begin with. My attraction to him had been instantaneous, and my goal had been simple—a New Year’s Eve kiss—the very thing that landed me here.
As if Finnian wanted to tempt Fate and his death, he knocked on the door and cooed, “What are you two doing in there? Several of us are still out in the chambers, waiting for you. If—”
“Step away from the door, Finnian, or I swear, I will end you without a morsel of remorse,” Tavish snarled.
Nightbane continued to snarl, and Caelan sighed and said, “No wonder the Seelie managed to banish us.”
My chest constricted. How could my biological parents have done that to these people? What had the Unseelie done that had doomed them to this future? As if living on the ruined dragon lands weren’t enough, my people had to eliminate Tavish’s parents and put me on Earth, where I’d forgotten about my life here. A whole slew of questions attacked my brain.
Yanking the door open, Tavish stalked out, and then I heard a smack .
“Blighted abyss!” Finnian exclaimed. “What was that for?”
I chuckled and tensed, waiting for the agony, but it never came. Then a chill in the bathroom caused me to shiver, and goose bumps sprouted all over my skin. I hated being in here alone.
Breath quickening, I slipped the gown on and scanned the room every few seconds, imagining Eldrin’s creepy-ass eyes staring at me from the corners.
I enjoyed the fact that the gown was looser than the other ones I’d worn, which had belonged to Tavish’s mother. I suspected they’d raided someone else’s clothes that fit me better.
Running my fingers through my hair, I entered the bedchamber, happy to be with Tavish and Finnian and not alone in there —until my gaze landed on Struan.
The memory of his smirk and chuckles as my wings had been bound flashed in my head. Even though he hadn’t harmed me, he’d stared at me with complete hatred… more so than most of the other Unseelie who lived here, which spoke volumes.
Refusing to show my hesitation, I straightened my shoulders and lifted my chin. I wouldn’t cower to him. That was what the guard wanted.
Also, it helped that Struan was backed against the wall near the door to the hallway. Nightbane was hunkered down, his fur high on the nape of his neck. I hoped Struan desperately needed a change of underwear.
“She’s alive ?” He frowned and blinked like he couldn’t believe his eyes. “But she was severely injured! This is impossible.”
“Why is he here? Is he a snack for Nightbane, who’s such a good boy?” Now Nightbane’s reaction made sense. The beast had seen what Struan had done to me before throwing me into the arena. He must have sensed my fear and associated it with the guard.
I wasn’t complaining.
“He’s the last guard who saw Eldrin while he was in the castle.” Tavish rolled up the sleeves of his black tunic.
My attention went straight to the vines and thorns that had magically appeared on him at the same time they had on me.
Tavish lowered his hands, resting his right one on the dark, smooth hilt of his white-tipped sword. “And I wanted to make sure he heard the same message everyone in the arena did so there’s no chance of a misunderstanding.” He smiled without warmth, and his irises turned almost the same color as his wings—onyx.
Struan wrinkled his nose. “About the Seelie wildling?”
“The Seelie what ?” Tavish gritted out, and he drew his sword, preparing to swing.
Caelan huffed from beside Tavish. “Is this necessary? People aren’t happy about what happened. You can’t expect them to celebrate that the gauntlet is over, especially when they discover that Lira is alive.”
A warm hand landed on my shoulder, and I looked at Finnian, who winked. He mouthed, Don’t fret .
“Yes, it’s more than necessary—it’s a blasting requirement.” Darkness swirled around Tavish, and the temperature dropped several degrees. “Lira is no longer a prisoner. She is free to go where she wishes without being harmed. If anyone disobeys that, I’ll kill them. No questions asked. Do you understand?”
I should have been angry with Tavish, but instead, my shoulders lightened. He was protecting me the only way he knew how, even if he was misguided. Fear had been his tactic for so long, and it was the one thing his people associated with him.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Struan murmured, though his body was rigid.
Nightbane bared his teeth and pawed at the smooth floor, his lime eyes glowing brighter.
Glancing at the beast, Tavish nodded and focused back on the guard. “I hope you do. And if any of the other guards do anything to harm her, you’ll be held responsible as well.”
His mouth dropped. “What? That isn’t fair!”
“Fair isn’t my concern. Lira’s safety is.” Tavish arched a brow and tilted his head.
Chest heaving, Struan made his displeasure obvious, but he didn’t say anything more.
“See?” Finnian whispered in my ear before bumping me in the shoulder.
My body jerked, and I winced. Luckily, I swallowed my moan.
“Now that we’ve settled that topic, tell me what happened with Eldrin.” Tavish leaned back on his heels, his left arm crossing his body and cradling his right elbow. “I want to hear every detail.”
A muscle twitched in Struan’s neck. “Eldrin walked past me toward a window, informing me that he was in a hurry. Then he flew out.”
“Interesting.” Tavish tapped his lips. “You and Eldrin are close. He didn’t tell you any more than that?”
“Oh. Um…” Struan’s forehead wrinkled, and he wrung his hands. “He told me he had to go to the village and that he hoped to be back.”
Yeah, I suspected the nightfiend had said more than that, given Struan’s prickly behavior.
“The village. Good.” Tavish placed the sword back in its sheath. “That helps a lot. You’re dismissed.”
I opened my mouth to object, but Finnian stepped in front of me, blocking my view of Struan. He mouthed, Quiet .
Anger heated my blood. Yeah, I’d teach the prick exactly how quiet I could be after Struan left the room. I didn’t want to cause more friction for Tavish by throwing a tantrum.
The door to the hallway opened, and Nightbane snarled. Teeth clacked as he snapped, and Struan yelped, slamming the door behind him.
“What the hell was that?” I snapped, shoving Finnian in the chest. My sides still ached, but not to the point where I wanted to cry and vomit, which was progress.
“Sprite, be careful.” Tavish flew and landed at my side within a second. “Your injuries. We don’t need you bleeding anymore. I worry you won’t survive it.”
My pulse fluttered. “I’m feeling better.”
“We still can’t risk you reopening the injury.” Tavish pivoted to Finnian and growled, “And what did you do to her?”
He lifted both hands. “Nothing. She wanted to confront Struan, and I told her to be quiet.”
My blood cooled to a normal temperature. “What? You knew he was evading the truth?”
“We knew before he came in here.” Tavish cupped my cheek and smiled tenderly. “But we needed to listen to him for show and to make my stance about you clear so the guards can’t claim there was a misunderstanding.”
“Now we put Finola on him to watch his every move.” Caelan placed his hands behind his back. “Which we hope will lead us to where Eldrin is hiding. I suspect we’ll have him back in the cell within three days, if not less.”
Okay. That sounded like good news. Then a thought slammed into me. “But my parents and sister. He threatened them. What if he’s heading to Earth to kill them for revenge?” Panic clawed at my chest, and I felt as if I couldn’t breathe. Had I put everyone I loved in danger by living?
“Blighted abyss!” Tavish kicked at the floor. “With you nearly dying, I’d forgotten his threat.”
“I can go check on them.” Finnian’s wings fluttered. “I went to Earth with you once before, so as long as you tell me how to get there, I should be fine.”
I hated that I was a burden, but I wouldn’t reject his help. I needed to make sure Eiric and my parents were safe. “Or I can go.”
“You can’t go anywhere.” Tavish shook his head and stepped closer to me so that our arms touched. “Just like I can’t—I need to deal with the turmoil in the kingdom. Finnian, when you get there, you can’t stay long, or you’ll risk losing your memories. You need to bring them here so we can protect them from Eldrin until the threat is over.”
“I’ll be fine.” Finnian rubbed his hands together. “Besides, Earth is interesting. It’s been years since I visited.”
Caelan crossed his arms. “This isn’t for pleasure. It’s a mission.”
“Noted.” Finnian beamed.
Tavish went over the instructions on getting to Earth while I turned toward the bed, wanting to sink into the mattress. Navy sheets had replaced the bloodstained bedding, and it looked so inviting. But with the way Caelan kept darting glares at me as he listened to Tavish and Finnian’s conversation, I didn’t want to lie down and make myself a target.
Instead, I stared out the large windows the men stood in front of. The sky was clearer than it’d been since I’d arrived, the stars twinkling and the full moon shining down on the dark village.
After a few minutes, the men dispersed.
Finnian came over and hugged me. “Don’t worry, Lira.” He held my gaze. “I won’t be gone long, and I know what I’m doing. Trust me.”
The realization that I did trust him crashed over me. “Be safe.”
He released me and squeezed my arm. “I will.” He headed out with Caelan on his tail.
“I’ll tell Finola to select someone she trusts to stand guard tonight over your room,” Caelan said as he exited into the hallway. “We don’t need Eldrin sneaking in and undermining your word.”
“Sounds good.” Tavish ran his hands through his hair and sighed. “We both know I can’t kill him, so it’s best to have people guarding me who can.”
As soon as we were alone, Tavish excused himself to take his own bath.
Alone in the room, I couldn’t resist the bed with its fresh sheets. Fatigue hit me, weighing me down. I crawled onto the mattress on the side closest to the windows.
Nightbane jumped onto the bed and lay down at my feet, and I listened to his breathing and fell fast asleep.
I woke, and something immediately felt off. I took in the room and found Tavish standing by the windows, staring out toward the village and the ocean. He had his hands on the back of a wooden chair, and his shoulders were hunched.
He resembled a defeated man.
“Did you want me to sleep on the floor?” My throat thickened. I hadn’t considered it, but now that the trials were over and after risking so much, maybe he didn’t want me lying next to him. I uncovered myself and threw my legs over the side.
“Of course not!” He turned to me. Something fell from his cheek onto the chair.
Was it a tear?
I’d come between him and his cousin, and I hadn’t considered how that might make him feel. “I’m not sure how to make this better. I never meant to cause a disagreement between you and your only family.”
He straightened, and his eyebrows lifted. “Is that what you think has me upset?”
I nodded. “Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate you stepping in and protecting me, but I understand—”
“ Protecting you?” He laughed bitterly. “I wish I could claim that was what I did?”
The sound reminded me of the man he’d been when I arrived here. I’d missed something, and it must be important, judging by this change in him.
I swallowed, realizing the truth. “You still plan to kill me.” That had been his plan from the very beginning—to kill me in front of the Seelie. My mouth dried.
He moved toward me with a scowl on his face. “Is that a statement or a question?”
A whimper lodged in my throat, and my lungs refused to fill with air.
He repeated his question and added, “Because if it’s a question, you’d better be prepared for the answer. I’m done hiding things from you.”
For some reason, I needed to hear him say it. “It’s a question.” I needed to find a way to construct a barricade around my heart once again.
Before I realized what was happening, he’d closed the distance between us and lowered his mouth to my ear. Then he whispered.