6. Tavish
6
TAVISH
T he heat of the flames burned through the frost magic I blanketed our kingdom with. After the Seelie had killed my parents and taken our lands, we hadn’t had the strength to create a veil, so I’d done the only thing I could to make them and the dragons never want to visit—I’d made the land dark and cold, the two things they hated most.
My gaze remained on Lira. Her safety meant the most to me. I wanted to ensure she never experienced another ounce of torment or agony. I feared what the future held when her parents and the dragons learned of her return, but I purposely pushed that from my mind. I wanted to focus on the present and remediating the situation here before we had to address anything else.
Lira’s sea-green wings were bright and warm, marking her as different from us, but through the thick snowfall I’d created to control the fire, she looked like the sun, calling me home.
When Ailsa’s head snapped toward Lira, cold terror choked me. I followed the guard’s gaze, searching for the threat. Fear that wasn’t my own slammed into my chest, turning the warm spot of my and Lira’s bond almost the same temperature as my frozen magic.
My attention landed back on Lira to see that the sword Ailsa had been holding had vanished. She dropped something sharp that dripped with golden blood.
No.
Had Eldrin turned one of my father’s most loyal guards against me?
Lira turned her head toward me, but not all the way. However, I noted the panic in her eyes.
I reached for my sword at the same time that Keir’s hand rose with his own, both of us ready to attack and save Lira.
As I began to move forward, Keir’s sword jabbed at me. The end of the sword would hit my armor, and I turned to slice at him instead. Then the sword changed like Ailsa’s had, and a dagger stabbed me deep in the throat.
Lira’s wings slowed as pain took over my body, and I watched helplessly as Ailsa wrapped her arms around my mate.
There was no doubt, given the angle of the dagger, that I’d be dead in seconds.
I tried to force my wings to move, but I was already dizzy. My body dropped toward the snow-covered ground at the base of the castle.
As I landed on my back, staring up to watch Lira being carried off toward the sea, Keir grinned and spat. His spittle landed on my chest, adding more insult to injury, but they’d already done everything they could to break me.
My people’s shrieks filled the air, and wings flapped toward me.
“You’re no king.” Keir wrinkled his nose before flying away.
I’d believed the day I lost my parents was the bleakest of my entire existence. Not anymore. It was today.
Eldrin had convinced two of my most trusted guards to turn on me and take Lira. Worse, I couldn’t save her. She’d trusted me to protect her, and here I was… dying.
I’d failed her once again.
“My king,” a woman murmured as she kneeled beside me.
All I could do was watch the three of them get farther away and focus on my fated-mate connection with Lira. The spot became hot, but not like the normal warmth of our connection. Was this what it felt like when someone with a fated mate died? The separation was like searing apart our two souls that had been connected.
“Lira—” I rasped, but I wasn’t sure if it was audible. Even though the bond burned, I held on to it because it was the only thing I had now that she’d been taken from me.
More people surrounded me, all sorts of hands touching me, but I didn’t hear what they were saying, nor did I care what they were doing to me. There would be no saving me.
Finola appeared above me. She scanned the area for threats before focusing on me.
“They took Lira,” I strangled out, using most of the energy I had left. Finola was now the only one I trusted to ensure Lira remained unharmed.
Her face strained with indecision.
“Go save her,” I growled, the vibration causing the dagger to tear more of the muscles and likely an artery in my neck, but that didn’t matter. I would be dead in seconds anyway. In fact, I was surprised I hadn’t died yet.
Huffing, Finola nodded. “Moor, guard Tavish and take him somewhere comfortable. I’ll gather a group to chase after Lira.”
Moor pressed his lips together like he might object until Finola nodded at me.
“Be careful.” Moor hung his shoulders. “I fear there might be more to this attack.”
I wanted to yell at them to stop talking and obey their king, but when I tried to open my mouth, I couldn’t.
“Tavish!” Caelan cried. Two of the women gathered on my left side vanished as he pushed through and took their spot at my side.
When his gaze landed on my wound, his face blanched. “I’m taking him to his room!” he shouted over his shoulder, and he slid his hands underneath my head and knees and lifted me like a princess.
The way I should have been carrying Lira to save her from danger. Instead, Caelan was saving me.
Air ruffled my hair as the sky lightened to dusk, the sun peeking through some of the dark clouds. Further proof that my magic was weakening.
“What the blast happened?” Caelan snarled, but his eyes remained forward, aimed toward the window in the hallway next to my bedchamber.
“Lira…” I took in a ragged breath, the world spinning around me. The spot in my chest warmed even more. “Kidnapped.”
“I’m not worried about her right now.” Caelan’s jaw clenched as we breezed through a window frame. “I’m upset about my best friend and king getting stabbed in the neck and lying in front of the doors of his kingdom, bleeding out in front of everyone. If the goal was for you to look as weak as possible, Eldrin succeeded masterfully.”
Even though his words were true, I couldn’t find the energy to care. Not when Lira’s life was at risk. She was more important than my ego. At least, the latter could be fixed.
He turned from the hall, throwing open my bedchamber door, and settled me in bed. Lira’s wild roses, mist, and vanilla scent filled my nose, and my chest ached deeply once again.
More people ran into the room, but my vision hazed. I had lost too much blood.
“That blade is at an awful angle.” Moor stalked around the bed, taking in the left side of my neck. “If we want a chance for him to live, we need to get it out, or it’ll keep tearing muscle, and the bleeding won’t stop.”
“I don’t know if that’s wise.” Caelan winced. “At least not now.”
In other words, he wanted to wait until I died but didn’t want to say it in front of me. Caelan had always worried too much about me and tended to choose the wrong things to focus on… like me being with Lira when I’d already made up my mind. I’d already accepted that I’d be dead soon. I just needed to know that they’d protect Lira.
“Remove it,” I gritted out. I didn’t want Lira to wake up and feel me suffering. She’d already be going through so much; she didn’t need to worry about me.
Caelan’s eyes widened. “Tavish, no. If we—”
With the little strength I had, I gripped Caelan’s hand. “I am your king. Don’t question me—but I need you to promise something. Something I would ask only of you and Finnian.” I had the most trust in the two of them. We’d been friends since childhood, and they’d remained by my side even when my people had risen against me, which had made their own lives hell.
He sighed as he placed his other hand on top of our joined ones and vowed, “You don’t have to ask. I already know what you’re going to say. Since I will never call Eldrin king, I will do everything possible to find Lira and keep her safe. You have my word.” His voice quivered ever so slightly but enough that I heard it.
I nodded. If no one else had been around, I would’ve thanked him. Instead, I squeezed his hand as hard as I could, hoping he understood.
“Now.” I faced the ceiling, staring at the sun that had almost broken through the clouds over the kingdom. All my magic had weakened, and I had no doubt that even the snow was melting. But I couldn’t do anything about it.
My bond with Lira seemed to be raging with fire.
“Someone fetch towels,” Caelan snapped, not sounding like himself.
“This is going to hurt, Your Majesty.” Moor gripped the edge of the dagger.
That alone intensified the agony. My eyes watered, and a gush of something warm ran down and under my neck. This was it. The moment I died. The one benefit was that Caelan and Moor could soon leave my side and hunt for Lira with Finola. Eldrin had to be taking her somewhere to kill her and wait until I had passed.
Taking a ragged breath, I closed my eyes and pulled up an image of Lira. Her warm smile, sparkling cobalt eyes, the warmth of her long blonde wavy hair. The sun-kissed glow of her skin gave her eyes an ethereal glow, and her full, rosy lips screamed to be kissed. Something I hadn’t done often enough.
Moor jerked the blade from my neck, and pain obliterated me as it rocketed through my body. Everything hurt, but my neck felt as if it had been ripped open. In fairness, it had.
My vision darkened at the edges, but I stayed focused on the hope and light in Lira’s eyes.
Something that resembled sand pressed against my neck, and I opened my eyes to find one of the servants—a new one whose name I couldn’t remember—handing Moor towels.
The extreme heat that burned my chest flowed throughout my body, pulsing like some sort of magic from my bond with Lira.
I waited for death to take me as Caelan’s eyes glistened and Moor and the woman tried to slow down my bleeding. They worked hard and fast.
My darkened vision didn’t get worse, but I closed my eyes, wanting Lira’s face to be the last image I saw before I slipped into unconsciousness. I embraced the sensation of our bond and the magic coming through it.
“What’s wrong?” Caelan whispered as his hand tensed in mine.
“Uh… nothing.” Moor paused. “But his bleeding is slowing. It shouldn’t be possible. He’s still alive.”
At his words, I noticed that the flames that licked within my body had focused all their efforts on my neck and chest. The fire was hot, but it didn’t hurt. Now that it had been working for a few minutes, I realized it was uncomfortable… but also familiar.
“We should mend his neck,” the woman replied.
“There’s a mending kit on the table by the window.” Caelan released my hand and disappeared.
I opened my eyes and noticed that the black edges of my vision hadn’t retreated.
Caelan and the woman grabbed the kit we’d used on Lira not even two days ago. Taking the curved needle and light-gray silk, she hurried to my side. Her dark-green eyes narrowed as she threaded the needle, and she waved Moor to move to the side. She positioned herself and pushed her long black hair behind her shoulders. Then she pierced my neck with the needle.
Her fingers brushed me, and my skin crawled. I didn’t want another woman touching me. It didn’t feel right… only Lira.
Caelan took in my reaction, hung his head, and sighed. “Let me do it, Flora.”
Hands stilling, Flora wrinkled her brow, but she moved so Caelan could take her spot at my side. Then my friend continued the work, though his fingers weren’t as soft nor as kind.
Still, I much preferred this to another woman touching me.
Each jab felt worse than the last. Heat pulsed in the spot, and after a few minutes, Caelan finished. “I’m not sure how you’re still breathing, but I’m not upset about it.”
“That’s reassuring,” I deadpanned, but I was as perplexed as he was.
I lifted my head. The world slanted, and a dark puddle of blood stained the sheets. The irony that these sheets had been changed due to Lira’s wounds wasn’t lost on me. I’d make Eldrin pay for this by taking his wings and eyes.
“Why would Eldrin want you dead?” Caelan’s forehead wrinkled. “Your death will weaken all Unseelie magic, especially since you don’t have a direct royal descendent.”
Eldrin had been pushing me to choose a queen. The thought had repulsed me until Lira came here. He must have been planning for this moment all along.
“I don’t think Eldrin wanted you dead,” Moor said, turning the dagger over in his hand.
“Why do you say that?” I tried to sit up, but my body fell backward. Even though I hadn’t died, I was still weak, and I despised it.
“This dagger has the Seelie seal.” Moor lifted the weapon, revealing a golden hilt with a rose surrounded by delicate vines. Vines like the ones in our fated-mate tattoo with thorns interspersed throughout. Thorns that had been part of the Unseelie seal we’d lost twelve years ago, along with everything else.
Two male guards ran through the open door to my chambers. They both paused when they saw I lay in the bed with my eyes open.
“Your Majesty.” The dark-green-haired one sighed with relief. “You’re alive.”
I didn’t like seeing their surprise. If they’d feared I was dead, so did everyone else. I needed my people to know their king was alive. “I am. Is that why you came in here?” Had riots already begun?
“We found Ailsa and Kier.” His shoulders straightened. “They were unconscious in the last house that was checked.”
“So it wasn’t just the weapons that were glamoured. It was the people themselves.” Adrenaline pumped through me, and I sat upright. “Are they all right?”
The Seelie had captured Lira, which meant the dragon prince might know she’d returned. Add that on top of Eldrin still not being found, and my entire world was imploding.
“Yes, sire,” the tanned man answered. “They’ve got some injuries, but nothing like… yours . What if the Seelie attack?”
“They did. They believe our king is dead.” Caelan frowned. “We should be safe now that they have Lira back.”
My heart clenched. I threw my legs over the side of the bed. I didn’t care if getting up killed me—I had to get to my mate… before he did.
When I stood, I wobbled, and Caelan flew over the bed, helping me stay upright. “What are you doing?” he hissed. “You lost a ton of blood and should be dead.”
I glared at him, wanting him to see how close to snapping I was, and growled, “Everyone but Caelan, out.”
The others glanced at each other and nodded, then rushed to the door. When the two of us were alone, I did snap.
“But I’m not, and I need to get Lira back.” I didn’t want the guards to know my plan or what Lira was to me… yet. “I can’t stay rational with my mate taken from me.”
Caelan tilted his head and huffed. “But she’s safe.”
Not for long. Not when the dragon prince learned she’d returned home. “You know why I need to get her.” I stared him in the eyes. If I could reach her before her people learned of her return, we might be able to handle the threat here before taking on the dragons.
He sighed. “But what good will you be if you pass out before you reach the Seelie? And you can’t get through the veil. What’s your solution for that?”
Eldrin had stolen some of Lira’s blood. There should be enough for me to get through and save her. “We need to find the vial.” Caelen knew what I was referring to. I’d told him what Eldrin had done to her. Eldrin wouldn’t risk carrying that around, and I’d taken him to prison. He’d have it hidden somewhere in his bedchamber or his study.
“You get some rest, and I’ll search for it.” Caelan pinched the bridge of his nose. “Otherwise, you’ll pass out trying to get there and get yourself killed.”
“You’ll wake me when you find it?” Though the last thing I wanted was to rest, he was right. To save Lira, I had to heal more. “I need to hurry to her.”
“I know.”
I stared into his eyes, but as usual, I sensed only truth. “Okay. I’ll rest for a bit, but then I must go. Vial or not.” If they saw me near the veil, the Seelie would take me prisoner, and then Lira could find a way to get me out. I had no doubt she would.
My legs gave out, and I lay down on the bed again, hating how feeble I was. Unfortunately, Caelan was right.
“I’ll go look. Rest,” he said, and the door closed a moment later.
And then sleep took hold of me fast.
My body shook, stirring me from a deep rest. I moaned, trying to fall back asleep, needing more rest.
“Tavish, wake up,” someone said urgently.
Finnian. He was back from Earth.
My eyes popped open to see his solemn face.
He bit his bottom lip. “There’s something I need to tell you.”