Chapter Sixteen
Arianna
Hours ticked by. Still, neither returned. The Fairy Folk grew more frenzied, their steps faster, their prodding nearly panic-driven. The scent of smoke grew heavier too, along with the buzz of magic floating on the breeze.
Arianna struggled to place the magic amid the acrid stench. If it were Brónach, that would likely mean a village had been attacked. If she scented Pádraigín, then they were in danger of discovery by Vairik. If she scented Móirín—
The only thing she could smell for sure was the horrid stench of the Dark Fae. It was definitely a horde. Which meant whoever was on the receiving end likely wouldn’t survive the gruesome encounter.
Arianna watched the Fairy Folk, worry gnawing through her.
She kept glancing up between the trees, hoping to catch a glimpse of golden wings.
If they’d discovered a village in need, Arianna knew neither Fae would be able to turn away.
Were they in danger? Already fighting? She couldn’t fathom a world without Talon in it. She needed him.
Arianna’s heart pounded faster. What if he were lying in a field? What if they needed her help? She glanced toward Ellie. Her sister would be safe with Gavin and Saoirse. If she had to leave—
“We’re not far from the—” The Demon halted mid-sentence. His heart rate spiked, and seconds later she scented it, too.
Móirín.
That was Móirín’s scent. Móirín’s magic among the smoke and Dark Fae.
Arianna’s mouth went dry and her magic did a somersault beneath her skin. Gods above, they were fighting.
Arianna sprinted down the steep hill, the others following in her wake.
She had to see it for herself. Was her father alive?
Were the warriors from Brónach already helping them, and if not, could they reach Nàdair and notify the High Lord before it was too late?
Was she strong enough to create a distraction?
Could civilians even run that far before collapsing?
A callused hand wrapped around her upper arm, yanking Arianna back right before she emerged from the trees. That nauseating current speared straight through her body, and Arianna whirled on him, baring her fangs, ready for a fight.
A small group screamed just to the south, and Arianna spun back toward the sound, ready to intervene.
Her eyes widened. A small crowd of Fae were running, tightly gripping the hands of family members.
Others carried small children, their breaths labored and fear written plainly across their faces.
She saw what they prayed would bring salvation: Nàdair’s redwoods in the distance, reaching for the heavens.
They’d never make it.
Arianna stared open-mouthed at the mass of bodies behind them, all running for their lives with an even bigger horde in pursuit. The sheer number blotted out the landscape, stretching all the way back toward the horizon.
But … but the ocean was to the south. The mountain range stretched all the way to the water. How had so many Dark Fae crossed over it so quickly?
Niall’s words had ice coating her veins.
You have no idea what you’ve just unleashed.
Could—did Vairik really hold this kind of power?
Had he been storing these creatures here since the beginning of his reign?
Had he finally decided this continent wasn’t worth fighting for?
He’d already destroyed Levea. Nàdair was next.
Genocide. He was committing genocide. It wasn’t even about her and Rion anymore.
They didn’t matter. All he wanted was the extinction of the Fae race itself.
Or at least the part he couldn’t control.
Madness. This was absolute madness.
She’d been praying they still had time. Raevina still had sway in Fiadh as a Lady.
Arianna had thought they could recruit more allies before the final fallout.
But Fiadh was closer to Pádraigín than Levea.
The city beneath the mountain could already be gone.
Was Nàdair all that remained? Nàdair and the frightened citizens fleeing for their lives?
A kaleidoscope of colors burst from the rear line, racing toward the sky as if moving along an invisible wall. It shattered at the top before sizzling out altogether. Were there Fae fighting alongside the dark creatures, protecting them from being torn apart by magic?
Vairik. Arianna clenched her fists. She understood two things with sudden clarity. First, those magic-wielding Fae were the only thing standing between the fleeing citizens and the horde of monsters racing to devour them. Second, she’d sooner die than stand on the sidelines.
Arianna spun toward Gavin. “Protect her at all costs.”
Gavin nodded, his face pale. He vanished, his magic engulfing him and Ellie entirely to shield them from view. She sensed him backing toward the trees, climbing back up the mountain. Maybe he’d return to the cabin and wait until this was all over.
Arianna looked over the field again. She was the queen of their people.
As much as she wanted to just protect her sister, she had an obligation to them all.
To the woman running, clutching her child.
To the Fae who were carrying their injured allies.
To those who were born without magic and couldn’t defend themselves at all.
Arianna turned to The Demon next. He still gripped her arm, as if expecting her to bolt. “I’m going,” she stated simply.
He took a moment to absorb her resolve, then nodded. “I’ll be at your side.”
She gaped at him, but as soon as he released her arm, Arianna dove from the trees.
Magic rallied in her core, then exploded, racing across the ground toward the four-legged creatures pursuing the Fae fleeing for their lives.
She could see others scattered across the plains, too.
Small groups fighting those who’d escaped past the warriors’ main line.
Ice raced up the beasts’ legs, engulfing their bodies entirely until they were nothing more than frozen statues. The Demon’s magic caught half a dozen others on the furthest side, crushing their enemies in an instant.
Those who’d been running fell to their knees, turning in wide-eyed terror to absorb the frozen Dark Fae who’d nearly stolen their lives.
Arianna shattered them a second later, snapping the civilians out of their fear-induced stupor.
Bite marks covered the lot of them, blood dripping from their arms, legs, and torsos.
Some clutched stubs where limbs had once been, while others had crimson plastering their hair to their heads.
Younglings wailed while mothers or sisters held them tightly against their chests.
She whirled as more screaming echoed from behind. Birds sped in the sky above, Fae racing for Nàdair. They’d warn the warriors stationed there, but they might arrive too late. These people needed help now.
Saoirse skidded to a halt beside her younger brother, mouth gaping as she took in the chaotic scene in the near distance. “Tell Alec to get off his ass.”
“Already on it.” The Demon raised his arms, and the earth shifted beneath their feet.
“It’s miles off,” Arianna said, trying to figure out what the two were planning.
Saoirse smirked. “Trust me, he can reach.” Just like that, the earth rose, then The Demon threw his arms forward and a great wave rolled across the ground. It uprooted trees and rocks and sent those attempting to run temporarily to their knees.
Arianna’s heart beat faster. She didn’t know the High Lord’s stance on anything, nor the protocol. But she did know that Dark Fae roaming across anyone’s land would warrant immediate action.
Hurry, she willed the disappearing wave of rock, praying whoever it reached would know what it meant. Had The Demon done something like this before?
“Looks like we get to have some fun in the meantime,” Saoirse said, rolling up her sleeves.
“I’m not sure I like your definition of fun,” Zylah quipped.
“Anyone have a proper weapon?” Saoirse called to the small crowd. Six Fae jumped to their feet, and others pulled out blades they clearly had no idea how to use.
Saoirse reached for one and ran her thumb along the edge.
“That will work.” Zylah chose another, then tossed one to Arianna.
The Demon chose his own and the Fae holding it sank to his knees before the monster, fear consuming his body.
She watched the interaction momentarily before turning back to face the chaos.
Another line of civilians ran past, staring back at the creatures pursuing them.
This group didn’t stop. Saoirse turned back to those still on the ground.
“I suggest you get moving. I can’t guarantee we can keep them all at bay.
” Several faces paled, but they all scrambled back to their feet and began hurriedly limping toward the trees in the distance.
Saoirse stared at her home city, then pivoted on her heel and launched toward the beasts.
Arianna let ice rise through the air and joined her.
A Fae female went down screaming, her throat torn out before Arianna could intervene.
A surge of energy seeped into her veins, and Arianna suddenly felt more alive in this moment than she had in days.
Her sword pierced the flesh of a creature that had managed to escape her ice.
A slender tree wrapped around the feet of three others and snapped their legs, leaving them incapacitated on the ground before rock rose to tear through their bodies.
When had she last encountered a battle like this? She could remember the experience of it. The strong gusts of magic, the scent of blood, the feeling of flesh tearing beneath her blade. She glanced over to The Demon, his gaze solely focused on the task at hand.
They’d fought together before. Her magic almost seemed to reach for him, begging to blend with his own and become an unstoppable force. Maybe right now that was exactly what they needed.
They tore through the Dark Fae, closing in on the horde in the distance.
Then Arianna felt it, the slight prickle on her skin that she’d committed to memory.
Judging from his reaction, The Demon felt it, too.
A glamour. Arianna growled. She wouldn’t allow herself to be ensnared by anyone from Pádraigín ever again.
Images of giant beasts materialized before her eyes, but Arianna refused to back down.
They were so realistic that she could feel the heat from their breath as she dove around them, heading straight for the source of the magic.
The creature within her writhed, rage matching her own in response to their pathetic attempts.
She’d had someone far more powerful in her mind. This magic was nothing in comparison.
The pair of Fae warriors stepped back, faces lit up in surprise.
One drew his weapon, but Arianna ducked under the blade, then twisted and dragged a dagger across the first male’s throat.
Earth came up and snapped the legs of the second, but Arianna raced toward the male, stealing the killing blow with her blade before The Demon could have the satisfaction.
These warriors were hers. Each and every one of them. She’d deliver them all to the grave herself.
Death followed in her wake. An old friend, one she’d never thought to make. But she was tired of running from it. Death was a friend of war. Death was now her ally.
The bodies thickened and their pace slowed as they clashed with the masses. Enemies pursued, warriors fought, and civilians fled, creating a symphony of madness that blurred together on all sides.
Arianna scented the air, searching for Pádraigín’s wretched power. She aimed for them first. She could see through their glamours easily now. Pádraigín’s warriors were the reason their line kept breaking. If she eliminated them, the others could focus on reforming.
One.
Four.
Seven.
The rush of blood in her ears had Arianna wanting more. She craved the way they fell at the touch of her hand. They weren’t worth the use of her magic. This was personal. She stared into the eyes of those who thought murdering civilians was right and relished in the light leaving their eyes.
Arianna dodged a bursting flame. Her magic rose up to claim the creature responsible, then she was running again, the acrid air burning her lungs as she shot blades of ice out in all directions.
One of the beasts lunged for another female, this one running with a slight limp, her ankle already swollen.
The earth itself came up to swallow the creature, tugging it beneath the ground where it made no more sound.
She met The Demon’s gaze for a moment, then continued fighting.
Never stopping. Never slowing. She had no way of knowing where Talon or Raevina might be.
No way to know when reinforcements were coming from Nàdair as she pushed further toward the horde, breaking through their back line.
All she knew was that this was a battle, and each second she spent overthinking instead of acting was another moment someone might die.
So Arianna turned herself into a living weapon and let her magic soar.