Linton
Icould have easily taken on an entire hoard of Redcaps, but more than five would be an issue when I have my mate to protect. They’re slippery and deadly. If they know a weakness, they will exploit it. And my desire to protect my Kaitlyn at any cost, they would see as a weakness.
Whereas she is my strength.
The weather in the Yeavering is kind to us, the sky a pale autumn blue and a little tail wind which means we should reach the fells soon.
The moon hangs in the sky, ghostly and slender with night getting ever closer. The pull of the soon to be full moon is strong and getting stronger every hour which passes.
Having my Kaitlyn by my side when it reaches the apex…I’m not sure what will happen, but for once, the moon represents more than being able to use my full magic again.
Only, I’m not sure what it is. Something is pressing at the back of my mind. Something scrambled by all my other thoughts, by the violence and the blood…so much blood, I could bathe in it, if I bathed at all.
All the horrors I have witnessed. Horrors which most of the other monsters forced to fight in the Night Lands were able to escape.
All except Warden. He remains there, gods only know why, but he does.
I will never go back. I might ply my trade in what I know, but the Night Lands will never take me again.
And now I have Kaitlyn to protect. Tam Lin will not have her.
If this puts me at war with the Yeavering, then so be it. I know war, and those who think they can bring it—they are wrong.
Kaitlyn pounds on my chest. I look down at her. Her face is pale, and she gazes at me with her stunning, beautiful eyes. Her mouth opens and closes, and it’s clear she’s trying to say something. Only our movement through the air is stealing all her words.
Below us is an expanse of grassland, frequented by sheep and where a ribbon of stones runs, remnants of an ancient civilisation, or so I was told. Possibly human rather than Yeavering.
I spin in a circle before I descend to ensure we are alone and then gently place Kaitlyn on her feet as we come in to land.
She stumbles back from me, clutching the bag the female from the inn gave her, until she comes to rest against the broken wall, the small stones still clinging together after millennia.
“I’m sorry, Linton.” She gasps. “I fell asleep, and I thought I was falling.”
“I would never let you fall.”
She lifts her eyes to mine for a second before she slides down the stones and onto her bottom, her dress flowing around her like waves.
“I…I know you wouldn’t. But I’ve been let down before.”
I am on my knees, in front of her.
“Who hurt you?” I snarl.
Her terrified eyes are wide as she takes me in. I appreciate I am quite fierce, but I should not frighten my sweet mate. I close my wings and slide a finger under her chin, tilting her head to me.
“Whoever touched you will be rendered limb from limb before I present you with their head on a platter.”
Kaitlyn twitches, her entire body rippling. I think she likes my idea. And I like the way the orbs on her chest move.
“That won’t be necessary. He’s already dead.”
I’m not sure I expected the level of disappointment I feel at her words. The idea of destroying something for someone I like gives me a warm feeling inside.
“He?”
“Lord Guyzance.” She forces his name past her lips.
I’m not sure I’ve ever growled as loudly as I do at the mention of his name.
“The Barghest did for him.” My claws cut into the palms of my hands, and I feel the blood flowing. “I hate the Barghest.”
“I don’t,” Kaitlyn says quietly. “He rid the Yeavering of one of the real monsters.”
My wings flare again at her words. She has a take on the death of the foul Faerie Lord I cannot see.
“I will find his remains and cut them up more.” I growl under my breath.
“You don’t need to do that.” Kaitlyn sighs.
I stare out over the grasslands, wishing there was a Faerie here and now. One I could easily destroy. But there is not.
I will find one, eventually. And they will pay for what they did to my Kaitlyn.
Whatever they did to Kaitlyn.
“I wish I could,” I growl eventually. “But instead, I will promise to never drop you.”
“Thanks.” She looks up at me with a slight quirk to the corner of her mouth.
“I mean it, my Kaitlyn. You are mine, and I would never let harm come to you.” I take her hand because she liked it the last time I did it. “And you taste like the moorland air.”
Her eyes widen for a second and I smell her sweet perfume once again.