Chapter 32
There’s a stunned pause.
Prevent the Plagues? The thought is so baffling I’m having trouble believing such a thing.
“Let me get this straight,” Albert growls. “You’re telling us that all this time, you fae have been blaming shit on us, but it’s our blood that can actually prevent Plagues?”
“Yes.”
A bewildered curse falls from his lips with an acidic edge.
“Why kidnap us?” Nell demands. “Why the secrecy?”
Ciona’s face is layered with supplication.
“Secrecy has been imperative. If the wrong people find out, fiends all over the world will very likely be taken, sold, hidden, and used for profit or blackmail. We cannot save the world if profit outweighs morality—which it so often does. We must time this right and have as many fiends safe with us as possible before we disclose this to the other Governs and the information becomes known. We can’t leave it to chance or trust that everyone will act in good faith. ”
“And if we refuse?” Dirk says boldly, thick arms crossing in front of him. “If we say no and don’t want to take part in your test?”
Ciona shoots a look at Frid, and the Core fae steps forward. “You can refuse,” he says with a shrug. “If that’s what you choose to do.”
Dirk scoffs with disbelief, shooting daggers with his glare. “Right. And you’ll let us just return to our homes, Core?”
“I didn’t say that,” Frid retorts. “Until information goes public, you’ll be staying with Lord Varrik. But you won’t be forced to do anything.”
This news does not sit well with everyone, based on their expressions.
It certainly doesn’t sit well with me. None of this does.
“Please understand,” Ciona cuts in, her tone pleading.
“There are so few of you as it is. We’d have no hope of preventing the Plagues if Governs all over Brekon started hoarding you or draining you for blood.
This must be handled delicately, but I swear to you all, we have your safety in mind.
That’s the only reason we need to keep you with us for the time being. ”
“But then why did the Piper steal fae too?” I ask, my voice cutting across the group.
Ciona falters. “That’s . . . Well, see, that’s different—”
“To throw people off,” Frid interjects. “If he was only collecting fiends, people would become suspicious.”
I look around, taking in the group’s varying expressions, wondering what they’re all thinking.
Wondering what the hell I’m thinking. My mind whirls, like the bottom of a riverbed churning up muddy waters.
They’re kidnapping innocent people. Even if it is for a good reason, that doesn’t make it right.
But . . . could this really be true? Can fiends actually prevent Plagues?
“I’ll do it.”
My head snaps over as Odelina steps forward, the other fiends parting to let her through. She goes right up to Ciona and Frid, her blond hair swaying slightly in the breeze. “I’ll give my blood to see if I can help prevent a Plague.”
A sigh of relief pours from Ciona’s lips. “Thank you.”
Odelina turns, and the rest of her group comes forward too.
“No surprise there,” Nell mutters beneath her breath.
A look of irritation flashes over Odelina’s face as she spots Nell.
“I told you all—I had faith in the Piper, and now we learn of this. Whatever qualms you had about how he took you from your city, you must recognize that this is so much bigger than you—than us. Did you hear her? This is about saving our entire world. I for one am going to choose to help, and you should too.”
“Why?” Nell shoots back. “Why should we help the world when the world has never helped us?”
The bitterness from Nell isn’t singular. I see plenty of fiends nodding, like they’re thinking the same thing.
“Because it’s the right thing to do,” Odelina says.
“Because we are the offspring of a species that tried to destroy everything. Because Bane blood runs in our veins. But if we can actually use that for good, if we can right the wrongs from those evil males who pillaged our world, then we will not only cure our earth’s sickness, but cure the hate we’ve been given our entire lives.
And if not for that, then think of our children.
Think of the world we can change for them.
Think of how it would be to live without Plagues. ”
Like a stone plunked in still waters, I see the ripple of her words travel throughout the group, affecting every single person.
“She’s right,” Ciona says. “You have the opportunity to save Brekon and change everything. But it’s up to you.”
Fiends look around at each other, speaking through silent expressions. I clutch my skirts, palms sweaty, heart racing. Everyone waits, while the tension twists.
Beside me, I hear Rimona let out a long breath.
“Well . . .” she says, and I watch a smirk grow on her face as everyone looks over at her.
“I for one would love to rub this in the fae’s faces, wouldn’t you?
” A couple people chuckle, and Rimona grins.
“Every single street saint who’s ever rebuked me in public or prayed for my damned soul is going to have a very rude awakening.
Plus, I think I’d like to be known as a savior instead of a sickness. ”
Shooting me a wink, she steps forward to stand next to Odelina.
And like a chain reaction, more fiends start following her, one by one.
Kaetir and I share a look.
A nervous smile spreads over his face. “So . . . I think we just became Brekon’s heroes?”
My expression is tight, my voice dropping low. “I guess so, but do you think we can trust them?”
He gives a careful shrug. “I don’t know. But I suppose we’ll find out together,” he says hopefully, and then he too walks forward with his answer.
A voice in my head warns me not to do this. Not to trust them. But every other fiend is stepping forward—even Nell and Dirk.
I glance around with surprise to see I’m the last fiend standing back. Ciona’s and Frid’s eyes land on me, before everyone else turns to look too. My fingers twist in apprehension beneath their collective stares.
“Oh, look, the Piper’s favorite fiend doesn’t want to help,” Nell taunts with a sneer. “What’s wrong, Esti? Worried you’ll be gone too long and the Piper’s bed will go cold?”
My face flushes as several of the fiends snicker. But before I can answer her, someone else does it for me.
“You don’t need to concern yourself with Estinya’s presence in my bed.”
My eyes go wide and I whirl around to find Piper stopping right beside me.
Where did he come from?
And what the hell did he just say?
He doesn’t even look at me, his eyes still on Nell. “You should be careful slinging mud, lest you become buried in it.”
Nell doesn’t utter a word in reply, but her expression pinches.
My skin stings from everyone’s eyes stabbing into me. I glare at Piper, too ashamed to turn around, too angry to speak.
“Lord Varrik,” Ciona says, cutting through the tension. “I’m so glad you made it. I was just about to bring them in.”
He nods. “Good. Go ahead, Ciona.”
I hear footsteps shuffling, and Piper finally drops his gaze to me. His face is impassive, but mine is not, and I hope he can see every shred of irritation ripping through my eyes.
Whether he does or not, I don’t know, because he gives no reaction whatsoever. Curling my fingers into fists, I force myself to turn, purposely giving him my back.
“Esti?” Ciona calls, and I have to blink to clear away my anger enough to focus on her. “Will you be joining us?”
My heart pounds in my ears as the fiends peer at me again. Nell’s narrowed gaze is anything but friendly.
I feel suffocated from all angles. Feel the pressure closing in.
So I give a single tight nod. “Yes.”
Ciona smiles. “Wonderful. Now, there are four Plagues inside, plus Drought that has spanned over this whole area, as you’ve already seen. We have contained the four others inside the walls as best we can, but I must caution you to stay with the group, or we cannot ensure your safety.”
The warning permeates my skull, but I’m far more saturated with Piper’s presence. I’m hyperaware of his nearness. So aware that I miss whatever is said as Ciona turns to speak to the parents clutching on to their fiend children.
I tense when Piper steps up beside me. “Problem?” he asks. “You were the one who insisted on joining the other fiends.”
“Yes, there’s a problem,” I hiss, snapping my head over to look at him and ignoring the jab. “You just answered in a way that made it sound to everyone like I’ve been in your bed!”
An eyebrow lifts. “You have been in my bed,” he counters. “You’ve been sleeping in it more than me this past week.”
My teeth grind. “You know what I mean. Everyone thinks . . .” The heat in my face becomes unbearable, and I just know I’m bright red. “Everyone thinks I’m sleeping with you.”
His eyes flicker and he leans toward me, making me go rigid. “Would you like to?”
My thoughts flare. A burst of light that burns up every coherent consideration in my head. “What? No!”
He chuckles, and it’s the low creak of a door creeping open. It’s the peek into a dark room you’ve been too scared to go in.
“Sure, blight. Keep telling yourself that.”
I gape at him as he walks away, realizing that Garren is with him. Both of them speak with Frid, while I do my very best to stare holes into Piper’s back.
Would you like to?
The impossible, arrogant pig. The absolute nerve of him.
I fume, but in the deepest corner in my head, there’s a wedge caught at that dark doorway. A wicked depth to his question that has a far more complicated answer.
A heat within the hate.
Everything about him is made to entice. His face, his muscular body, his magic. It’s just part of the temptation, I tell myself. If I do have a deep, dark compulsion to wander closer to him, it’s not my fault. It’s just the nature of allure.
It’s nothing more than that.
I take a bolstering breath, forcing myself to ignore him and refocus.