Chapter 35
Max
Sunlight burns into my eyes, as we stumble into the meadow outside the hollow.
A meadow nowhere near Wulf’s village.
“Where are we?” I ask, squinting. “I thought we’d be at the village?”
Rolling up his sleeves, Kaden keeps his sword ready, scanning the meadow. My mouth waters. “We’re just outside the village. It’s a short walk to the entrance.”
We move, shedding clothing as the sun bakes into us. After weeks in the dark forest, the sunlight is more of a branding than a lovely warmth and my brow dampens, hair clinging to my neck.
“Why did you help it?” Fee calls back, looking at me, then her brother, curious. Sweat dots her lip. “It could have eaten you. It would have, if not for being in the hole.”
Shrugging, I ignore Kaden’s piercing gaze. “I don’t know. I just knew it wouldn’t harm me. It needed help.” Maybe it was Gods’ Will, after all.
Fee stays silent but she’s assessing me. They all are.
We walk on, taking in the serene sights. Deer gallops nearby and I can see rabbit tails scurrying under bushes. There’s so much life here, that I didn’t realize how much was missing in the Eternal Night Forest.
“We’re being followed,” Kaden says simply, nose inhaling. Body tense, his face is calm, head tilted as if searching for noise.
His head turns and I follow his gaze, seeing the hulking mass in the trees.
The Hadeon watches us, all three heads trained on our bodies, still like a statue.
“Is that normal?” I whisper, words barely audible. “I thought he never left the hollow.”
“He doesn’t,” he responds, grabbing my wrist. “Stay alert. And you stay near me.”
We walk the path as the sun lowers, the Hadeon keeping a short distance away.
He doesn’t move closer, doesn’t impede us, but the anxiety that he could breathe hellfire on us at any minute has my pulse jumping with every snap of a twig.
Keeping an eye on him, I judge how long it would take for him to rush us.
Not long.
I don’t regret saving the beast, but this doesn’t feel normal.
“You’re faster than him, right?” I ask Kaden.
Uncharacteristically, the arrogant heir remains silent. That’s not a good sign.
At the end of the path, rising from the valley, is the Phoka village and my shoulders drop, relief unraveling the cold dread in my chest.
Finally, something like security lifts my spirit and I sigh. This village is untouched by beasts and the Crimson Army. We’re finally safe.
The air is sweeter here, saturated with herbs and flowers as log-cabin homes dot the landscape, behind a large stone barrier.
In the center is a sturdy long-home. It’s clearly the village’s meeting place as Humans surround it. Lords argue loudly while one solitary man stands in the middle, bigger than the rest.
Tripping over the pebbles, I take in his brown sculpted skin and his blonde hair braided down the middle with shaved sides. Gray and white beads hang from the braid and his trimmed beard.
As we get closer, I see his brown eyes flash with something like interest before his nostrils flare.
He’s scenting me.
Blood pounds in my head, a dull hum that throbs in my neck and temples at the perceived threat. It doesn’t thrash near Kaden or his siblings but here? It’s ready to kill.
“Ah, the Dark Fae have arrived. Come,” he greets, waving us forward. “We shall speak inside the common house. We will eat and exchange stories and then talk business.” He winks at me before returning inside.
My stomach tightens with nerves. More people means more magic to control. And he looked almost predatorily at me.
The lords waste no time in following, but the heir stands still, frowning.
Peering down at me, he flicks a strand of hair. “Stay with me. I don’t trust Wulf.”
“C’mon, big brother.” Reid claps a hand onto Kaden’s shoulder, shoving him forward. “I’ve heard great things about the wine in this village.”
We stick together, finishing the heavy dinner before Wulf pulls us outside, to a large gathering area full of lush flowers; most of which I recognize from the Blackwoods Coven.
The roaring fire in the middle fights off the crisp air that replaces the warmth of the meadow. Reid leads me to a spare chair, gesturing for me to sit while he leans along the back.
Kaden and Fee broke off from the group shortly before the end of dinner and have been absent since.
“You seem to know what to do here,” I murmur, watching the lords take their seats.
Reid shrugs, hand on his dagger. “Dark Fae only have one trading partner. Wulf is it. We’ve been here a time or two.”
Reclining, I inhale the sweet juniper blossoms and orange mint wafting through the trees as Reid twiddles his fingers.
“Nervous?”
He smiles, winking. “No. Just missing that wine.”
When Kaden is nearby, my heart calms and my nerves lessen. Without him, I’m on edge but I know, for some reason, Reid is just as good. Full of bright energy and smiling easily, I know I can trust him.
Just like I trust Kaden.
The realization hits my stomach like a physical blow.
I’ve only trusted Taylay and Nafre, never allowing anyone else in. But Kaden, his brother and even Fee, I’m comfortable with them. I trust them.
Stone chairs are filled, lined around the fire like a council meeting. Chiseled from blue granite, they are beautiful creations of artistic expression with a fine line of cobalt running the length of them.
As the lords sit, I hold back a snort. We’re an abysmal bunch, too small to survive much longer. If Wulf doesn’t assist us, the raid is over.
Right as the crowd settles, Fee and Kaden return, cutting to my side.
“We have a problem,” Kaden says, sitting beside me. His hand briefly hovers as if to grab it, but redirects.
I swallow my disappointment.
“What happened?”
“Now,” Wulf interrupts, falling into a seat toward the head of the circle. He doesn’t have a place at the top but as one of the group. “Before we get too far into this, who tried to kill the Hadeon and who let it live?”