Fated: Book One of the Faery Chronicles by Helen sutton

Author:Helen sutton [sutton, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackdog
Published: 2016-03-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

I didn’t find out for almost a week. The monarchs decided to make the most of being together, and were busily dealing with issues that affected both courts. As well as ratifying mind-numbingly dull new clauses to the treaty. This needed to be done in public and I yawned for the third time that afternoon. Dechtira’s elbow made swift contact with my ribs. She frowned and I grinned at her cross little face. Cael snickered behind us.

The double doors crashed open.

Commotion.

Standing on tiptoe, I could see two Fae heads - black and blood copper - above the massed ranks of the courts as they came through.

Fin and Hawk.

Home safely.

I pushed my way forward, elbowing fae of both courts recklessly aside in my haste to get to them. Angry mutters and jeers followed me as - toes and gowns crushed in my wake - I arrived breathlessly at the front of the crowd.

And stopped. Horrified.

A dark smear of blood was forming along the green marble.

Hawk dragged a very dead creature - like the ones Cael and I had seen - behind him. Finian walked at his side. The corpse was hideous, but that wasn’t what flash-froze my blood. Squeezed my chest till I saw sparkles.

It was the sight of Fin and Hawk.

They were battered and bloody. Hawk limped slightly and Fin’s arm was in a sling; one eye swollen almost shut from a livid cut that ran beside it. I ran to him, heart contracting painfully between my ribs. Threw my arms around his waist. He stopped. Winced for the merest second.

And pulled me to his side, smiling warmly.

‘Easy, Bree. I’m ok. We’ll talk later,’ he murmured, pulling me forward with him.

Custenin was on his feet, golden hair dappled with the colours shining through the glass above. ‘What’s the meaning of this?’

‘We’re under attack, Custenin. As I warned you.’ Hawk’s level voice was pitched to carry.

‘Nonsense. Mab’s been here all week, and...’

‘Not the Unseelie. As I also warned you.’

Something threatening in that too-calm voice. Little tendrils of fear danced across my skin. A forcible reminder of the otherness of the creatures that surrounded me.

Hawk halted a short distance from the thrones.

Swung the body forward so it skidded to a gruesome halt at the foot of the dais. Sick-sweet smell of blood rising from green marble.

The hall was still. My heart thundered in my ears.

‘There's your enemy.’ He locked glares with Custenin.

Icy blue met hot gold.

It was the king who looked away first.

Hawk continued. ‘They’re coming. Your people are dying. Your lands are being ravaged. Tir Na n’Og will fall. Will you act now?’

Loud clapping from a single pair of hands. I jumped.

‘Oh bravo, Emrys. You always did know how to make an entrance.’ Mab’s pale, pointed face was positively gleeful.

He half turned, a smile twitching the edges of his mouth. ‘Hello, Mab. I’m glad you’re here. We need to talk.’

‘Mmm. So I gather. Tell me. Were you sane for a full five minutes before you charged off causing trouble again? Or didn’t you like to wait?’ An arch smile.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.