The Fae Queen by Megan Linski

Author:Megan Linski
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Megan Linski

Chapter Fourteen

Emma

Tears cascaded down my cheeks as I stared slack-jawed at the sight of Jasper swinging from the tree. I was completely frozen in time. The hope I had stored up in me withered and died at the macabre scene, and at that moment, I lost all anger at Jasper. I didn’t care that he had betrayed us, only wept that he’d felt so desperate to do so, for this was his end.

Gods help us. Was this the fate of our beloved friends, of the people we cared for so desperately? I felt more than responsible. I felt as if I was the master of Jasper’s fate, and my quest had led him here to ruin.

“Cut him down,” Ethan said roughly. Alexei moved to help. He climbed up the Willow Maiden’s branches and untied the rope from around the tree limb, lowering Jasper’s body. Finlay caught him, and laid him on the ground. Alexei removed the noose, and Finlay tossed it harshly aside.

I knelt by Jasper’s side and stroked his long hair back as tears fell from my eyes and onto his face. “I’m so sorry, Jasper. I wish…”

I put my hand over my mouth and held in a scream. It was horribly wicked that we had to conceal our grief instead of weeping openly, for Gabby’s soldiers were still out there.

I wanted to go out there and find them. Hunt them down, make each of them suffer for what they’d done to my friend.

I could kill them all and it wouldn’t change a thing. Jasper was gone. Death upon his enemies wouldn’t bring him back.

Jasper’s lips were bloody. I reached out to close his eyes and cringed away at how chilled his skin was.

I couldn’t stand to gaze upon him any longer. I stood and turned away, turning my back to the Willow Maiden. I’d considered the tree a friend, an ally. But she’d been compliant in Jasper’s murder. The previously enchanted clearing, with its stories of Seelie royals and a woman who changed into a willow, had been desecrated and defiled. No matter how much power this place held, all the magic from the Willow Maiden was now gone for me, and it would never return.

“We failed him.” Ethan approached me. He laid a gentle hand on my shoulder as we admitted defeat for what felt like the thousandth time.

I wiped away tears with the heel of my hand. “I only wish… why didn’t he come to us, Ethan? Why did he do this? This doesn’t make any sense.”

“If only we had answers, onawilke.” He drew me into a hug, and I again related how cruel and sick this world was. I knew in my heart this was Gabby’s doing, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but blame myself.

This wasn’t the work of greed, or vengeance. I knew in my heart he hadn’t wanted to do this. Jasper had been manipulated somehow. I had failed to protect my friend, and that was the reason he was dead.

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.