War of Hearts (True Immortality) - S Young Page 0,108
tore my attention from the middle sculpture of Andraste. A human female was crying and begging as fae wearing royal guard uniform tore at her clothing, hell-bent on taking their pleasure from her. Another shriek rent the air but not from her.
Only feet from her another human woman was on the ground, her gown ripped open to reveal a back that was now bloody from a flogging. A tall fae I recognized stood over her, wielding a weapon much like the flagrum I’d seen in Rome.
It was Lir, the queen’s captain, a brutish son of a bitch who found joy in human misery.
“The queen is here,” I said to Eirik.
I turned to him. Eirik’s eyes blazed at the scene playing out on the square.
“There is nothing we can do for them,” I reminded him.
My brother had strange morals. He would drain a human dry without thinking about it, but he detested rape or any abuse of those he felt were weaker than him. It was dishonorable. I, myself, did not partake in any of the more abhorrent activities against the humans we sometimes witnessed during our visits to Faerie. Moreover, I rarely lost control when drinking from a human.
Yet I could see past the brutality against humans to the marvel and wonder of Faerie. To me this world was far more eminent and illustrious than ours and the fae within it. However, Eirik considered humans our people, to be treated as we saw fit, not as how the fae saw fit.
He curled his lip as his eyes connected with Lir’s. The queen’s captain sneered at my brother. I cursed under my breath as Eirik refused to look away.
“You will get yourself killed,” I growled.
“Let him try.”
“Eirik, he is thousands of years old and borne of pure magic. You would be dead in an instant.”
“Queen Aine would never allow it.” His answer wasn’t smug. He did not enjoy Aine’s attentions when others would. But his continued refusal of those attentions perversely made my brother one of the Fae Queen’s favorites.
“Perhaps you should give her what she wants.”
“And deny Fionn his time with her?” he joked, speaking of the queen’s consort.
When we finally were led into the palace, we were directed to the throne room where Queen Aine held court. Andraste and her sisters sat near and my eyes connected with my mate’s. Everything around me disappeared but her. The sparkling marble floors, walls, the magnificent paintings that graced those walls, the balls of lights that glowed around the room with no aid of fire. Just pure magic.
Nothing was as magical as Andraste.
I could almost feel her love warming through me.
My brother would be sick if he heard my thoughts. He thought love was a disease.
I disagreed.
Vehemently.
Fae, humans, werewolves, and vampires crowded into the throne room. It was here on Faerie I first heard the unusual music that often played in my mind whenever I returned to our world. We did not have such beauty of music. It reminded me of the sounds made by the lyre, but on a celestial level of bliss the lyre could never achieve.
Fae musicians played in the corner. We were forbidden from taking anything from the fae world back into ours, but I often contemplated ignoring the rule just to steal one of those instruments made of wood and string. The humans needed this music more than the fae did.
“Fionn looks as delighted as ever to be here.” Eirik smirked.
My eyes moved to the queen’s human consort who stood by her side. Six years ago, Fionn had been one of the youngest kings of Éireann. The fiercest warrior. He stood at a great height, taller than even many of the fae, and powerfully built. The male had the most startling green eyes. So vivid, he could almost pass for fae. His people thought him a god. And he and his tribes hunted fae, determined to wipe them out of existence. I had wanted to kill him.
Eirik applauded him.
My ungrateful brother.
Aine could not let the murders go unpunished and so she ventured into our world herself to mete out his punishment. It is said Aine was so taken with Fionn, she offered him a bargain. If he stayed with her on Faerie as his consort, she would spare his beautiful wife and two young children.
At the display of unearthly power Aine rained down about his village, Fionn accepted the bargain.