The Abyss (Fae's Captive #7) - Lily Archer Page 0,21

down, making them suffer, and sending them to the Spires. The sooner the better.

Gareth slows his pace until he walks beside me. Parnon stomps on ahead, his spine a hair straighter.

“He needed that.” Gareth’s face is softer now. “And I don’t think anyone else could have reached him.”

“You still mad?” I give him a sideways glance.

“Maybe a little.” He takes my hand and weds our fingers together. “But then I remind myself that we are going to get Clotty and get out. You’ll be safe. My vow will be fulfilled. And then I’ll be so deep in your hot cunt that—”

“Gareth!” I smack my palm to his mouth.

Parnon’s step stutters, then continues.

Gareth’s eyebrows shoot up, then I can feel his grin behind my palm. I pull my hand back.

“Since when is my filthy Xalana shy about mating talk?” He grins, and Ancestors, that face is begging to be a saddle.

I can feel my cheeks flushing. “You’re just so … so …”

“Crass.” Raywen floats to my elbow. Well, she doesn’t float, but she walks so gracefully that you’d think she was a few inches off the ground.

“Crass, right.” I nod. Then again, I rather enjoy his filthy mouth. In fact, my lady bits are giving me a happy tingle. “Wait. He’s right. Never mind. Continue the dirty talk. Actually, just go ahead and do more altogether.”

He laughs, and Raywen looks at us with a mix of confusion and amusement. The pig in her arms does the same.

“Hi, Phin.” Gareth reaches out to pet Phin’s head, but a warning snort has him drawing his hand back. “Sorry, mate. You just look so darling in this form.”

Another angry snort has Raywen soothing him by scratching under his chin.

“You aren’t coming with us, are you?” I don’t want to offend, but Raywen would stand out even worse than my winter realm warrior. Her sparkle can’t be dimmed.

“No. I’m bound to the sea fae, Calyto, and I need to try and sort out how to return your friend to his fae form.” She frowns down at Phin. “I’ve tried every way I know how, but the magic won’t come. I can only do little things like—” She squinches her eyes a bit, and Phin lets out a huff as a tuft of dark hair appears on his head. “Like this. Not helpful.”

“But so cute.” I pet the hair until Phin gives me a rude squeal, and I stop. “Fine.”

“Anyway, I just wanted to see you off.”

“Someone say something about getting off?” A unicorn prances into view just ahead of us.

We stop, and Gareth swears under his breath. “This is the transportation?” He turns back to Chastain who’s been walking slowly and talking to Silmaran the entire way.

“Is it not to your liking?” Chastain’s tone is clipped. I suppose I can’t blame him. He’s leaving his chosen mate behind at a time when she needs him most. I haven’t had a chance to sit and talk with her, to share her pain and grief over what happened to her when she was Zatran’s prisoner. But things like that can’t be rushed. I well know how hard it can be to process it, much less talk about it, even to a friend. Even with Taylor, I couldn’t bring myself to divulge the most painful parts of my past, and maybe I never will. Sometimes, silence is a salve all its own.

“You all right?” Silmaran pulls me to face her. “You just seemed like … I don’t know, like an Ancestor called your name.”

I rub my upper arms, chill bumps dotting my skin despite the heat. “I’m good. Just ready to get to Clotty. And you?”

She drops her eyes, then meets mine again. “It’s what I’ve wanted. Freedom.”

“But the cost?” I take her hand in mine. “Can you bear it?”

She squeezes my fingers. “I have to.”

I nod, and a silent understanding passes between us.

Pulling me into an embrace, she quietly says, “Please look after Chastain for me. I can withstand a lot, but I don’t think I could bear it if he didn’t return to me.”

I return her hug. “He’s coming back, and hopefully, with an army.”

“From your lips to the Ancestors’ ears.” She leans back, her amber eyes swimming. “We will prevail. For those we lost and for those we can save.”

“Whoa, I thought there was going to be some girl-girl action, but you two look so serious now. Ugh.” A unicorn circles us, his horn giving off a pearlescent glow. “At least show me your tits