Frost Fae (Dark Fae Kings #2) - Meg Xuemei X Page 0,43

in a bloody heap.

The lion landed his golden gaze on me as he fought toward me, blood tainting his beautiful fur. Baron was vain to the end, and I bet his lion didn’t appreciate this mess either.

In a swirl of black wind, another magnificent being landed in a crouch. When he arose to his feet, a long black sword flashed in his hand, and his shadowy wings spread to full length in his wrath.

“Took you long enough!” the lion grunted in a gruff voice.

The lion talked! It complained.

While I was stunned, the Night King crashed into the horde of the beasts.

“What the fuck are you waiting for?” Rydstrom shouted in fury. “Take Eve and go!”

The beasts swarmed toward us like white shadows.

Cold light glinted off Rydstrom’s blade as he whirled and slashed in a blur, cutting into the beasts, making a clearing for the lion and me.

The lion reached me in no time at the Night King’s aid and shoved me onto his massive back.

“No, we can’t….leave him!” I cried, my voice trembling in the cold wind. “He came….for me. We must….fight together!”

“Go, Eve. I’ll find you,” Rydstrom barked while he spun in the air horizontally—it was an unbelievable and impossible move—and cleaved his sword into three beasts in a blur. Where his blade touched, blood flew up, then splashed on the snow-covered ground.

Beasts yowled and dropped in a whimper.

“Rydstrom knows how to take care of himself,” the golden lion said. “We must go.”

Before my numb, blue lips could issue another objection, the lion had leapt in a great arc over the river of beasts. His mighty, merciless claws sent nearby monsters flying. With one hand I grabbed his mane as if holding on to a lifeline, while my other hand directed my vines to whip away the pursuing beasts.

The lion dashed away from the battlefield like lightning as I lost sight of the Night King, and the battle wails faded.

Snow started falling, and the flakes touching my lips tasted more bitter than a citrus peel.

Chapter 14

The landscape kept shifting as the golden lion carried me like an arrow out of the frozen forest. Ahead, it opened up into rolling green hills dotted with blossoming shrubs.

The snow had stopped falling a while ago. There was no trace of ice on the new ground. We’d left the harsh winter behind, and the spring breeze brushed my face.

“Lion,” I called. “Where are you taking me?”

“I’ll explain later,” he grunted.

The lion shot up the hill. A cluster of shrubs, blue hydrangea and purple crepe myrtle, blurred by me, and I jerked forward, gripping his thick, silky mane. We reached the top of the hill in no time, and the lion paused. As one, we both stared at the crystal-clear lake half concealed by colorful trees on the other side of the valley.

If I wasn’t in a terrible, fearful mood and still suffering from frostbite, I’d admire the view.

“Lion,” I said again, my voice more steady now. “I want to go home. Take me home.”

“Soon,” he said. “I’ll get you home soon.” Then he sprang toward the lake.

When we reached the bank, the lion lowered me from his back. I climbed off him on stiff, wobbly legs. Both of us were covered in blood and gore. Did the lion want me to clean up before he took me home?

In a flash of sunbeam, the magnificent golden beast shifted back to Summer King. His fiery amber eyes roved over my body, assessing me for damage, silent rage simmering in their depth.

I stared back at his gorgeous face, sensual lips, and perfect physique. His male beauty took my breath away, as usual, but then another male’s perfect shape flashed in my head. The Winter King’s shadow still haunted me, even though he wasn’t here.

I’d thought Baron was the cruel one between the two kings, but it turned out that his half-brother was tenfold more heartless. I’d tried to keep a distance from the Fae kings. Males like them were made to rule kingdoms and break hearts. But in the end, I hadn’t stayed away, and I’d gotten burned as soon as I’d let my guard down.

I’d believed the Winter King’s sweet lies and melted when he opened up to me about his painful past. I had wanted to comfort and accept him, only to have him turn on me. He’d used me and then trashed me. The unfortunate, intimate scene flooded back, making me feel dirty and ashamed.

“You’re safe now, Evie,” Baron whispered, moving toward me