His manhandling of the girl had the shifter lose his mind and along with it the sight of the army at the control of the dark Fae. Because before anyone could stop him, he half changed into his other form, so when he pulled back on his bow, a flaming arrow was what was aimed at the Fae’s head. This in turn caused the soldiers around him to aim their spears and swords at the new threat against their general, quickly having his back.
Not that the Wyvern even flinched at this, telling me exactly when it was that usual brutal and unyielding strength came out, along with his true power…His only weakness.
“Let. The. Girl. Go.” This threat came from the belly of the beast as it was barely a sound you would have heard produced from a human’s vocal cords. However, Carn’reau didn’t look at all phased and the reason became obvious as to why. He barked an order over his shoulder at his men who all fell back a step at his command. Then, once they lowered their weapons, his grip tightened on Nero who whimpered, making Vern pull his bow tighter in reaction to his actions. But Vern had underestimated his opponent when all Carn’reau needed to do was raise a single fingertip to the tip of the flaming arrow before it extinguished into black smoke. This enraged the shifter enough that those same flames started to engulf his form, telling me this was about to get too fucking ugly and having either one of them out of commission was not an option right now.
It was time to intervene.
“Enough! You two, put a fucking leash on your brother and Carn’reau, let the witch go.” My general looked to me and with a slight sadistic smirk he released his prisoner by uncurling his fist he’d had shackled around the top of her arm. She fell into Vern with a stumble, making a halo of long navy-blue waves cover half her face with the flick of Carn’reau’s hand.
Vern snarled over her head after first cradling her to his chest, telling me that the bad blood between these two now ran deep due to both the events of his capture and now that of the woman he clearly loved.
Fucking peachy, I thought with an inward groan. Just what I fucking needed. But then what fucking choice did I have in the matter, for as usual time wasn’t on my side here and I needed every fucker I could trust working on this!
Gods, but I missed my council and the level of trust I knew came with having them sat at my table for both decades and centuries. I missed having Adam as my second in command, knowing he would do all that was possible to get the fucking job done. Even Pip, who was as loyal as the Gods made them, despite her wacky and eccentric personality. Caspian and Liessa, Ruto and Hakan and even Percy were of those that I had come to trust with that of my life. And Clay, my head of security, who would no doubt be the first one to warn me of trusting the shifters as I was about to.
Fuck yes, I missed them all and if the fantastical notion of wishes were true then it would have been those on my council I would have wished for right now. However, that was one luxury I didn’t have and being choosy right now wasn’t an option.
“Carn’reau, you trust your second?” I asked not giving a shit that he was stood within hearing distance. A slight frown in question was the only indication he was surprised by the question. Then he looked to the Fae in question and said,
“With my life’s blood, My Lord.” His answer was good enough for me, making me reply,
“Good then bring him with you…all of you are with me…including the witch!” I ordered before turning around and leading the way into my castle and into a place that up until now, no one had ever been before other than myself and the unconscious troublemaker in my arms…
My Tower.
Chapter Six
Fated Inner Circle
“Wow, this is cosy,” Nero muttered after having a good look around with wide dark blue eyes. It was also obvious that she was making jokes on account of her nervousness. After all, she had gone against her King and therefore the anxiety I could scent coming off her was doing so in waves.