Guardians of Fire (A Dark Faerie Tale #8)

Chapter One

Dylan

The days were long, and there was still more to do. Knowing Kilara could return at any moment put everyone on edge. I knew things would not be slowing down anytime soon. Listening to the rush of water echoing through the halls from the not-so-distant Teleen falls and pools, Shade and I returned to our room and gently closed the door behind us, effectively cutting off the sounds echoing across the stone walls, including the endless excitement that followed the celebration party the Teleen had put on for the Raven queen Aluse and her brother. Trey’s recovery had been nothing short of miraculous.

His illness and subsequent cure had brought elation to the once-solemn Raven queen, but it had cast an ominous cloud over the rest of us for what was sure to be a torrent of consequences for the power we’d discovered.

Shade’s eyes gleamed in the darkness, reflecting the bluish tint of my natural appearance: cobalt fire and electricity crackling along my skin. I kneeled on the floor before my wife, took her by the waist, and pulled her toward me. Her sweet scent filled me with an exhilarating intensity as I let her warmth spread across my body. Watching her as she slid those gorgeous brown eyes down my body, I could see that her thoughts were elsewhere. There was much going on in there, and I knew most of it she never spoke out loud.

It only made me want to open her mind and examine every bit of it with a magnifying glass. Though we’d been married for months, she remained a mystery, an unsolved puzzle. It only made me want her even more. My insatiable desire for Shade was unlike any thirst ever experienced before. It was just that unquenchable.

I hate her.

I lifted my chin up to her, surprised by the shift in the mood.

Who? Kilara?

She nodded. She’s up to something, and that’s never good. I wish she’d never returned. I don’t trust her.

You just have to meet with her once. Then we can go home. I doubt she’ll try anything in front of the Teleen faeries; they’re almost as old as she is. There’s no way she’d try to hurt us here. The Teleen are too powerful for her to try anything.

I still don’t trust her.

Neither do I. Just focus on home. Should I notify Camulus to pick us up right after the meeting, or do you want to take the long way?

She shook her head. I think we might need Camulus. I need to leave here as soon as possible. I don’t like being under the same roof as Soap’s mother. Such power should not be used without great caution. If Kilara knew about this new power, this all-consuming magic between me, Zena, Xyon, and Iana, we’d be doomed.

I nodded. I understand. I’ll notify him tonight, and we can leave in the morning.

Wait. I must think. Shade wrung her hands together, her brow tense as she thought things over. Kilara is close, and if she knew about this power, do you think she’d try to exploit it? What am I saying? Of course she would. At least she never got ahold of Rowan. She’s too wild. But Benton told me Rowan was not quite right when he saw her on Storm Rock Island.

I nodded, thinking of Benton’s update on Rowan. She’s probably still there. Ilarial sent an archivist to replace the dead one. There’ve been no reports about Rowan leaving.

Shade nodded absently, partially lost in her mind.

I cleared my throat and continued. Do you have any suggestions on what to do about Kilara then?

She shook her head, her long dark brown locks glimmering as she closed her eyes and placed a hand on her forehead. Her smooth features were not eclipsed by the fire that burned along my skin. In fact, it amplified her beauty. She opened her eyes and stared at the fire burning in the fireplace, flickering like my own. I saw eyes bright and determined to find a solution to our problem. I knew she’d come up with something soon. We couldn’t stay at the Teleen Caverns forever. Not even our kingdom at The Scren Palace was safe from the likes of an Ancient queen of Faerie.

Kilara had already found us and had sent a messenger to inform us of her imminent arrival in the Haunted Forest. She would be waiting for us to lead her into the caverns. That didn’t mean we were yet in danger, but secrets were not kept long from Ancients. She’d know sooner or later the power Shade held in her blood. It was a good thing the Ancient needed to be escorted into the Teleen Caverns. They were impenetrable even to the likes of her.

Kilara wants the cure. Shade’s barely audible words sent a shiver down my spine.

How do you know that?

I feel her calling me. Shade squeezed her eyelids shut hard, like doing so could wipe away the imagery of the dreams which had awoken her during the night. The day before, she’d helped heal Trey, Aluse’s brother. In the morning, the fear had returned to her face for the first time in months, the nightmare about Aveta’s death and Arthas’s evil lingered in her head. We’d enjoyed the calm after the storm only to see another one coming again far too soon.

Those twins, I said. Zena and Xyon. They can’t be all right in the head. They looked crazed when we healed Trey. What if they aren’t being straight with us? What if they did something to you? After all they’ve been through… Iana messed them up thoroughly. It could be why Kilara is here in the first place. For them. Not you.

No, Kilara is here for me. It’s always been me she’s needed. She wants something from me that she’s been unable to get without asking. She’s getting closer to breaking through my wards, into my head.

What’s she saying?

Shade’s eyes flung open and stared back at me, but she wasn’t really seeing me. There was something else she was watching play out before her. She spoke to me last night. She needs my power to recover from some illness. I don’t know what it is. It feels odd, like withering, but not quite. She’s dying. Shade stared at the wall, one hand on her chest as she twirled her memory charm. Its protection never left her now that she knew it’d saved her once before, when Corb had wiped our memories and shut us into The Great Divide, his ice palace.

Corb. Shade winced at the name, as if saying it caused a fluctuation in her soul. Of course. She’s afraid that Corb will find out she’s dying. She thinks it would cause him to lose his mind and turn the entire land into winter again. He’s done it before, with grave consequences. I can no longer control him. She shook her head, frowning. No. I don’t believe her. Corb is of sounder mind than she is. Maybe she’s afraid that if he finds out, it’ll ruin some plan she has. I wish I knew what she’s up to. The last time she feigned helping us, at The Withering Palace, it almost got us killed.

She can’t be trusted.

No. But that’s not the most concerning thing I’ve picked up from her thoughts.

I straightened. What did you see?

She wants to take my body, inhabit it with her spirit, and rule as Ancient Summer Queen forever.

What? This is the first you’re telling me of this.

Shade groaned, rubbing her eyes, sleep still hovering over her like a jealous lover. I know. I’m sorry. I’ve known it since we returned from The Withering Palace. She’s hurting, in a bad way. Her ‘vessel’ of a body is failing. She needs me because I’m her descendant and can harbor her spirit. But I won’t let her. She can’t have me; I’d disappear inside her if she takes over. It’s what the twins said: I must kill her and take the position of Summer Ancient. But I can’t do that. She shivered, holding her thin arms around her body. There’s been so much death already, and I’m not sure I could defeat her in the first place. I don’t want to take her place.

It’ll work out. I know it. You always find a way. I think maybe you should talk to her first, especially since Xyon and Zena left before the party. There’s no cure for her to snatch from us now. Not here. She’d need all four of you—the twins, Iana, and your blood—to get the cure. We should be safe. Queen Gretel will have her escorted by the guard. She’ll make sure of it.

Shade nodded and pulled off her dress, leaving the thin undergarments on as she slid under the covers and closed her eyes. Her exhaustion was apparent now as she relaxed back into her pillow. She was too young to be so incredibly burdened by the magic of Faerie. Her human side was not handling it well, but her faery side kept her going.

We’ll be safe. I just don’t trust her. There’re so few people I trust anymore, Dylan.

There are too many players in this game.

I don’t want to be part of any game. Especially not hers.

What should we do then?

We’ll see what she proposes tomorrow when we meet with her. If it doesn’t agree with us, then we move on to the next thing.

I nodded, slipped in next to her, and scooped her into my arms, pulling her close. She sighed into my chest, warming her cooled skin on mine. When exhausted, she didn’t spare much magic for warmth, but I was more than happy to turn up the heat for both of us. The feel of her soft curves against my body stirred a need I’d buried for weeks, but I was sated by just holding her as her breathing softened and her dreams took over.

I wanted her, but she was far too occupied and drained lately for lovemaking. I let her drift away into sleep, recuperating from the day’s events. Relaxing into her, I hoped the night would calm my own demons and push my doubts about us away.

There were doubts. Especially since Soap has come back into our lives.

We were not perfect, nor did we want to be. This was the only place I wanted to be—at her side. There were always things happening, but something told me the next few days would prove to be some of the toughest either of us had experienced.

Until then, I would take these quiet moments while I still could.

Chapter Two

Benton

I admit it, I admired Isolde’s backside the entire time we were hiking through the forest, still hardly able to believe that she was there, in the flesh, right in front of me. The old feelings came flooding back in, swallowing me whole as forgotten memories blossomed like flowers in springtime. It had caught me off guard, to say the least, and I still had not voiced what I’d wanted to ask her so many times after our separation.

What happened to you?

Isolde didn’t stop walking, but the slight tilt to her head told me she’d heard me. Moments passed as the rustle of leaves, the snapping of twigs, and distant calls from the native animals kept the silence from becoming completely unbearable. I wanted her to speak, tell me all her thoughts, wants, needs. Anything to fill the void we’d left in each other’s lives when the war on Faerie started, and then again when Ciaran had taken her away and disappeared. We’d had a brief encounter when I’d helped her solve the mystery of where her kidnapped friends had been taken. She’d been a mother hen to a group of low-born faery kids who had practically no magic.

Where was her group now?

The coincidence that two Nephilim had just shown up right before Isolde herself was odd to me. I felt like it wasn’t by chance. There was a reason for all these half-angels showing up, and I worried that it meant the land of Faerie was preparing for something. What exactly that was, no one knew. I shoved it to the back of my mind for later.

It doesn’t matter anymore, she finally answered.

I searched for any kind of response, stung by her dismissive tone. It mattered to me. What had happened to Isolde had left a huge chasm in my heart. I had no idea what had gone on after Ciaran, her second in command and unrequited love, had discovered her hidden Nephilim powers. She still held onto her secrets like they were more vital than breath.

I was about to pry more, but a noise up ahead distracted us. We stopped and listened as the forest surrounding us continued its eerie lullaby, full of bird calls and random demi-fey whizzing by, upturning their noses at us humans.

Man, faeries were so full of themselves.

Did you hear that? Isolde turned her head one way and then another as she grasped the hilt of her sword. I also peered around, not hearing a thing, but that didn’t mean nothing or no one was there. I knew better than to underestimate faeries.

I’ve been waiting for you.

Kilara. She was as she’d always been—beautiful. Despite her long centuries of life, there was no sign of age on her face. I didn’t see any indication of the supposed withering disease. She appeared healthy. I wondered if she was really sick or if this was part of some larger plot. We wouldn’t have even known about her illness if not for her connection to Shade. It was true that Shade’s connection to Kilara made it possible for her to know what was going on with the Ancient, but I didn’t put it past her to find a way to trick my sister. Maybe it was all just a bunch of crap. I couldn’t even understand what she hoped to get by showing up here at the Teleen Caverns.

Ah, Benton. Kilara leveled her gaze at me as if I had voiced my suspicions out loud. How nice of you to come escort me, elemental. Did you bring Shade with you?

I shook my head. No way would we have ever brought Shade here with us, out in the open.

That’s a mighty shame, she said.

I hoped she got to the point so we could return to the caverns with her in tow. She was all I expected her to be: nonchalant, conniving, and seemingly disinterested in the passage of time… even if she was wasting ours.

I peered at her, cocking my head to the side and wondering if there was any bit of sanity left inside that pretty head of hers. Probably not. I must say, it was nice to know that I wasn’t related to her in any way. Shade was, through her faery father. I shuddered at the thought of sharing DNA with this creature. Pretty on the outside, but a fierce beast on the inside.

What is it that you want, Kilara? I asked.

Her face morphed into a wicked smirk. It was amazing how someone so beautiful could be so dark and twisted. There was no redemption for her, no return to any innocence she may have once possessed. I wasn’t sure she understood that we were much too busy for her machinations and far too careful to fall for her tricks this time around. But if she did, she certainly wasn’t going to admit it.

Fine, I grumbled, scratching the back of my sweaty head. We were at the edge of a clearing, and the sun was bearing down on us. I was thirsty and hungry. No patience for this stuff. None. Isolde threw me a guarded look as if to tell me to be careful. We don’t want any funny business, got it? You’ll speak to Shade and you’ll get to the point. No magical tricks.

Kilara’s smile remained on her face, but it appeared stuck, like she wasn’t going to let it fall. It was a mask. I’m not waiting for your approval. I need to speak to Shade and her alone, not some mortal who has nothing to do with what’s going on. Take me to her, or I’ll find someone else who’ll be much more willing than you to do my bidding.

I crossed my arms. Go right ahead and try. Like it or not, you get in on my say-so. If I decide you can’t be trusted, you won’t get anywhere near the caverns, and Shade won’t wait for you forever.

She briefly glanced at Isolde, but to the girl’s credit, she gave her an unyielding glare in response.

I’m actually a bit underwhelmed, I continued, deciding to see if she could be at all rattled. You have nothing on my sister, and I barely recognize that you both are made of the same stuff. Well, maybe. I’m not quite sure, now that I’ve seen you up close. Shade is much more agreeable, wittier, more intelligent…. I smiled, trying to convey the impression that Kilara didn’t scare the begeezus out of me. She did. Any of the Ancients were no joke to go against. I wasn’t willing to face off with any of them. The only reason I was feeling so bold was because whether she liked it or not, Kilara needed me… for the moment.

Isolde threw me a warning stare, trying to get me to shut up. She was my equal in every way. Maybe that’s why we were so attracted to each other. We were so alike, but it could also work against us too. We’d bumped heads often.

Maybe your girlfriend here would be more willing to help me, then. Or someone like Iana. She snickered, knowing that the name of the recently discovered witch, Soap’s mother, would probably set me off. She obviously didn’t care about Iana one bit. Maybe she’d never even met her. It was all fine and dandy because she was majorly wrong. Her knowledge of Iana wouldn’t be enough to shake me. In fact, I’d calmed down a lot after the war while hunting scads of banished Unseelie who’d infested the human realm. I’d taken out my aggression out on them. With everything else happening, especially after my sister Anna had been taken to the Unseelie Castle to wed an Unseelie king, I had pretty much given up on fighting lost battles. This war was still waging, but not in the way people thought.

The war inside me had calmed to a serenity no one could disturb. Not anymore. There were so many things that were out of my control, and I found that getting angry and losing my top would get me nowhere.

I see what you’re trying to do, Kilara, I answered, cool as a cucumber. "Not going to