Usurper

  A crowd of fae surrounded me, their voices loud and argumentative. I thought I felt a tingle in my toes and tried to move them. My fingertips were next. I couldn’t tell if I was doing anything, then Brendan shouted in my face that my hand was moving. Inwardly grimacing, I concentrated on other parts of my body.

  Air suddenly rushed into my lungs. They felt so dry that it hurt to breathe. I had a moment of panic when I couldn’t exhale, but the paralysis was abating, and I was soon able to open my mouth.

  “Water,” I croaked.

  I needed fluid as much as I needed oxygen. I coughed, and everything inside me hurt. I froze, half-afraid I would break something.

  Brendan lifted me into his arms and carried me out of the hall. “Grim, Fiadh, fetch anything you think she might need.”

  I stared at his jaw as he carried me up the stairs. He was massively pissed. We reached my room, and somebody outside my line of sight opened the door.

  Brendan walked in and laid me on my bed. When he caught me looking at him, he tried to smile. “What am I going to do with you, eh?”

  I made a weak attempt to shrug. With a sigh, Brendan sat next to me. Faeries invaded my quarters, but I was too tired to care. Fiadh perched on my other side and helped me take a drink of water. After a couple of sips, my throat felt less like a sandy beach.

  “Well, that was a new experience,” I said once my throat was lubricated enough to speak.

  “Did you know about this?” Brendan asked Fiadh.

  She looked shocked. “No! Of course not.”

  “Am I supposed to believe that?”

  “Leave her alone,” I murmured.

  “Everyone, leave,” Brendan commanded. “Fiadh, wait in your room. I’ll need to speak to you when I’m done here.” He glared at her back as she left.

  “You’re such a bully,” I said when everyone was gone. I sat up against the pillows. “She saved me, remember?”

  “Maybe she was in on the plan.”

  “Or maybe she wasn’t.”

  “I don’t like having Darksiders here.”

  I groaned. “I’m a Darksider.”

  “No, you’re a human who frequently gives me minor heart attacks.” He brushed my fringe away from my face. “We reacted too late. I should never have let you near her. It was foolish. You need more protection around you.”

  “I didn’t need protecting from Vix. It was a dick move that I need to pay her back for, but I’m pretty sure she was trying to do what she thought was best. Scarlet’s not even here. There’s nothing to worry about.”

  “But now the Darksiders know the child isn’t here. They could track her down.”

  I frowned. “Vix won’t tell Sadler.”

  He threw his hands up in frustration. “You won’t trust me, but you’ll trust the woman who gave you a toxic kiss.”

  I giggled. “I was wondering what the hell she was doing. Sneaky, eh?”

  “It’s not funny. She could just as easily have killed you.”

  “The fact that she didn’t says a lot.”

  He stared at me. “Seriously. What am I going to do with you, Cara?”

  “Admire me from afar.” I reached out and gave his arm a little push. “I’m fine. I’m getting up now.”

  “You’re not.”

  “What are you, my dad? I just told you I feel fine.”

  He groaned. “Sometimes, what I like about you is what drives me mad.”

  I widened my eyes. “Ditto.”

  His lazy grin returned. “And you call me annoying?”

  “Can we quit with the bodyguard stuff now?”

  “Ha! After that? Not a chance. You’re about to undertake a journey in the faery realm. You’ll need more protection than ever.”

  A sinking feeling started in my stomach. “What does that mean?”

  His smile turned wolfish. “It means I’m coming with you.”

  I rolled over and sat on the edge of the bed. “I don’t think so.”

  He got to his feet and came around to stand over me, a dare in his eyes. “And why not?”

  Because he would stop me from doing what I really wanted. But I couldn’t tell him that. “If it goes wrong, somebody has to fix things. If Sadler’s ships arrive, somebody has to make sure…” I took a deep breath. “You know you can’t come with me.”

  He leaned over and rested his hands on the bed on either side of my hips. “You know I won’t let you go without me. Why do you make everything so hard?”

  He was close enough to kiss, and I had to remind myself to breathe. If I didn’t fight that feeling, I would never be able to go behind his back and deal with Sadler.

  Brendan didn’t seem to notice my discomfort. “This is our fight. My people need to see their king act instead of hiding in his castle. I need this.”

  I laid my hands on his shoulders and pushed him back so I could stand. “Go be a king, Brendan.”

  He hesitated, a flicker of emotion crossing his face. “Bran’s outside. Get some rest.”

  He turned to leave. I followed him to the door and watched him walk down the corridor. When he looked over his shoulder, he grinned, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

  I looked to the right to see Bran sitting on the floor, looking miserable. “What’s with you, cupcake?”

  He looked up at me like a puppy who had been caught ripping up furniture. “I failed.”

  I tried not to laugh. “I’m alive, aren’t I?”

  “I should have killed her before she could touch you. I should have known better.”

  “Trust me. If Vix wanted to kill me, she wouldn’t have done it in front of everybody like that.”

  “Then why did she come here?”

  I thought about it. “Because the Darksiders need a hero.”

  “The Darksiders are savages.”

  I held out my hand. “Congratulations. You’re guarding the queen of the savages.”

  A slow smile spread across Bran’s face as he shook my hand.

  “Now get back to work, kid.” I closed the door behind me as he gave a disparaging snort.

  I pressed my forehead against the door, and the nonchalant mask fell away. I was terrified. I wished I knew where my daughter was at that second.

  Chapter Twelve

  I stared into the fire, panicking about my daughter. Someone knocked on the door, but I ignored it, hoping whoever it was would go away and leave me to my worries. Vix knew Scarlet wasn’t with me, and so did Bart. Too many people knew.

  A second, more urgent knock made me get to my feet. I opened the door and started with surprise. Drake stood there, his long, silver hair tied back from his face in a low pony-tail. The hems of his trousers were covered in dried mud.

  “Cara.” The way he said my name was a caress, and for a split second, I forgot everything else. “Can I come in?” His furtive glance to the right broke the haze.

  I stepped aside. “My room isn’t going to be raided by an angry banshee this time, is it?”

  His back stiffened, but he stepped into the room. “The troops and… their queen are on their way. I rode ahead when I heard the news.”

  I closed the door, unsure of his mood. When he looked at me, his violet eyes were feverish.

  “Are you okay?” I asked in spite of myself.

  “I heard the Darksiders attacked.” He took a step toward me. “Are you all right?”

  “According to you, the Darksiders are constantly attacking. Why the panic?”

  His expression flattened, hiding whatever he was feeling. “An attack by an enemy in a king’s great hall is cause for alarm.”

  “It wasn’t an attack. It was an act of desperation.” I tried to move past him, but he grabbed my arm. I gave an exasperated sigh to cover the warmth rushing through my veins at his touch. I would never learn. “Look, it was only a distraction.”

  “While she looked for… your daughter.”

  I shoved him. Surprised, he stumbled back a step, but he hadn’t let go of my arm, so I fell against
him. He wrapped his arms around me and held me to his chest to steady me. I breathed in his scent, half-afraid to move. But I had to move. For my own sake. I laid my palms on his chest and gave a gentle push.

  He released me instantly. “You’re angry,” he said, as if that were the last emotion I should be feeling.

  “Well, there was no immaculate conception, so I get kind of pissy when my partner in crime denies our daughter.”

  He let out a hiss of air. “Cara, you have to see—”

  “I see everything. First, you thought you were dying. I was there. Then, you were about to make a massive commitment to a daughter of death. And, oh, yeah, I was there again. One last fling with a stupid human who was probably losing her mind makes perfect sense. You’re a liar and a—”

  With one step, he closed the space between us and held my cheeks in his hands. “I didn’t tell you everything because I thought it would hurt more. I thought you would be free. I never thought there could be a child. And then you came back to the most dangerous place for you.”

  “So it’s my fault?”

  “No!” His face creased with pain. “I never lied to you back then.” He looked older and wearier. I wondered whether that had come from time or from wearing a crown.

  A part of me longed to believe him, but still, he had lied since then. I didn’t see how I could ever trust him again.

  He pressed his forehead against mine. I squirmed, and when he stepped back, his mask had returned.

  “This is the only way I can help you,” he said gruffly.

  “This isn’t helping me,” I whispered.

  He blinked then turned and walked out of the room.

  ***

  My sleep was restless, so I gave up and got up early to go for a walk. Bran was snoring on the floor to the right of my door. I wondered if Drake had done something to him. I thought about leaving Bran there but decided I didn’t want to get him into trouble with Brendan. I kicked his boot. He jumped about a foot in the air, rubbing his eyes as he tried to wake up properly.

  “I’m going for a walk,” I said. “Just… letting you know.”

  I walked away, frowning when I heard the sound of Bran clumping after me. He kept his distance, though. Outside, I was about to step into the gardens when I heard a rumbling sound.

  Bran grabbed my shoulder. “Back inside.”

  “It’s probably the Silver troops arriving. No big deal.”

  “That’s a lone carriage. Inside. Now!”

  A warning bell rang. The soldiers at the gate came to attention. As Bran tried to lead me back inside, I caught a glimpse of a mud-splattered carriage pulled by an exhausted-looking dappled grey horse.

  “No flags,” a soldier murmured as he jogged out of the castle.

  My heart had begun to race. “Wait,” I said, shrugging off Bran’s hand. “Just wait a minute.”

  I recognised that carriage. It had brought me to Brendan’s castle a long time ago. Nobody had seen us then. The carriage stopped, and a black streak flew out of the window and landed on four feet.

  “Bekind!” I shrieked and broke into a run.

  The cat stayed put. I pushed past grabbing hands, leaving Bran in the dust. I didn’t care about anything but reaching that carriage. The horse was sweating profusely, its eyes wild. The carriage door was streaked with blood.

  “Bekind?” I whispered, slowing as I neared.

  I glanced back to see Brendan and Arlen coming toward me at a run. With shaking hands, I opened the door and looked inside the carriage. Smears of blood stained the floor. The faery who had taken me to Brendan when I was pregnant lay on the left seat, his arms crossed over his chest. His shirt had been ripped open, revealing a gory stomach wound.

  “Help!” I shouted. “We need help!”

  On the right bench, Líle was holding Zoe in her lap. Líle’s hair stuck straight up, and her face was splattered with blood. Zoe had a black eye, and her hands were violently trembling. In the corner of the seat, Anya huddled with a bundle clutched in her arms. Her eyes were wide as they rolled seemingly everywhere at once.

  Swallowing hard, I reached for the bundle. Anya shook her head and held on.

  “Anya,” I whispered, “it’s safe. You’re safe. You’re home. Give her to me.”

  She was still shaking her head when I took the warm bundle out of her arms. I opened the blanket to see my daughter’s peaceful sleeping face. A flush coloured her cheeks, and her thumb was in her mouth.

  The relief almost sent me reeling. Somebody held me from behind, but I didn’t look at anyone but my daughter. I pressed a kiss against her forehead and brushed her black hair away from her face, letting my fingertips linger on the patch of pure silver. Her hair looked longer, and her face had narrowed, losing some of the baby fat. I had already missed so much in such a short time. But she was safe. She was with me again, and everything would be okay. I breathed in my daughter’s scent, barely aware of what was going on around me.

  “Get them inside. Now!” Brendan barked.

  Soldiers milled around us, providing a shield in case any attackers came near. But the woods were still, and the only sounds came from Brendan’s people.

  “Cara, it’s cold,” Drake said. “Take her in—”

  Scarlet’s eyes fluttered open. More asleep than awake, she didn’t even look around before her lids closed again.

  Drake stared at her, motionless, and I realised with a start that it was the first time he had laid eyes on her. Unsure of what else to do, I brushed past him and briskly walked to the castle, shadowed by Bran. I headed for the stairs, but Bran guided me toward Brendan’s office instead.

  “He wants to contain us.” Bran spoke quietly. “Best to keep everyone together until we know what happened.”

  We were the first in the office. I sat on the edge of a chair and swayed, holding my baby and feeling a sense of completeness I had missed when we were separated.

  “So she was never here,” Bran said flatly.

  I ignored him. Brendan came in seconds later, leading Zoe. She broke away from him and flew to my side. Drake followed them.

  I wrapped my free arm around Zoe. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I don’t know what you went through, but I’m so sorry.”

  She blew out a shaky breath. “Faeries are freaking scary, Cara.”

  I looked at Brendan. He was giving commands with a hard glint in his eyes. “I know.”

  Bekind, in her cat form, jumped onto Zoe’s lap. My human friend didn’t so much as flinch. Bekind brushed her ears against my knuckles, but I was too busy watching Arlen carry Anya into the office. Líle strode in as if in a fury, a spark of life in her eyes and skin. She looked more alive than she had since we’d crossed the Black Marshes.

  “Wake everyone,” Brendan said. “Set up extra patrols.”

  “My troops are on their way,” Drake replied. “We don’t want to unnecessarily spark something.”

  Brendan glared at him, and I saw a different side to that particular king.

  Two soldiers carried in the injured faery from the carriage. He didn’t struggle, but I saw his lips moving. Servants brought in blankets, hot drinks, water, and bandages. They immediately set to tending to the wounded faery.

  Minutes later, one servant kneeling beside the faery looked up and said, “This is the best we can do until the Miacha shows up. She’s due today. If she doesn’t arrive by mid-morning, we’ll need to send for more help.”

  As the servants filed out, leaving the hurt faery resting on a blanker, Grim and Realtín slipped in. They made a beeline for Scarlet.

  “A baby,” Realtín whispered. “A real live baby.” She flew around the room, sending streams of light behind her.

  “Is he going to be okay?” I asked Brendan.

  Brendan nodded, but his jaw was tight, and I realised he wasn’t ready to talk yet. He went back to making plans with his guards.

  “He’s the one who brought me here,” I murmured to Zoe. “You didn’t see him last time.”
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  “I definitely did this time.” Zoe pinched my arm. “It’s my fault he was hurt.”

  “No,” I said firmly.

  She leaned against me and almost imperceptibly nodded at Drake. “I take it that’s the real baby daddy over there.”

  “Yep, but Brendan is who you talked to at the club.”

  Brendan looked over at us, his expression unreadable. Then, he took a seat at his desk and held out his hands. “Líle, perhaps it’s time for an update.”

  Líle nodded. “We left Cara’s grandparents’ home the morning after you did. We went on the road, moving constantly, and kept a low profile. Everything was fine. Nobody followed. We steered clear of known fae, and Bekind was able to steer us away from the lost fae. Two days ago, the first attack came.”

  “Darksiders?” Drake asked.

  “I think so. It was only one, and I dealt with her. We moved on immediately. The next attack came a couple of hours later. That time, there were three of them. Zoe—” she cleared her throat. “I mean, the human burned one with boiling water then hid the baby while I fought the others. Anya was out looking for supplies. Another attacker followed her back. She and Bekind took care of that one. We decided the human realm was too dangerous since somebody was apparently able to track us down all of a sudden, so we figured the safest bet was to return the child to her mother. We went to the nearest portal, but they were waiting for us. There was a fight. The human remembered how Cara found the faery realm last time and repeated what Cara had said back then as well as she could remember. A carriage showed up”—she jerked a thumb toward the unconscious faery—“and he helped us but got himself injured in the process. We fled, covered by his magic, but as he weakened, so did his power. We were in plain sight for the last part of the journey. There was one more attack. We survived. They didn’t.” She shrugged. “And now we’re here.”

  Brendan gave me a knowing look, obviously thinking Vix was to blame, but I wasn’t so sure. There was no way could she have found Scarlet so quickly. Somebody else had to be involved.

  “Zoe can’t stay here,” I blurted. “She’s not used to the magic. It’s dangerous.”