AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He scoffs and disappears. I flail around, searching for him, but he’s gone invisible and incorporeal as well. With a snarl, I turn and stalk into the cave to find him next to her. She’s still asleep. His eyes are on the dress and his eyes glitter in anger as he raises the fur and looks underneath.
‘It’s not what it looks like,’ I mutter, feeling Dane at my back.
‘It looks like you fucked my Harbinger,’ he snarls low, clearly trying not to wake her.
‘She’s not yours!’ I hiss.
‘I told you I was going to fuck her,’ he whispers petulantly. He points at me. ‘You told me not to, and the first chance you get, you take her maidenhead. I should kill you, you cunt!’
‘Come and try!’ I spit.
He jumps to his feet and pushes me hard. I snarl at him and rush at him, pushing him back.
But then Lia makes a sound, and our argument is forgotten. Kallum’s on his knees beside her inside a second.
‘You need to sort this out,’ Dane says from behind me.
‘He’ll cool off,’ I mutter. ‘With time.’
‘We don’t have any. He’ll be here soon.’
My stomach drops so suddenly that I’m afraid I’m going to retch all over Dane’s boots.
‘What are you talking about?’ I ask faintly.
‘The Breach brought us over four circles yesterday,’ Dane says, his eyes avoiding mine. ‘That councilor was right. The tide was very strong.’
‘We’re in the fourth circle already,’ I say, not able to get my voice above a whisper. ‘You contacted him.’
‘Yes. As soon as we arrived. It won’t be long.’
I glance back to see Kallum handing Lia the dress I pulled off her last night before … I thought we’d have more time before we had to give her back. We should have had weeks.
‘Did you tell him?’
‘No.’
My heart pounds hard in my chest. The beast paces through my mind. I don’t want to let her go.
But I hear horses. They’re close.
I want to tell her, warn her.
It’s too late.
I hear a voice, and I see Kallum freeze. His eyes snap to Dane.
‘No,’ he snarls low, the betrayal in his eyes making me look away.
Dane turns without a word and leaves the cave.
I don’t look at Lia, but I know she’s confused as Kallum stalks after him. I leave the cave as well, just in time.
There are five fae just arriving on horseback. Varrik’s at the front, followed by Grith and three others I don’t know.
I thought I’d feel happy and elated, but as I look back at Lia emerging from the cave and see the dawning horror in her eyes, I feel sick with dread.
Varrik and the others dismount, and Varrik claps Dane on the back with a chuckle.
‘I was surprised to get your message,’ he says. ‘It’s been a long time.’
He looks at Lia, whose now carefully blank gaze is on Dane, gleefully taking her in. I notice Grith doing the same, but his eyes are alight with a far different and more possessive emotion that makes me want to shift and tear his throat out.
Varrik approaches Lia with a smile. ‘I’ve missed you, my little Harbinger.’
* * *
