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His nostrils flare. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“I would.” Gareth holds up his palm. “I would use this hand and rip your balls off as if they were two ripe jubaran fruits, then toss them aside for the buzzards.”
The unicorn shakes his head and stamps his front hooves. “Mental image not necessary. By the Great Horn, you’re a maniac.”
“Keep that in mind as we ride to the Abyss.” With a quick motion, Gareth lifts me onto Horse’s back. “Get situated, I’ll grab the supplies.” He turns, his wide back flexing beneath his white tunic.
“He wouldn’t do that to you.” I pat the unicorn’s mane. “He’s just sort of—”
“A brute?”
“I was going to say stern.”
He nickers.
“Good Horse.” I settle back into the saddle.
“Iridiel,” he mumbles. “That’s my name. I mean, it’s short for a more glorious name that only unicorns can pronounce, but you get the idea.”
“I’m Beth, and my grumbly fae is Gareth. Lovely to meet you.”
“Yeah, yeah. Just try not to dig your heels into my sides, and lay off my mane. When it gets tangled, it can be a real bitch to deal with.”
I pull my hand back. “All right.”
He turns his head so one big cerulean eye is looking at me. “And your mating scent is going to have me mounting that mare over there. Can you close your legs? Ride side-saddle?”
“Her scent isn’t for you.” Gareth tosses a set of bags across Iridiel’s back and fastens them tight. “It’s for me. Keep your snout to yourself.”
Iridiel huffs. “Fine, but she can’t keep that heat to herself. I’m getting a warm spot on my back even through the saddle. Straight from her sweet spot. Feels so good.” He nickers.
Gareth tenses.
I wince. “Gareth, he’s just trying to bait you. Don’t—”
“I’ve never punched a unicorn, but I’m more than willing to start.” He circles around to Iridiel’s front.
“Guys, don’t. We need to be a team for this trek. Come on.” I pat Iridiel’s side. “We can all get along.”
“I can get along better if you grab ahold of my horn and—”
Thunk. The beast shudders beneath me and lets out a hard neigh when Gareth’s fist makes contact with his snout.
“Gareth!” I pat Iridiel and give Gareth a murderous glare. “I’m so sorry. He didn’t mean that.”
Chastain and Silmaran are laughing. Parnon’s rolling his eyes. And I’m trying to comfort the unicorn while Gareth simmers.
“I know he didn’t mean it. Barely felt it. Like the whisper of a dragonfly wing. An impotent one.” Iridiel stamps his hooves again. “But I’m afraid I’m going to have to kick the shit out of your mate and then ram my horn up his ass.”
“No!” I swing my leg over and slide down his side, then rush to get between him and Gareth.
“Gareth, apologize.” I pet Iridiel’s nose. “I’m so sorry. Does it hurt bad?”
Iridiel dips his head. “It’d feel better if you touched my horn.”
Gareth growls. “I’m going to knock you out this time.”
“Stop, both of you!” I’ve had it. “That is the end of it. Gareth, you will not hit Iridiel. Iridiel, you will take us to the Abyss. You two will not fight! Now, Gareth, apologize for hitting him.”
“I don’t think—”
“I said apologize!” I howl.
“Fine. My apologies,” he grumbles out.
Iridiel snorts but doesn’t make an attempt to kick Gareth or impale him on his horn. I have to take the little victories.
“Thank you.” I give Iridiel’s muzzle one more pat before taking Gareth’s hand and leading him to the unicorn’s side. “Okay. Let’s get going.”
Chastain is astride his unicorn, Parnon sits in a wagon pulled by two mules, and the rest of the company are on unicorns or in the back of the wagon along with the supplies. Gareth puts me on Iridiel’s back again, then climbs up behind me. Iridiel curses but seems to bear our weight with ease.
“My heart will be here with you. Please take care of it while I’m gone.” Chastain gives Silmaran a smile.
“Come back for it as soon as you can. Otherwise, I might accidentally sell it at the market or lose it in a fountain.”
Chastain grins and leans down to catch her hand and press a kiss to it. “As you command.”
Her lip trembles, but she doesn’t cry, then raises her voice for all to hear. “Be safe, all of you, and take our hope with you to those who need it most.”
Gareth wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me tight to his chest as he handles the reins. “Here we go, my beloved. To the Abyss where mortals and immortals fear to tread. Are you ready?”
I put my hand over his as Iridiel saunters toward the winding road outside Cranthum. “As long as I’m with you, I think I can handle it.”
He kisses my shoulder. “My fearless changeling. The Ancestors bless me far beyond what I deserve.”
Heart. Melts. To. Goo.
“Can you fingerbang her or something to keep me interested? The lovey dovey stuff is boring and this journey is going to be long and—”
A solid kick from Gareth shuts Iridiel’s mouth as we leave the city behind, forge a new way ahead, and embrace the unknown.
11
Gareth
The road is long and hot, and by the time the sun begins to set, Beth is weary in my arms. She sways with Iridiel’s motion, her head lolling against my chest.
Chastain rides beside me, the dunes on either side of us giving way to peculiar vines that seem to slither over the sand. The horizon is darker, a distant set of craggy peaks promising trouble as the sand ends and a new world begins. Soon after that, the world will disappear altogether, sunken into the blackest pit on the face of Arin.
“You’ve travelled through the Abyss?” I keep my voice as low as I can. Not that it matters, a snore escapes Beth’s mouth as we canter along the road.
Chastain shakes his head. “No. Never. But Parnon and several of the fighters have. They know the way.”
“Isn’t there more than one way?” I’ve heard about the Abyss through tales and warnings, but I don’t have a true idea of
what it is or what dangers lurk there.
“There are more ways than I can count, but all except one lead to disaster. The right way is guarded by slavers and far worse things.”
“Worse than slavers?” Beth stretches. “Nothing worse than that.”
“Slavers won’t eat you. Some of the things in that hole will.” Iridiel shivers. “There’s a huge roiling ball of evil that lives at the bottom. It’s a shape shifter that can take any form it chooses. When it’s hungry, it will fly up from the depths in the form of a beautiful Pegasus, or whatever form you find most pleasing, but the moment you approach it, the monster turns into a gaping maw full of teeth and gobbles you up whole.”
“You’re kidding.” Beth turns around, her eyes wide. “He’s kidding, right?”
“We call that one Subcinctus. Sub, for short.” A freed slave, Baralja, still bearing the black bands of his master rides on our other side. “I saw it devour three slaves in one gulp.” He scrubs a hand down his dark beard. “I still have nightmares.”
“Sheesh.” Beth winces. “But that’s the worst of it, right? If we can get past that, then—”
“The worst, they say, is the fall.” Chastain guides his unicorn around a creeping vine that inches along the road. “Of course, no one has come back from it, but apparently the fall is so long as to be endless, and the entire time, you’re contemplating your death in pitch blackness as you plummet.”
Baralja holds up a finger. “And don’t forget the spiders.”
“Spiders?” Beth clutches her upper arms and rubs them vigorously.
“That’s enough.” I click my tongue so that Iridiel moves faster. “I think we get the idea.” Do I want Beth to turn back? Yes. Do I want her utterly terrified? No. And though Chastain and Baralja are well-meaning, it’s probably best that we discuss the horrors of the Abyss when Beth isn’t listening.
“I can handle it.” She straightens her spine. “I can’t read you through the bond, but I can tell you’re trying to keep me from hearing the rest.”
“Sharp one, she is.” Iridiel huffs.
“Shut your yap, beast.” I give him a light kick.
