“She’s killing me, darling. Make her stop!” Leanne dropped to her bony knees in front of him and extended a gnarled hand. “Kill her and we can be together.”
But Ronald recoiled from her touch. “What is she?” he asked me, finally ready to believe.
“A faerie that feeds on men like you to live an eternal life. She was also planning to rob you. I can fill in the rest of the blanks later. I only brought her to you to break the connection.” I looked at Leanne, who was now clinging to Ronald’s leg.
“She’s the monster, darling, not I. She’s a threat to you all. She’s not even a Gorgon.”
Ronald yanked his leg from her grasp. “I need you to leave now, whatever you are. You’re not welcome anymore.”
“But you love me, dearest. You told me so.”
“I loved the lies you fed me. That isn’t real love.”
Leanne’s pleading face morphed into pure rage. “You are nothing and no one! As if you could claim the heart of someone as beautiful as I am. Youarea fool, you revolting old elf.”
Ronald studied her with a pitying expression. “Goodbye, Leanne.”
I knew when he’d broken the bond because both Leanne and I were cast out of his mind at the same time. I hurtled back toward my body, a sense of satisfaction rippling through me. Ronald would now have a fighting chance for a full recovery.
The air shifted as reality bent. I heard awhooshingsound, followed by a painful crack on the side of my head.
Weightless and disoriented, I fell back into the void.
My head throbbed.I opened my eyes and saw an unfamiliar canopy overhead. “Where am I?” I murmured.
“Good, you’re awake.” Vale sat in a chair beside the bed. “This is one of my guest rooms. I hope you don’t mind. It didn’t seem safe to transport you back to the island in your condition.”
I struggled to remember. “What’s my condition?”
“You got whacked hard across the head. You don’t remember?”
“Was it Leanne?”
He nodded. “I was surprised she was able to lift a tree branch in her condition, but she got one good smack in before she collapsed.”
“Where is she now?”
“Where she belongs. What happened? Why did she look as emaciated as her victims?”
“Ronald severed their connection. I think it drained all her energy.” It was close enough to the truth.
“Drained more than her energy. She looked like a corpse bride.”
Words were slow to form. “What happened to you? Why didn’t you chase after us?”
“Turns out she wasn’t alone in the house. We captured two accomplices, but not without a scuffle first.”
“Never without a scuffle first.” I surveyed the interior. “Nice room. Surprisingly light and airy.”
“What’s surprising about it?”
“I don’t know. I expected dark wood-paneled walls and heavy drapes, I guess.”
“The house has been updated since its original ownership.”
“When was the last time?”
“Ten years ago, when I claimed the seat.”
