Her head lowered. “It is a long tale. For another time, perhaps.”
I shoved my questions aside, coming to one conclusion. “Arthur didn’t know the Beast hunted for the Underfae.”
“He did not.”
“And what is the cost of him returning here?”
Her eyes met mine. “Death of the man inside the Beast.”
I moved swiftly, positioning myself between her and the Beast, the dagger drawn, pointed right between her ribs. “You will save his life, not take it.”
Her laugh echoed around us, madness seeping from her acrid breath. “You cannot harm me, Ravenfae Goddess.”
“No. But your children are not safe in my presence.” Before she could stop me, I threw a vial from my pocket. It hit the cavern ceiling, shattering with silver smoke pouring over her children, the distant sound of music chiming through the cavern.
“NO!” she screamed, sprinting faster than I would have thought possible as they began to fall, one after the other after the other. Bones snapped and her screaming continued.
“Be ready to leave quickly,” I said to Piffle, who nodded rapidly, sticking close to the Beast, still prone on the floor with labored breaths.
“Curses are never delivered to the Underfae, Ishtak, now why is that?” I picked up the hem of my skirts, taking slow, deliberate steps toward her and her children broken on thefloor. “What questions the Goddesses of the Veil might ask… What interest they might have if I care to tell them the tale of my visit to you.”
“What have you done to them!” she screamed.
The Underfae that had fallen lay before her, knocked unconscious but alive.
“Heal him. Allow us passage through this corridor, and I will leave a letter at the entrance detailing their curse.”
“And how to break it?”
“Yes.”
“The Beast must stay,” she demanded. “He must continue to roam the land of Heartstone and drink the blood he craves to feed my children.”
“For three months of the year.”
“Six.”
“Done.”
She rose from the floor and I counted the Underfae the curse had captured. Twelve of her children lay sprawled across the flecks of black, which I’d come to realize was dried blood. The change over them had already begun and it became more imperative that we leave as quickly as possible.
Ishtak made quick work of the vein at her wrist, biting into her skin, ripping flesh and allowing a stream of her dark blood to pour into the Beast’s maw.
She stepped back as he stirred. “Go. Do not repeat what you have seen.” She flicked her hand toward Piffle. “He will not be able to speak about it and your husband will not remember it. Do not seek me out again, Reshina.”
“No, Ishtak. When the time comes, it is you who will seek me.”
With the last of my words, the Beast had released himself back to Arthur, his wound closed, his chest steadily breathing. I pulled him up to sit, taking one of his arms over my shoulder. His head leaned on mine, his eyes closed as if he was stumbling around in a dream.
With the guidance of Piffle’s candlelight, we trekked down the corridor one last time. The Underfae gave us a wide birth, but watched carefully with their eyes of black, sharp fangs glinting in the light.
When we made it through the entrance and finally stepped back into the great hall, Arthur stumbled, falling onto the black marble floor. His eyes blinked open, focusing on my face. “Another dream?”
I laughed, allowing my tears to stream freely. With hands caked in blood, I brushed the golden hair from his forehead. “No. No, it is not, but I must tell you something.”
He blinked again, tears pooling in his eyes.
I kissed his lips soft and slow. “I love you,” I whispered there, drawing back to watch his face.
