Page 33 of Why Broken Wings Fray

“Do I get a weapon?” I squeaked.

No one thought that was odd, except for Killian who looked at me as if I had two heads. “You? You want a weapon?”

I shrugged. “Look at you all. I feel left out.”

He grinned, the creases beside his eyes more welcoming than a rising sun. “Do you even know how to use a weapon?”

It sent a rush of thrill through me to see him so carefree once more. “Of course.” Pulling my hand from deep within my pockets, I revealed the scalpel that I had inadvertently brought with me. “See?”

For extra theatrics, I stabbed the air a few times.

“Oh, and it’s mostly iron,” he said, nodding as if he was impressed. “You could kill a fair few pixies with that.”

“Or just one.” We both relished in the snide smile that took over my face.

“Are you two done?” Ciara snapped, leaning her weight over one hip. Shea snarled and shoved at her, nearly knocking the golden-eyed pixie clean off of her balance. Unfortunately for Liam, this meant that she slammed her body against him and then punched him in the side for it.

He flashed a look of agony in my direction that made me reconsider laughing at the ordeal. Something about him was so sweet, so innocent, that I couldn’t help but think of Niamh. But as quickly as that thought came up, I swallowed it and nodded to everyone.

“Let’s go.”

~

Killian took to a whole new persona as we strode out of Cluaineach, the blinding heat and penetration of the sun rays nearly taking me to my knees. It was because of the version of himself that he became that I did not truly fall, caught at the last minute by the possessive grip he had around my shoulders.

“I’m fine, now,” I mumbled. “You can let me go.”

“Not going to happen,” he murmured, the purr to his tone undoing my pointed focus. I was about to ask him to elaborate on why he had suddenly become a fleshy shield at my side, but I didn’t have to.

The reason was obvious.

Pixies, slowly and cautiously, poked their heads out of their various homes deep within Cluaineach. Whether it was from within the stems of mushrooms, from the deep pits within the grass, or the strangely-balanced huts atop strong blades of grass, heads appeared all around us.

It was unlike the other times that I had moved through Cluaineach. Instead of them flooding the streets with their songs, dance, and merriment, that eerie cloud of sickness remained above the kingdom. But that wasn’t all – it was the look of the pixies that poked their heads out. Intrigued? Somewhat. Furious? Definitely.

Not at Shea, Ciara, or Liam who took up a somewhat defensive position in front of us. Not even at Killian, whose one arm had switched to wrap around my waist, his other gripping his sword in his hand. No, those looks of hatred and ill-wishing were directed at… me.

I could feel their gazes flaying me alive, taking all that I was and burning it into a collection of ash at my feet. I shied away from the thousands of cruel glances and instead focused on my feet, on how Killian’s step was shortened just to keep us moving at the same pace.

“Why… Why are they looking at me like that?” I whispered, partially afraid of the answer, partially afraid that speaking would be the only thing they needed to suddenly launch an attack on me.

“Do not worry about it,” Killian assured, his arm moving once more to my shoulders where he braced his large hand on the back of my head, tucking me against him as we walked.

“I want to worry about it. They look prepared to kill me, Killian. Why?”

I felt his throat bob as he swallowed, the rest of his body tensing. “There are… whispers. About you.”

I jerked away from him so violently that I nearly quickened my death as every pixie shrieked and shot back into their homes. “Me? What about?”

“They believe you to be a… Well…”

“A bad omen,” Ciara shouted just as Shea said, “A bringer of evil.”

“A… A bringer of evil,” I gasped, both of my hands moving for my chest. “That’s… that’s absurd!”

“Is it?” Ciara shot back, refusing to turn around as she led our group. “You were in Saoghal for, what? Three weeks? And destroyed it upon your departure.”

My mouth fell open at such speed I nearly swallowed a firefly that ripped by. Turning, I looked up at Killian who was nervously walking along at my side. “Do you believe that?”