Page 28 of Facade

“If he says he’ll protect you, then I assure you that every being in the kingdom would die before someone would dare lay a finger on you.”

Yes, I know. He’s already proven that.

“I need to get out there myself!” he said, abruptly ending the conversation.

“You’re going to fight with them?” I didn't bother hiding my shock.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world! I haven’t had a decent fight in over a millennium.”

I gaped at him, dumbfounded, forgetting all decorum. “A millennium? What are you?”

“My Queen, I’m unique.” He winked, then bolted through the door.

What the hell is he? A millennium? Even the Fae had a limit on their lives, albeit a long one. There’s no being I could think of that would have a millennium and not look a day over thirty.

The window was high, so I stretched up on my toes—glimpses of steel flashed under the sliver of moonlight, along with eerily pale beings that darted around at impossible speeds.

Morbid curiosity urged me to go out that door, but I also didn’t want to piss Aiden off more. Disappointment crept in as I turned for the stairs—the markings of ink around my wrists and ankles tingled. Then they burned so hot, it’s what I’d imagine Dragon fire to feel like. I slammed my palm against the wall, a strangled cry ripping free.

“Dammit!”

The sting in my hand was nothing compared to the invisible lava on my limbs.

Curses streamed uncontrollably under my breath as I bolted out the door.

Growls and hissing echoed, but they were far off in the trees. Sickening sounds of bone and flesh being severed slithered through the air, but no clashing of metal. The skurs would have no use for steel when their teeth, claws, and speed were their weapons.

The scorching pain ebbed in my limbs the closer I got to the edge of the porch, but not enough—my mouth clamped shut, forcing myself to swallow the scream that threatened to break free.

An ear-piercing shriek sounded to my left.

My head whipped toward the awful sound—a human figure stood on the outside of the fence… no, it wasn’t human. Its skin was too pale, nearly glowing. The way its head flicked in a stiff, methodical manner made the hair on my arms rise. Long canines flashed as it hissed, that head still twitching in every direction as it sniffed.

I scurried to the adjacent pillar, my pulse roaring in my ears. Horror should've been the feeling to plague me rather than fascination. The pain from Cressida’s marks lessened a little more, but my muscles stayed tense as I watched the creature, unmoving despite the carnage that seemed to be happening deeper within the woods.

Out of nowhere, a wolf with brown fur, three sizes too large crossed the courtyard and lunged beyond the fence, snarling as he tore into the skur.

My jaw went slack.

A Werewolf. There’s been a damn Werewolf traveling with us.

The skur moved with unnatural speed. I thought it would rip that wolf in half, but the wolf matched every move—leaping aside as the skur's claws sliced through empty air. The wolf jumped back, teeth bared in a growl that could shake mountains. The skur pounced—my hand flew to my mouth, covering my gasp, expecting the worst—but the wolf leaped over the skur, turned and locked its teeth around the monster’s throat.

The skur bucked and screamed, clawing at the wolf’s head, but before it could inflict actual damage, the wolf bit down, snapping the skur’s head clean off and tossing it to the side. Black gore dripped from his maw as he howled, then charged into the woods.

Adrenaline bled into my system as I stared at the remains.

My fingers dug into the pillar—

Another shriek sounded right ahead. Every nerve in my body felt like little knives poking me from the inside.

A skur had made it inside the fence.

My throat grew dry as I slowly moved backward, but my markings lit up again.

Shit, shit, shit.

Pain and fear held me in place. Going inside wasn’t an option with the damn proximity spell. If I tried to leave the porch, the skur would see me. I was stuck.