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“Brutal fae males, and human females,” Fovea said. The words rang through the forest, and if we hadn’t already scared off all the birds by the fact that we were damned predators, I was sure they would’ve hit the skies. “After days of discussion and consideration, we have made a decision.”
More silence followed.
I nearly rolled my eyes.
Fovea was putting on a damn show, and she knew it.
“I will mate with one of your strongest brutals; a member of your Wild Hunt. We will determine whether or not the female harsh truly can bring life by attempting it ourselves—and whether there is merit to these new ways your human females have introduced.”
Shocked murmurs rolled through the crowd.
Ervo’s chest rumbled unhappily at my side.
My gaze landed on Sunny and Dots. The blood had drained from both of their faces, leaving their skin ashen.
My stomach clenched for both of them.
Her voice rang out one last time. “Bring me your Wild Hunt. The unmated among them will fight for the right to be my mate.”
The drum-beating resumed, slower this time.
“They assume you’re still unmated,” I murmured to Ervo.
“And we will prove them wrong.” He swept me up against his chest, and then dove out of the tree.
My arms and legs wrapped around him, and I bit back a scream as we spiraled to the ground. He landed lightly—so lightly that I didn’t even understand how—and then strode toward the line with me clinging to him like I didn’t have my own damn wings.
I tried to get free, but he held me firmly as he walked.
The whole crowd was silent as we joined the other Wild Hunt members who had already gathered.
Lian had January’s waist in a death grip as they stood side-by-side.
North looked like she had physically put herself between Priel and the other women, and his arms were around her middle, holding her tightly to his chest as if he was holding her back from them, stopping her from charging at them.
Nev and Teris stood near me and Ervo, while Sunny and Dots had shoved their way up to January’s side.
And, I realized, they were all looking at me and Ervo.
My face heated, but when I whispered for him to put me down, he whispered back a simple “no” and his grip on me tightened.
I gave up on fighting him, rolling my eyes toward January as if to say “men”.
Her lips twitched toward a smile.
“There are only two unmated members of the Wild Hunt remaining,” North said to Fovea. “You can ask them if they would be willing to fight for the right to mate with you, but it’s their choice. We’re seelie; we don’t force anyone to do a damn thing they don’t want to.”
Growls of agreement rolled through the crowd.
Fovea’s eyes glittered with anger.
I didn’t think she was excited about the prospect of taking a mate, honestly.
Nev, I thought, would probably fight. He was the strategic one, so he could definitely imagine the potential good that could come from having a male fae connected to the females. And he and Dots both considered themselves just friends—though she seemed to believe it more than he did.
From what I knew of Teris, he was waiting for love, but spent plenty of time staring at Sunny and protecting her.
So… he probably wouldn’t fight.
