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“I might, at that. Are you willing to find out then?” The woman crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes shooting daggers, and Rian found himself warming to her. He’d always admired strong women.
“How do you know I’m Fae?” Rian avoided her comment about blood being spilled. He wasn’t in the habit of making promises he couldn’t keep.
“The lot of you are easy enough to spot, and that’s the truth of it. What with your glow and all.” The woman waved a hand in the air, and amusement filled Rian. His glow?
“Is that right? You’re the first I’ve met who sees this glow. Dare I say that you’re not of this world either?” Rian rocked back on his heels as he studied her.
“Oh, I’m more of this world than yourself. You’ll not be troubling yourself with my lineage unless you cross me. On you go then. I’ve plans for my day, and they don’t include mopping up Fae blood.”
“You’re so certain it would be my blood?” Rian arched an eyebrow.
“Is that a threat?”
Rian turned as the ocean roared behind him, and he was shocked to see the once peaceful water now roiling with vicious waves. Dark clouds thundered across the horizon, and Rian’s admiration grew. One who could summon the weather was certainly a friend of the Fae.
“Not today. I’ll just be on my way then.” Rian held up his hands as though he was acknowledging defeat. It wouldn’t do him any good to pick a fight with this woman, whatever she was, when he’d already obtained the information he needed. Giving her a mocking bow, he turned and strolled toward his car.
When his heartsong rippled across the water, the sea breezes delivering it to him with a kiss, Rian skidded to a halt. Whirling, he discovered the meadow behind him empty. Did this woman know his fated mate? Never had he heard it sung, and now his heart split in two, aching for a love that he could never know.
Biting his lip, Rian closed his eyes and mentally imagined frost forming around his heart until the promise of new love was frozen over by a thick layer of ice. There, that was better. With no emotions to speak of, Rian would be free to continue on his task for the Domnua.
Turning, he strode across the field and never looked back.
5
“Why do you sing his heartsong?”Bianca asked, the pretty blonde stuffing her pack for their journey.
“I never have before. I’m hoping to confuse him, maybe break through to him a bit, and to lure him closer. It’s powerful magick, our heartsong, and he should be helpless to resist it,” Terra explained.
When she’d returned to the castle, Terra had met with Callum, Lily, Bianca, and Seamus. Callum had agreed to lend her the support of Bianca and Seamus, but the other Elemental Fae leaders needed to stick close. Now that they were aware that the Domnua were infiltrating their villages, high level power was needed to protect against the Dark Fae.
“And you’re hoping to use your feminine wiles to bed him and convince him to abandon his plan to steal the amulet?” Bianca surprised Terra by holding her hand out for a high five. Bewildered, Terra tapped her palm.
“Um, I’m not sure I would have looked at it exactly like that?” Terra crinkled her brow.
“Whoops, sorry. Is that disrespectful to your heartsong and all? Saying that you’ll use hot sex to stun the enemy into submission?” Bianca’s bright blue eyes were hopeful and, despite herself, Terra chuckled.
“I suppose it could be a weapon of choice if need be,” Terra said. She didn’t like the thought of using a fated mate bond for ulterior motives, but these weren’t normal times.
“Men have used it against women for centuries. No reason not to flip the script,” Bianca mused, her face lighting up when Seamus entered the room.
“That’s me all set,” Seamus said, dropping a kiss on Bianca’s lips. A flutter of something … not jealousy, more like longing, moved through Terra. Though she was well used to being on her own, often preferring it, there was something about the easy confidence of a well-balanced union between two people who clearly adored each other that made her reconsider the benefits of having a partner. Granted, she suspected that a union between her and Rian would be anything but easy, but that wasn’t for her to decide.
The Fates had their whims.
“Did you want to have a team meeting before we go?” Bianca asked, closing her pack and putting it on the table in front of them. They had met in an interior lounge room of one of the apartments in the castle, and a fire crackled merrily in the hearth, while soft music played in the background. Rich velvet tapestries hung on the marble walls, and soft furniture meant for lounging and other activities was scattered through the large room.
“A team meeting?” Terra crinkled her brow, marveling at the words. The word team was not really used often in her world.
“You know, to just talk about our goals and how we plan to achieve them? An action plan?”
“My love does so enjoy action plans. If I show her a neatly written to-do list, it’s like foreplay,” Seamus said, grinning down at Bianca.
“He’s not wrong.” Bianca sighed and clapped her hands in front of her chest. “So tell us … how can we serve?”
“Have you been briefed on Rian?” Terra asked, turning from where she was double-checking her pack to make sure she had her treasured magicks with her. The dagger remained strapped to her leg, though she’d moved it higher to her thigh. A slit cut in the pocket of her dress allowed her easy access to the blade if needed.
“Just that he’s your fated mate and he’s been exiled,” Seamus said, scratching his shock of red hair. The man was like a lanky sapling, Terra mused, and she suspected his strength was likely often underestimated.
