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“Oh. That’s sweet,” Raven said, her eyes caught on the tiny beasts who were now rolling in the grass. “They’re seriously cute. I mean, when they’re adults they are stunning and gorgeous and stately, but the little ones? They’re kind of chubby and roly-poly aren’t they?”
“They are. The baby fat burns off fairly quickly,” Kellen said, a note of amusement in his voice.
A flash of silver caught Raven’s eyes and she turned, a ripple of unease setting the fine hairs at the back of her neck standing. Reaching for the knife she’d tucked in her waistband, she turned from the pasture and stalked toward where she’d seen the light.
“What are you doing? We need to find Callum and get our plan together,” Kellen insisted, keeping pace with her. “I don’t have time to be chasing you all over. The tour portion of your day is through.”
“Domnua,” Raven hissed, and Kellen snapped into alert mode. Immediately, he positioned himself in front of her, and she almost tripped over his long legs and smacked her forehead into his muscular back.
“What the hell? Get out of my way.”
“That’s a hard no, darling. You’re not facing off Domnua in front of me. I’ll be the one protecting you,” Kellen’s voice had a cool undercurrent that somehow managed to both infuriate and arouse Raven. She dug an elbow into his back and poked her head around his arm, annoyed that he was blocking her view.
A sound came from behind her and the unease grew. Turning, Raven sucked in her breath. A wall of Domnua now separated them from the stables.
“Kellen.”
“I’ll not be arguing about this, Raven. Pipe down and let me handle it.”
“Kellen,” Raven said again, urgency in her voice.
“Hush, woman.”
Raven rolled her eyes and bounced the knife back and forth between her hands, waiting for the Domnua to make their move. Behind them, the pasture had emptied, and Raven could only assume that the Alicorns had spirited the babies away to safety. At least she hoped so. Otherwise, she’d have to murder these Dark Fae several times over if they’d hurt one of the chubby baby Alicorns.
When Kellen let out a shout and leapt toward the Domnua, Raven did the same, knowing that he truly had no clue what they were up against. Typical man, thinking he had it all handled. Well, she'd just have to show him what she was made of, wouldn’t she? Now that she was well-rested, Raven felt much more up for a fight.
“Well then, boys, let’s see what you’ve got.” Raven beckoned with one hand, lifting her chin with a smile. When the first jumped at her, she easily swept his feet out from under him and followed the movement with a knife to the back. Instantly, he dissolved in a puddle of silvery blood.
“Is that the way of it then? One stab and you guys explode? That’s a precarious livelihood, isn’t it? Or does it just matterwhereI stab you?” Raven beckoned the next forward and repeated the exact same maneuver. She came up, shaking her head in disbelief as a third followed the same pattern.
“You guysaredumb. I wonder how the Dark Goddess feels having such a stupid army. Is this just like, a battle of numbers then? Or does she send the eejits out first to test the waters or to see the weak points?” Raven slashed her way through a few more, humming cheerfully as she pivoted and kicked one in the back. Honestly, this was almost like a good workout. It was only when an arm came around her throat that her fun stopped.
“Damn it,” Raven swore. Dropping her weight, she pulled the Domnua over her shoulder and flipped him to the ground, following with a stab between the eyes. Well, at least she felt like that is what she did. She couldn’t quite bring herself to look at where she’d stabbed. She was tough, but even she wasn’t a ‘stab a person in the face and laugh’ kind of tough.
At Kellen’s shout, Raven turned and realized just how outnumbered he, well,theywere. While he was certainly holding his own, the Domnua were being far more brutal with him than they were with her. Blood seeped from a cut on Kellen’s forehead, and he stumbled back when a blade sliced his arm.
“Riker!” Raven wasn’t sure why she’d called for the Alicorn, but it was the first thought that popped in her head as she ducked around the Domnua posturing in front of her, and raced toward Kellen. Surprising two of the creatures that had snuck up on him, she neatly drove her knife into each of their backs before whirling and pressing her own back to Kellen’s. A large circle formed around them, but none of the Dark Fae moved again.
“Why did they stop?” Kellen asked, the muscles of his back heaving as he caught his breath.
“I don’t know,” Raven murmured. It had been like this the last few times she’d run into them as well. It was as though they wanted to tell her something. Raven could feel it in her bones. But now, a shriek split the air and Raven’s eyes widened as Riker descended upon them, his wings fully outstretched, hooves in the air, his mouth open in an otherworldly scream. Fire shot from his horn like laser bolts, mowing down several of the Dark Fae, and Raven could have cheered in amazement. This was how she knew she was on the side of the good, Raven decided, when a miraculous beast such as Riker was willing to come to her defense.
When several of the army turned and brought arrows up, pointing them at Riker, Raven’s heart skipped a beat. He wore no shield, even though Kellen had promised her he’d spoken with the Alicorns about protection. It was her fault. She’d called to Riker before he’d had time to protect himself.
So she did what she always did when she was in trouble.
Raven used her voice.
Pulling deep, she grabbed onto whatever that thing was inside her that made her powerful, and she screamed.
“Stop it! Stop this instant. Drop your weapons.”
Instantly the Domnua did what she said, dropping their knives and bows.
“Raven. What’s happening?” Kellen asked.
“Shh, just let me see if this will hold,” Raven hissed. She held her hands out in front of her like she was conducting a sermon.
