Allegiance (40 page)

‘He didn’t question you on this?’ King Telophy asked as we sat around the conference table. ‘I would expect there to be some trust issues.’

‘He did look a bit surprised, but I don’t think he dared ask questions,’ Jack said.

King Telophy shook his head. ‘Either he cannot confuse you or trusts you so completely he hasn’t even tried. I hope it’s the former but I fear it’s the latter. Take special care tonight. Send the Shadow Fae away before you speak with their king, but realise—even though you won’t see them, they
will
be present and watching when Leif makes his appearance. They must believe you to be on their side. Give them no clue you are not. If they suspect you, they
will
turn on you.’

‘So leave Leif to it?’ Jack asked.

‘Yes, and remember, even if my son is overpowered, he has only to call for me and I will be there with my grandfathers in less than a minute.’

The meeting finished soon after that and while Hilary went with Jack to see Ameyah, Leif and I decided to rest before the night ahead. My betrothed gathered me hard into his arms when we got to his room, and our hearts sped against each other. Considering the tension in our bodies, it was impossible to know which of us was setting the pace—probably both. We spent the next hour or so whispering as we held each other, Leif at one moment assuring me all would be well and the next going over the plan yet again. We fell quiet eventually—but neither of us got much rest.

Before darkness fell, Leif flew with me to a meadow far from his father’s castle. Jack came with us, transported by two of King Telophy’s guard. They alighted with him, wished us well and then left. I glanced around. Vast patches of white and yellow flowers spread across the ground, nodding in the breeze and perfuming
the air. Amongst them, clumps of pale rock sprouted—smooth and jagged and rising to rough points. Little doors and windows were carved into many, but most were uninhabited. We followed the stream weaving amongst them, searching for the best hiding place for Leif. Eventually, we found it on the other side—a larger than usual group of the little rock tents, none of which were home to any Fae. After kissing me and assuring me all would be well, Leif flew across the water and hunkered down amongst them, covering himself with the cloak he’d brought with him.

Jack and I settled on a spot nearby. Buried amongst the rocks, Leif was entirely invisible.

Jack caught my eyes and lifted the rope he’d brought with him. ‘Ready?’ he asked.

I began to shiver.
What if something went wrong?
Possibilities whirled in my head like nightmares and my trembling increased. ‘I’m frightened,’ I whispered.

Jack pulled me into his arms. ‘Do you think I’d let anything happen to you?’ he asked. ‘Do you think Leif would?’

I lifted my eyes back to his. ‘Promise, Jack?’

The confidence seemed to slip from his features as he watched me, leaving behind creases in his forehead and worry in his eyes. ‘Sweetheart… you don’t
have
to do this.’ And then a look of determination took over his face. He dropped the rope and caught my hand. ‘Come on, let’s get Leif and go back.’

Oh, it was tempting! And nobody would hold it against me. Leif would just scoop me into his powerful arms and kiss me softly, tell me we would find another way—a
safer
way… And tonight more people would disappear, and tomorrow night, and the night after that until we eventually found that safer way.

I took a deep breath and shook my hand from Jack’s, linked it with my other and raised them to him. ‘No, I’m good… just a bit nervous. I’m ready now.’

‘You sure?’ He looked anything but ready himself.

‘Gosh, Jack, hurry up before I change my mind!’ I thrust my wrists at him.

He watched my hands for a moment longer then picked up the shorter piece of rope, tied it around my wrists and made a fake knot—testing it several times to make sure I could free myself. When he was satisfied, he wound the longer piece around my body, binding my wings inside. Not that I could have used them to escape anyway. I’d tried them this morning and they were as useless as ever. But the Shadow King wouldn’t know that.

Once we were prepared we sat down and waited for darkness, Jack’s hand curled around the dagger sheathed at his side. It seemed like an hour had passed but it couldn’t have been more than half, my fear growing despite Jack’s reassurance and the silent conversation I kept up with Leif.

The moment the sun had dipped behind the mountains and every spark of day was gone, leaving behind the glow of sunstones down the stream and a net of shining stars above, the Shadow Fae began to gather. Those with enough sun to fly came across the sky from every direction and those without crept like shadows over the ground. Soon a huge crowd had formed and the eerie glow of their eyes surrounded us.

I sat by Jack’s feet, shivering—a little glowing beacon in the black night. Jack gathered the creatures to the front of him, then spoke to them of the coming of the long darkness—how it would be a time of great feasting for the Shadow Fae, a time when the Fae would be completely at their mercy. By the time the sun shone again every one of the Fae would be made a slave.

As he talked, I watched the Shadow Fae. Everywhere I looked their eyes were fixed on me. And oh, they were so hungry! I could
feel
their desire to devour me; sense their need. Occasionally they would creep forward but Jack would only have to roar for them to
scurry back again. It took all of my strength not to wrap my arms around his nearest leg and grip on tight.

Then all at once, in one fluid movement, like a school of fish changing direction, every pair of eyes left me and went to the sky. I looked up to see a red streak against the night—a firework, shooting sparks into the dark and heading straight for us. I scuttled behind Jack, trembling harder still as the Shadow King alighted before my friend and went directly to his knees. Then, keeping his head inclined so his god wouldn’t notice, Mirresen flicked his eyes up and to the side, capturing mine where they peeked out behind Jack’s legs.

My mind became a whirlpool. I could hear the murmur of the crowd, Jack speaking about final gifts, Leif in my mind mentioning something about grand entrances—but I couldn’t take any of it in. It was like every word, every sound, was immediately sucked into oblivion. All I could focus on was this king before me—beautiful, gleaming, spectacular. The only difference between him and every other Fae king I’d met so far were the smudge-like shadows beneath his glittering eyes. I started to float as everything around me began to blur. And then I could only see him—his eyes, his power. And I wanted him. I heard a voice whisper to my mind,
Stay back, stay quiet, let no one know you’re mine.
But oh, how I wanted him to devour me. I wanted him to take the sharp cut diamond that swung from his neck and slash an opening in my throat. I wanted him to take me in his arms, cover the wound with his mouth and feed from me. I yearned for him to take my sun. Shivers fizzed through my blood like soda—sparkling liquid excitement. I threw my head back and stretched my neck to him.

But then through this giddy ecstasy, I could hear Jack roaring, his voice breaking through, commanding the Shadow King to get out of my head, to get down and beg forgiveness. Mirresen threw
himself to the ground and I cried out as my mind snapped back. I was trembling so hard I could hear my teeth clattering together. Resisting the urge to free myself from Jack’s bonds and run, I curled into myself, burying my face in my knees.

It’s all right, Marla, I’m here with you,
Leif said.

I would have let him kill me.
The words were a mere whisper in my mind.

He won’t try it again. He’s probably right now marvelling at Jack’s amazing abilities.

But how did Jack know?

You stopped speaking with me. I told my father who in turn told Jack.

‘Enough,’ I heard Jack tell the Shadow King. I looked up to see Mirresen prostrate before him, kissing his feet. ‘Return to your knees and show me your gift. I need to see how you honour me before I turn either the dagger
or
the Sun King’s queen over to you. And no more of your tricks. Nobody is aware she is missing, but at any moment I might remove the spell I have placed on her.’

The Shadow King moved to open the bag he’d brought with him.

Jack held his hand up to stop him. ‘Wait,’ he said, then looked out to the crowd. ‘Leave us,’ he bellowed. Immediately the shadow creatures backed up and slunk into darkness. Mirresen released the drawstring and took out a bow, partner to the arrows of the night before. He laid it at Jack’s feet. Before he had time to even straighten, a flash of light shot towards us. Mirresen must have sensed the movement but instead of turning to confront the source, he dove for me, drawing a knife from its scabbard at his side. His speed easily matched Leif’s and before my betrothed could reach him, Mirresen had dragged me into his arms and brought the knife to my throat.

‘Stay back or she dies,’ he roared, ignoring Jack’s demands for me to be given back to him.

Leif stopped, little more than a metre from me.

‘We have less than a minute before help arrives, is that not so?’ the Shadow King asked.

When Leif failed to answer, Mirresen made a rapid slicing movement. I cried out at the sting and watched Leif’s face twist with horror as he stepped towards me. ‘Do. Not. Move,’ the Shadow King roared, digging the blade into the cut he’d just made.

I held my breath, watching Leif with pleading eyes as I silently begged him to remain still. He froze.

Wet warmth trickled down my neck.

‘I will be leaving now,’ the Shadow King said, his eyes on Leif’s. ‘Follow me if you wish to see your queen again—but keep your distance and do
not
call for help. Disobey and the last thing this female will know is the agony of my blade moving inside her heart.’ And then he gripped me in his arms and took to the sky, the cold dark whipping past us. Leif followed, flying far enough away to satisfy the Shadow King, but near enough to see what was happening. The two watched each other, wearing matching expressions of challenge. Then daring Leif to retaliate, the Shadow King ran his hand slowly up through my hair before closing his fingers and gripping the roots. I gasped as he brought my head back in one rapid movement, stealing my view of my betrothed and jarring my neck as the Shadow King exposed my throat to his lips. As the stars flew by before my eyes, Mirresen shifted his knife to the uninjured side of my throat and began lapping my spilt blood. Prickles crawled across my skin at the sensation—long, wet licks tickling over my skin from my collarbone all the way to the gash he’d made in my throat. Then he began sliding his tongue slowly across
the wound, back and forth, occasionally digging the tip hard inside. I knew his aim was to taunt Leif but at any moment I expected him to latch on and begin sucking. Leif did his best to reassure me silently, but I knew he was worried because his voice was frantic in my head.

We alighted on a narrow ledge jutting from the side of a cliff. ‘Inside,’ Mirresen ordered Leif. He tilted his head towards a firelight hovering above an opening in the rock, its yellow flame showing the way. Leif hesitated but when the Shadow King crushed me to him, digging his nails into my flesh, my betrothed did as he was told. We entered the small cave after him, a single firelight turning the rough stone to purple and shadow. When my eyes adjusted I noticed the Shadow Fae—vanishing into nooks and crannies and silence.

‘Sit,’ Mirresen commanded Leif, gesturing to the back of the cave. He dug the tip of his knife into my neck. My skin strained to resist the blade.

With his eyes fixed on the Shadow King, Leif obeyed, back pressed against the wall. Mirresen stood across from him, challenging. He repositioned the knife over my heart and I flinched as the tip tore the fabric of my dress, penetrating my skin. Keeping his eyes on Leif he began drinking from my throat.

I was trapped, unable to move a centimetre as the Shadow King stole my sun and my blood along with it.

Leif was a picture of helpless suffering. ‘Take my blood,’ he begged the Shadow King. ‘You will end her, she is unwell already!’

Mirresen continued to drink. A groan escaped my lips—half pain, half fatigue. Immediately Leif was on his feet. ‘Leave her,’ he yelled.

Instantly the Shadow Fae emerged from around the walls to stand between Leif and their king. A few seconds more and Mirresen stopped sucking. He gave my neck one final lick then
laughed as he held me hard against him. I slumped in his arms, the knife biting the flesh over my heart. My ears were ringing and there was a terrible heaviness in my body.

‘Tell me what you want!’ Leif demanded, pushing the shadow creatures out of his way.

‘I demand answers to my questions and, after that, your death. My god has warned me about you. You are a threat to me and my kind.’

‘Well then, what are you waiting for?’ Leif said holding his arms open. ‘Leave the girl alone and kill me.’

‘Do you think me a fool? If I were to let her go, I would have to take my chances with you. And I am well aware you will not be easy to kill. Now sit back down or she
will
know more of my blade. I can taste her immortality, but
that
will not stop me.’