Chapter 62

Malcolm! My soul crashed back into my body with a clap of thunder. Blood roared in my ears and I hurt all over. Malcolm. Tears pricked the back of my eyes as I opened them.

Xzander leaned over me, relief and worry etched across his brow. “Welcome back,” he said in a hoarse voice full of unspoken emotion.

I squeezed his hand and nodded. My throat hurt like someone ripped it out. But I couldn’t give in to the pain. I had to stop a monster. I stood with Xzander's help.

The Unseelie ground was dark like it had been on the other side of the barrier, but it continued to spread as far as I could see.

Simeon battled a dozen Redcaps. Their hats were bright red from dipping them in the blood of their victims.

The fake Malcolm stood along the edge of the growing darkness with his arms outstretched like he basked in this evil.

“Hey, you,” I yelled. Rage made my body hot and my muscles tightened. With my body back, even though I felt like I’d fallen out of an airplane without a parachute, I had weapons. And we still had a chance to end this.

“No, you can’t fight him.” Xzander grabbed my arm. “We need to get you to safety.”

“You sound like Malcolm.” But I smiled at him and he nodded.

“Whatever you two have planned, better do it now.” Simeon whacked his sword at a Redcap. “More are coming through the barrier.”

I glanced behind me, hoping that Malcolm was standing there with that smirk on his face about me worrying. Except neither he nor the giant was there. Only a mix of creatures, half I didn’t know, shot across the ground.

There were too many of them. We couldn’t fight them all.

I picked up my quiver of arrows from the ground and my bow.

“We’ll keep them off you.” Xzander's amber eyes were full of emotions.

I wanted to talk to him. To figure out where he and I stood with each other. To find out if he had any true feelings for me. But now wasn’t the time.

“You have to defeat him without destroying Malcolm’s body or we can never get him back.”

My throat constricted and the words wouldn’t come. That Malcolm had sacrificed himself for me in order to get me back across. He was gone, but I wouldn’t let him have died in vain. And in case there was the slightest chance he survived… I would hold onto that with every ounce of strength I had.

I notched an arrow and sent it flying. It pierced into fake Malcolm’s shoulder.

His yelp of pain made me smile. So, he could be hurt. Hope flickered in my chest.

“Stupid wench.” He spun, black swirls of magic dancing up and down his arms like flames. “Why can’t you stay dead?”

I shrugged, grabbing my last two arrows. “Happy to disappoint you.” I released the string and the arrow whistled through the air. Then I sent the second as fast as I could. Didn’t wait for the inevitable, I knew he’d stop it, but I needed the distraction.

I raced toward him, yanking out my iron and silver daggers. Was pretty sure I’d need both to hurt him. My wings lifted me a few inches off the ground and I used my momentum to leap into the air at him. My blades sliced against his throat, but neither penetrated.

What the fuck!

Fake Malcolm grabbed my arms and power ripped through my body. “You’ve already opened the barrier.” His breath fanned my face and he sneered. “I don’t need you or your princes alive anymore. Though I’ve grown fond of this body.”

I jerked to slam my head into his, but his magic stabbed into my arms, and I screamed.

“Stupid girl,” he hissed. “I’ve lived for thousands of years and you think you can defeat me with iron and silver?”

My sarcastic remark burnt on the back of my tongue as his magic fried me from the inside out.

“Avery,” Xzander shouted behind me. “Let her go. I’ll give you my throne… whatever you want.”

“It was never yours to begin with.” Fake Malcolm snarled. “All the thrones, all of the realms are mine since there were Fae.”

Pain slammed through me as his magic continued to blast me like I was being struck by lightning over and over again. Images of my foster mother and Malcolm flashed in my mind. I’d failed them. Failed myself.

Tears spilled down my cheeks. I’d lost. This monster had won.

“No, fight him, Avery,” Simeon yelled.

But I couldn’t. I wasn’t a Fae queen. I wasn’t anything, but me. A wannabe girl who wanted to be loved and couldn’t even save herself or her loved ones. Ever. Just like how I’d lost both my real mom and the only mom I’d ever known. And now my men were going to die because of me too.

“You’ve been a thorn in my side since before you were born.” Fake Malcolm glared. “You and that stupid bitch who raised you. I’m going to enjoy watching you suffer. First, let’s kill these two of your lovers, then we’ll shadow step and speed along Darrius’ death.”

He didn’t mention Malcolm and my chest squeezed. Part of me had held onto the belief that he could somehow survive.

Xzander and Simeon rushed forward, but Malcolm merely tossed me aside and his magic lifted them off the ground. They convulsed in mid-air.

This was all my fault. If I’d only seen sooner that there had been something wrong with Malcolm.

Sobs shook me. There was no way to defeat this monster. All I’d done had only delayed this, stealing me away to the human realm hadn’t done a blasted thing except get everyone I cared about dead.

Tinder howled leaping at Fake Malcolm’s face. But before I could cheer, the scent of burnt fur filled the air and smoke curled up from Tinder’s black fur.

“No,” I yelled pushing up and running at Malcolm.

He threw Tinder and the cat landed in a heap. My stomach revolted and I swallowed back bile. I would make this bastard pay for all the deaths he’d made. He had to have a weakness, every Fae did. I didn’t have Maggie to help me figure his out. I was running out of time. And I had to get his attention off Simeon and Xzander who twisted in the air, their silent screams piercing my heart.

With all my strength, I plowed into his side. He let out a grunt like I’d hurt him.

How?

He backhanded me, and I spun to the ground. Pain splintered across my skull. I pushed up on my hands and knees, shaking all over.

His hand grasped his side.

The injury Malcolm had when he had come back from the bar and fought this demon. Was that his weak spot?

Please let this work. It was a long shot, but I crawled forward to my discarded weapons. If he were truly royal Fae like the princes, it would take both iron and silver and a whole lot of luck.

I grasped my blades in sweaty hands and stood. My legs wobbled but I forced each foot in front of the other and dove for the monster laughing at my men’s suffering.

Seeing my renewed attack, Malcolm whipped a black magical sphere around himself and launched it into the air.

Fuck!

I couldn’t fly.

Hadn’t even had these damn wings until… until I’d claimed Darrius, Malcolm, and then Simeon. My back had burned more and more with each one until they’d sprouted from my flesh. So why didn’t they work? What was I missing?

With my heart thumping in my throat, I glanced over to Simeon and Xzander hanging in the air being tortured by this maniac’s magic.

I hadn’t claimed the Unseelie prince. An ache in my chest grew cold. Could I trust him? I didn’t even know if he cared about me. He’d lied and tricked me.

I closed my eyes briefly as tears spilled down my cheeks. I recalled my recent conversations with Simeon. How he’d questioned me about my foster mom and finding Maggie for me. That had been Xzander. I was sure of it now. He hadn’t believed that I truly wanted the Seelie and Unseelie to live in peace.

I barely knew Xzander, but I’d glimpsed who he really was. Hopefully, he’d be okay with this. I opened my eyes, taking a gamble that I wasn’t sure would work.

“Xzander, I claim you as my fourth. As my prince.” And as my lover if you want me.

My wings heated, growing heavy. Had I made a mistake?

Then my feet hovered several inches off the ground. It was working. I flapped my wings hard and fast, clutching my weapons.

Fake Malcolm widened his eyes, then raised his hands at me. Simeon and Xzander fell to the ground.

Good. I had the monster’s attention now.

I faked going for his throat again and when he lifted his hands to block me, I jammed both blades deep into his side. He bellowed in pain. Thorny vines wrapped around his chest turned to ash, falling like black rain on the ground.

His face twisted with rage. “No, I can’t be killed. I can’t.”

My magic swirled inside me. It was stronger than before. And my heart ached for my Malcolm. I prayed like hell that I was right. That the vine burrowing into his side had been the dragonroot that had been an anchor and that was how he’d escaped. I thrust my hands at him, my magic piercing into his side and he screamed.

Black tendrils twisted out of Malcolm’s body. They reached for me, clawing the air. Sweat dripped down my body as my arms shook, using my magic to reach into its darkness and smoother it.

“You will not hurt my men or me or anyone ever again,” I gritted out and poured everything I had into the darkness.

The monster screamed then all the tendrils burst into fiery ash. Malcolm’s body collapsed. I yearned to run for him, but there was still shadow kin pouring past the barrier. I couldn’t allow them to escape.

“All of you go back to hell.” I pointed at the barrier and my power opened a swirling vortex.

The shadow kin shrieked as a vacuum sucked them all up including the falling bits of embers. Once all of them were gone, I closed my magic off. My legs buckled and I fell to my knees.

“Simeon, Xzander.” My voice choked as I scooted over to them.

I touched Simeon and Xzander’s cheeks, relieved that they were warm to the touch, and breathed. I sent them both healing energy that pricked across my palms.

Malcolm’s body fell and a blackness oozed from his side and into the barrier.

But I wasn’t done yet. I had to seal the barrier so none of them could break out again. So, none could ever hurt anyone ever again. A shaky sob escaped me. My heart shattered inside that I was also forever locking Malcolm and Maggie up inside an endless nightmare.