I peeked from beneath my lashes, watching the spectacle the Horde made as they entered. Creatures I had only seen as drawings in Guild books poured into the grand chamber. There was a large group of the Far Darrig, as well as Phoukas, Redcaps, Bogies, Hobgoblins, Brownies, Nymphs, Satyrs, Oakmen and the Banshee along with other creatures I had never seen before took up positions in the room, and my mind raced to remember what I knew about them. It wasn’t much, since these were the creatures that were kept inside of Faery for the protection of the humans. Many of the new arrivals first looked like beautiful Fae, until you caught a glimpse of the evil lingering beneath the masks they wore.
There were creatures with skin that melted against their face; sickly looking creatures with their eyes sunk into their skulls. Another that was in the front, had wicked horns, and metal pierced up his arms, and into his skin. Also, part of the Unseelie were the ancient Sluaghs. These evil creatures were haggard walking dead with leathery looking wings and just enough flesh on their bodies to keep them from being skeletons. Still, more came in—a woman who was completely white, minus her red glowing eyes. They kept filing in as the assembled Fae who had been in the room moved away from them as if the walls would hide them. Crap, and to think I once told Ryder that I’d rather be the Horde than Light Fae.
And then he was there walking toward me. I wavered on my feet as I felt a blast of his power roll into the room. This wasn’t happening. Not when I’d just found my family and had found love with my fucking Fairy. I may not have gotten to keep it, but I loved him. He made my heart race, and he could turn me to butter with as little as a look in my direction. I was losing it all; nothing could save me from this creature. Not even Ryder.
I was pushed to my knees by my parents. My palms were sweating, and I felt the urge to throw up pushing at my stomach, fighting to come up. I closed my eyes and pictured the golden eyes of the one thing I’d miss the most. Ryder; he was the one thing I didn’t want to live without. I’d go with the Horde King, but I’d try my damndest to make it back to him.
I opened my eyes and watched as a pair of bare feet walked to me and stopped. Loose black silk trousers flowed just past his ankles, but stopped short from covering the top of his foot. I wasn’t allowed to look up unless he said so. I was to be obedient to his every whim. As if.
“This is the true first born daughter of your blood?” The voice that came out was multi-layered and cold. The people around us gasped as I cringed.
“This is my first born daughter,” my father said as he removed his hand from my shoulder.
Power vibrated through the room, unlike anything I had ever felt. My hair stood up, even though my mother had ensured it was as soft as silk. I watched as the bare feet made their way up to the dais where I was kneeling on the floor. I could just make out obsidian black wings that slightly dragged and brushed upon the floor. He was an enormous darkness, as if the entire realm could not contain him; could not contain his darkness, or his powers.
I couldn’t take it anymore and risked a peek at him. He was far beyond anything I could ever imagine. The stories didn’t do him any justice. It made sense now why the entire realm of Faery feared him. He was taller than I had pictured. Black velvet wings had razor sharp spikes varying in size that were fused to the bone along the top ridge of his wings and deceptively peeked out from the feathers. These spikes could tear into anything, severing and killing it instantly. His hair was long, reaching just below his shoulders and so black and shiny it seemed like it was absorbing the light. His skin was alabaster pale and his muscular torso and arms displayed black brands that seemed to ripple with power. A silver torque threaded with obsidian that matched his brands was around his neck, and the only thing he wore, aside from the silky trousers. Black eyes filled with the constellation of a thousand burning stars stared down at me with interest. He was breathtakingly beautiful and, yet, terrifying at the same time.
It was surreal. I was sitting at the feet of the Horde King. Ryder had yet to show up, and my world was crashing down, endless waves rushing up to crush my dreams in one solid move. I could hear my siblings thinking—thinking that I was doomed. He’d take me to his bed tonight, and I was sure I wouldn’t walk away from it. I could see his anticipation in his lustrous eyes.
How could I have been stupid enough to think I could do this? I couldn’t kill the Horde King! He’d know it before I even tried. Hell, he’d know it before the thought crossed my mind. He was ten times more powerful than Ryder; ten times more brutal and deadly. I had to get him out of here before Ryder showed, and tried to kill this creature in front of me, and we all died from it. I felt myself shaking inside and prayed that others couldn’t see it.
“You belong to me now,” he said as I stared, mesmerized by his brands that pulsed with power on his pale skin.
“I do,” I whispered as I swallowed a lump down.