Red and Her Wolf (Kingdom, #3)

His jaw clenched so tight, his molars began to ache.

“But I would do it again, if I had to. She is the key to Malvena’s undoing. Only she can stop the Black. Violet’s power can take many forms, some benign and useful, but most dark and terrifying. I doubt she knows most of what she can do. But her truest power and darkest art, is that she is an eater of souls. It is within her to devour the very essence of the divine...”

Brows lowering, he glanced back at the curtained door, gripped by a powerful urge to seek her out and hold her. His fingers clenched.

“I’ve followed her for years out on her treks, many of which she didn’t know. I can say that she’s only just discovered herself; her knowledge of what she can do is still very much in its infancy. That is why I’ve set up a test at yer next location. She must engage and defeat Hansel and Gretel’s witch.”

Blood spilled on his tongue and he winced, only realizing he’d been chewing on it. Breathing heavy, clenching his hands, on the verge of violence he attempted to slow his pulse by taking deep breaths.

“I’m aware ye must not like that, but it is the only way. We haven’t much time to train her, ye canna help her defeat the witch. But once she has, ye must extract the soul from her body. Ye are her mate, and that is yer duty…”

“Duty,” he snarled. Why hadn’t the damn fairies remembered that in the first place? Surely there was another way to harness her power than by forcing her hatred of him to grow like a slow malignant cancer. But the voice did not stop speaking.

“Let instinct guide ye, ye’ll know what to do when the time comes.” He could almost picture the smile in her voice now. “You are her perfect mate, and more than able to bring her back from the blackness I was forced to allow to fester. That is why the time is now; she is still at the brink, able to be redeemed. If Jana did one thing, it was to show Violet true love in the beginning. The child of darkness was brought up in light.”

He spat, Jana had tried to kill Violet. She’d done nothing good, and he for one was glad he’d butchered her traitorous body.

“Though we both know now she kept Violet in a happy state to suppress her powers so that killing her would be simple, in the end the lesson was learned. Violet is capable of love. She remembers the emotions and yearns for it again. If anyone can drag her back from becoming a monster of legend, it is ye. Her powers have been channeled, now refocus that hate, and she can be won. If however…”

He sucked in a breath, gut clenching, knowing instinctively he would not like what she was about to say.

“I never arrive at Malvena’s, should I die along the way, ye must kill her.”

“How dare you!” he roared, despairing at the thought. Uncaring if anyone heard, he’d never do it.

“Ye may think me cruel, but in fact I only want what’s best for her. She must not engage Malvena without me, because if she does, she may not kill the Black witch and then she’ll be haunted forever, she’ll never stay with you or anyone else. If, however, she does kill Malvena, that level of toxic power will destroy what remains of her sanity and reason. She will be forever lost and beyond all hope of redemption. Either way, she loses.”

Ewan slammed his fist into the wall and the dirt foundation fractured; sending a shower of silt to cover his bed.

A heart shaped pendant manifested from within the scroll and floated to him.

“That is the pendant of truth; I’ve spelled it to reveal the truth of the events of that night. She will need to see it to know the truth. She blames ye for all that happened that night, I deliberately blocked Jana’s deception from her mind. Violet will hate me, as I’m sure ye now do. But even so, I would ask ye to pray for our safe travel. I love my girl, and only want what’s best for her, and ye. May the goddess bless ye.”

The scroll suddenly caught in flame, the heat creeping off its green tinted hue burned his eyes. Within seconds, nothing remained of it save a fine black powder.

Ewan snatched up the pendant, heart racing, mouth dry, and wondering if any of that was true. But knowing deep in the depths of his cold, bleak soul that it was and he be damned if he’d let her die.

“I’ve only just found ye, lass. I’ll not let ye go, nay till I’m cold in the grave.” He curled his fingers around the dark purple stone and held it to his heart.

Sleep did not come for many hours.

***

A shadow stirred in his doorway. Ewan jumped to a crouching position, hearing the rapid breathing of a female. His female.

She smelled of jasmine, rich and earthy and his blood stirred, heating his veins and making him instantly alert.

“Red?” he asked as gently as he could, but couldn’t disguise the need trembling heavy in his brogue.

“It was you,” she said in a voice as dead as the ghoul’s.

He frowned. “Wha--”