Red and Her Wolf (Kingdom, #3)

Then they were gone.

And Danika could hardly believe any of it had happened. Nothing had changed. The air was still as sweet, the night rang with the quiet melody of sleeping creatures. Nothing had changed that was, except for the greasy pit of dread curled like a ball in Danika’s gut.

“You’re not returning to her, Miriam? Please tell me--”

Miriam smiled. “No. I’m not.”

Relief washed over Danika, and the tension between her shoulders immediately eased. “Thank the goddess.” She laughed. “Good. For a moment you made me question your sanity. Galeta wanted nothing more than to ground you. Strip you of your wings; I couldn’t imagine a worse fate.” She shuddered.

“I can.” Miriam said softly. “Leaving fairy.”

“Oh, Mir, I’m so sorry.”

She shook her head. “I’m back now, and I’ll never leave.”

“Good.” Danika’s wings buzzed, verve and joy bubbled through her body. “We’ll hide and drink cherry blossom fire until we grow old and fat.”

“That sounds lovely.” Miriam hugged her swiftly. “Don’t ever change, Dani. Never. Ye keep that joy, it’ll take ye far.”

“Us far. Us, right?” Danika hooked her arms through Miriam’s, and then lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Now, what is the real plan?”

Miriam withdrew her wand from inside her dress pocket and flicked it at a thick bunch of leaves, plucking them gently off the branch and forming them into a tight green nest. Once finished arranging the leaves, they flew to the bed and settled in, lying on their backs, they gazed at the stars.

“Do ye remember asking me why I dinna allow the Green’s power to go to ye?”

Danika nodded. “Yes. I’ve always wondered that. Though, I must say you saved me that night. I couldn’t imagine having to work with that inflated bag of blue poo day in and day out.”

Miriam chuckled. “The truth is, Dani, yer a magnet. Ye draw powerful magic to ye, but the power isna meant for ye.”

Danika sat up on her elbow, facing Miriam. “That’s why I’m here isn’t it? To draw the Black’s power?”

For centuries Danika had wondered what that level of power would feel like, to be one of the Ten. Magic to rival even the Djinn’s of the east. But never, in all her life, had she desired the Black’s power. Malvena wasn’t the first Black, she was third. Each one more terrifying and destructive than the incarnation before. That power was so dark it always corrupted, no matter how pure the heart started out.

“Will I have to absorb it?”

“Nay.” Miriam shook her head quickly. “I’ll destroy it.”

“But, Mir?” She pressed her lips tight. Not wanting to injure her friend, but how did Miriam think she could destroy something so powerful? Miriam was only a fairy, not one of the powerful Ten.

“It could kill you, Miriam. Are you sure you’re strong enough?”

“Aye, Dani, I’m strong enough.”

Danika didn’t utter another word, heart troubled and more than a little worried for her friend. Maybe they were on a fool’s errand, because she just wasn’t sure how Miriam would able to destroy something so malevolent.

She stared at the stars, praying to the goddess that somehow a miracle would happen, otherwise Danika knew, they’d all die. If Violet couldn’t kill Malvena, if Miriam couldn’t contain the Black’s dark soul… none would survive.

Kingdom would be ruined.

Chapter 14

Just let go. Alice’s words kept echoing in Vi’s head. Ewan was in the next room, she’d heard his prowling this past hour. Pacing back and forth, muttering softly.

He was worried. All through dinner he’d stared at her, his eyes so sad, so haunted, and something inside her cried at the look.

This was all so scary and new. Life had been planned, it’d all made sense. Find the wolf, kill him then kill Malvena (maybe)… end of story. Live a happy, immortal, and boring eternity.

She hugged her knees to her chest, sinking deeper into the soft mattress. Moonlight cast kooky shadows on the wall. But she wasn’t scared. There wasn’t a lot in life that terrified her anymore. Violet had faced down a wolf. Yes, she’d nearly died, but the thrill of meeting her fears head on and surviving, had been euphoric. Although the old hag had creeped her out, but in her defense, she’d still totally laid waste to her.

Her heart hammered painfully in her chest as she dug her toes into the thick white comforter. She’d faced those fears, so why was she so hesitant to face this one? To walk up to him, to tell him that maybe she’d been wrong. No, that she had been wrong. That something inside her longed to know him better, learn who he was.

That she was lonely.

Needed him.