Red and Her Wolf (Kingdom, #3)

She was mumbling and he could only catch snatches of it. “…what did I do? Wicked… Dead?”


“Nay, lass,” he shook his head. Trying hard to tamp down the stomach churning memory of Kermani broken and bloody, so that he could answer her with a calm, reassuring voice. “He will live.” Maybe. “Yer nay wicked, Red. Now wake up.”

There was clapping and the caw of several thousand birds and Ewan’s heart sank to his knees.

“My big black wolf.” Malvena’s voice was bottomless, insidious. “And so we meet again. I thought you dead.” There was a ghostly quality to her voice that was both lyrical and wickedly disturbing.

He shuddered, trying to keep Red firmly tucked within the shelter of his body. She was still mumbling.

Malvena stepped out of the shadows. She wore a robe spun of midnight and stars, it cut along the length of her body, exposing tantalizing bits of naked flesh beneath. Her red hair crackled like the flames of a chimera. Her rose red lips were curved up in a plump, luscious smile.

Crows sat on each shoulder, their beady black eyes drilling holes through Ewan’s skull. Malvena petted one of them.

“Is baby hungry?” she cooed.

The crow snapped its beak with a loud thud. Malvena’s deep blue eyes glowed with satisfaction.

“Why are ye here?” Ewan snarled, rubbing a soothing hand down Red’s cold arm.

Malvena cocked her head. “That is none of your concern. You no longer work for me. Tell me,” she ran her long red nail up and down the bird’s back, “did you like being Danika’s whore?”

His mouth curled.

She touched her breast, the slight curve of it peeking out beneath the robe. “When you could have had all…” She continued trailing her hand slowly down the peekaboo path of skin, down to the vee between her legs, hidden by the flimsiest bit of tassel. “This.”

Then her eyes hardened and something dangerous flickered within. “Instead you choose to betray me!” Her voice grew deep, full of tempestuous hate. “Aero. Aria. Go.”

The crows shot off her shoulders and she cackled as they bomb dived his head, their sharp beaks slashing at the back of his skull, drawing blood.

Ewan swatted at them, while trying to shield Red’s body.

Then there were more. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. He was blinded by a choking cloud of feathers and beaks as blood poured into his eyes.

Red screamed, tiny fingers dug into his chest.

“Oh don’t worry,” Malvena sneered, “they were only sent to kill you, Ewan. Little Red Riding Hood and I have much to speak of.”

Even though the cawing of so many birds nearly deafened him, he’d heard her every word. Chunks of flesh were picked off his body, too many birds to keep up with.

Malvena snapped her fingers, and with one final scream, Red was yanked out from beneath him.

“Violet!” Ewan roared, but there was no answer.

Malvena and Red were gone, all that remained were killer crows.

Chapter 16

One second she was in his arms, terrified, but safe. The next, she was bobbing in water. Teeth chattering, Violet rubbed her arms, coughing and sputtering as salty waves slapped her in the face.

The sky was a dark greenish-yellow and streaked with thick ribbons of clouds.

“The Heartsong. At last we meet.”

Startled, Violet twirled. A miniature woman floated above her, broad black butterfly wings flapping languorously behind her. “Malvena,” her voice cracked. “Where’s Ewan? What have you done to him?”

The fairy flicked her wrist. “Oh nothing that I shouldn’t have done ages ago. But tell me,” her blue eyes sparkled, “was he as good in the sack as I always thought he’d be? He’s got such a hard on for you.”

“You’re disgusting,” Violet said, and then a wave smacked into her. She swallowed the briny water, coughing violently as she tried to expel it from her lungs.

“Oh, please don’t tell me you didn’t sleep with him.” Malvena smirked.

The woman was mad.

Pulse ringing in her ears, spitting sea water out, Violet jerked around desperately trying to spot land, anywhere she could get out. Another long swell lifted her in the air, she stretched her arms, letting the wave drag her up. Where was the land?

“Don’t bother,” Malvena smiled, “you’re in the middle of the NeverSea. There’s no land for miles.”

Violet opened her mouth.

Malvena tsked. “I wouldn’t scream if I were you. You see, the Sea Hag makes her home here and she hasn’t eaten in a couple weeks.” Malvena laughed and whispered conspiratorially, “I wouldn’t disturb her if I were you.”

Panic ate at her brain and with the panic came the darkness trapped in her soul. It seeped up through her blood like a slow toxin.