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  Cael had a right to be pissed off. I too was furious over what Sorcha and Nyal did to our family, and I had been lost by accident. Cael had been tossed away and shunned. He was going to be seriously twisted after surviving such a harsh life. Regardless, he d taken it beyond too far. Even I shut up and stop complaining when things got serious.

  It seemed my baby brother had failed to grow up, and he needed a meticulous ass kicking. After what he did to my wing, and all the trouble he had caused me, it would be my pleasure to be the one to deliver said ass-kicking too.

  And I knew Breandan had already come to these same conclusions, and that was why he had tried to sidetrack me. His protection of me didn t make me feel smothered or boxed in, but cherished. Some of the anger I d been holding onto for a few of his deceptions dissipated, but I still had questions. I needed to hear the answers before our lives were thrust back into danger.

  How could you do that to me?

  I asked, and smoothed a hand over his brow.

  How could you keep the knowledge Cael was my brother?

  This was not a conversation he wanted to have, but like me, he sensed we needed to grab this chance to clear the air between us. He shifted up and pulled me onto his lap.

  After what seemed an age of him fiddling with the ends of my hair, he sighed.

  I suppose now is as good as any other time to talk,

  he started dryly.

  I have long wanted us to be alone so we could learn more of each other but there always seems to be impending doom or not enough time to really express and say all that should be said.

  His brows plunged.

  You are most difficult to keep safe, Rae-love. Trouble finds you, and I am afraid of what will happen they day our fortune runs out.

  That is sooo not fair.

  Don t take it badly, I regret nothing, not a moment. There s always pain and always a battle to fight. I like fighting your battles.

  There won t always be battles to fight,

  I argued, not liking how doom and gloom he sounded. It was too close to my own pessimistic outlook.

  At least, there better not be, or I m giving up.

  He chuckled.

  Right now we are important though I am sure you forget it as often as I. In a few years time, after all has come and gone, we shall be less than important. It s the way of things. Eventually, we will be able to fade away and live our life together in happiness with nothing to fear. These struggles we face are temporary, a fleeting moment in time we must endure for the rewards afterwards.

  He inhaled deeply.

  I didn t tell you about Cael because you would have figured it out in your own time, and because I was told it was best you do so. I too can be selfish, Rae. I didn t want to be the one to tell you and see that flash of pain in your eyes. I wanted to spare myself that pain. I would say sorry, but that would be a lie. I m not sorry for keeping all of this away from you as long as I could.

  I understood, completely.

  What if this is it?

  I whispered, awed he had such unwavering faith that we would be happy one day.

  You have to admit there s a chance our life will always be this way.

  Why must I?

  I m the Priestess and you are, well, you re you. You have this whole arrogance thing that makes me think you d fight your own shadow if it looked at me the wrong way.

  I worried my lip.

  Do you really think the Tribe will accept us in time? They all know we re bonded now, and I saw how scared the fairies looked at the Meet.

  It will not be as bad as you think. Either they will accept us or we will leave.

  He shrugged.

  You re my home. We could stay with Byron s Pride for a time. They are fond of you, and I earned much of their respect in our plans to rescue you from Temple.

  He frowned then.

  Speaking of which, we must discuss your actions that lead to your capture.

  Shifting on his lap, I idly plucked at the grass. Why did I constantly find myself in situations that resulted in someone scolding me?

  Why don t we shelve that one for another time?

  I suggested meekly.

  Considering we re going to be going up against Cael and his minions, I think we should make plans about the future. It ll give me something to hold onto when I feel like running away screaming.

  Breandan snorted a laugh and I beamed at him, even though it wasn t my intention to be funny.

  Well, if you must know I would like us to handfast at the first opportunity.

  I eyed him.

  That sounds awfully permanent and official and like it would be & public.

  He nodded happily.

  It s a binding sanctified by the High Lord.

  I stifled the urge to burst out laughing, and pat him like he d told a good joke.

  Do you really think he ll let us get away with that?

  There is no getting away with it. We are mated and bonded by magic. There is no reason but tradition for Lochlann to stand in our way, and even that is nothing in the face of the connection that ties us together.

  His face darkened.

  I will not stand back and watch him hold your hand and pretend you are his. I plan to live a long life with you at my side. We will watch our friends and family grow old. We will have a home, high up on the boughs of ClanTree, so we can see the stars at night and watch the purple dawns. We will have children, girls as stubborn and beautiful as their mother.

  He ran his finger down the bridge of my nose and traced the seams of my lips.

  Boys as courageous and strong.

  Children,

  I echoed and blinked.

  He grasped my chin.

  Can you not see it?

  He brushed his lips softly over mine.

  The Seer can. There is a possibility.

  Ana had seen us together in the future with children? How much else has she told Breandan and not me?

  By gods, I never thought it possible, but I was too distracted to return his kiss.

  Mulling over his words, I raked my upper teeth over my lower lip and stared into the middle distance.

  Such commonplace thoughts were not exactly encouraged when I d been growing up at Temple, and to be honest, I wasn t thinking much further than a day or two ahead. Life had become kind of & dangerous and unpredictable. Breandan obviously had been. A lot. Did it scare me to ponder a small family of my own, a joining of Breandan and I? No, not at all. It just sounded so strange and & normal. Something I most assuredly was not nor ever had been, but there was every possibility I could be. To live in the Wyld, at ClanTree with my friends and family around me seemed a wondrous dream I was too cautious to dwell on, even dream up, but now he d touched on it images of what our life could be once all this strife was over flashed before my eyes.

  Fierce yearning lodged in the pit of my stomach. I wanted it. This vision of our future he had, I wanted it too.

  It was another something deeply private between Breandan and I to fight for.

  Sighing, I rested my head on his chest and smiled. Dreams were sweet, but I would not linger on them if it meant this violent need he d managed to abruptly plant inside me would grow and divert my already flaky resolve.

  There was no reservation on my part for this handfasting plan of his. I just wasn t so sure that Lochlann would indulge us. Maybe if I found a way to twist his arm & literally. Hmmm. Handfasting was another way for Breandan to tie us together, and I was all for it.

  When my mouth was shut for what Breandan obviously considered too long a time, he ducked down to see my expression. Inexplicably shy, I turned my face into his chest.

  Talking like this, you re definitely going to keep me,

  I murmured happily.

  Oh yes.

  He laughed, loud and long.

  After everything, you doubted it?

  Feigning outrage, I punched his shoulder, somewhat feebly. When that made his throaty rumbles louder, I bit him.

 
; The laughter died down, and the stark reality had me clutching Breandan to me. He caught my chin and tilted my chin up to kiss me. It was fierce and filled with promise. I took that promise a bit too literally and shifted to press myself close, desire quick to take the place of fear and uncertainty.

  Ah, we have no more time. Sunset approaches.

  He ground his back teeth together.

  I am sorely tempted to lose myself in you and damn the rest.

  He muzzled my ear but his mind was already wandering elsewhere. I could feel him retreating, drawing everything inside so he could be calm and level headed. He held himself aloof and kept me at a distance, so he could focus. I saw that now. Whereas I let myself get distracted, he didn t allow himself to be.

  I held one of his hands in mine and traced the lifelines I found there. The hot flush left my face and cooled my desire. Fear was ever ready to creep back in. My fear for him was infinitely greater than that for myself. Breandan would not think twice about giving his life for mine, and that is something I would not allow to happen.

  We ll survive this,

  I whispered more to myself but it ended up a question when I added,

  won t we?

  I had no altruistic desire to sacrifice him or myself for the greater good. I was here for my friends and family, and because it was the right thing to do. Didn t mean I had to enjoy the prospect of us throwing ourselves into harms way, standing to face the heart of the conflict with an uncertain chance of survival.

  Breandan stood and kissed my hand.

  We ll be together, not matter what happens. That is what is important.

  I held onto his voice, repeated to myself as we snuck closer to the Wyld to plan our next steps. I had a bright future ahead of me & if I could survive all fate had to throw at me & I was resolved to see it

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Breandan and I crept closer to the Wyld and peered past the trees. There was a lot of movement, but the direction of it confused me.

  Screwing up my face, I pointed at the small cluster of Knights forming a phalanx to plough their way through the swarm of vampires blocking their path.

  Um, are the fairies trying to fight their way into the Wyld?

  Breandan cursed.

  Something has gone wrong.

  What we had talked about earlier was true. Cael wanted the power that lay in the heart of the Wyld. Somehow, he d lured the fairies out and had managed to plant himself exactly where he wanted to be.

  How could Lochlann let this happen?

  Whatever,

  I muttered.

  I have to reach Cael.

  Breandan nodded slowly and turned me to face him. He stared down into my face.

  If we are separated, call to me and I will come for you.

  I managed a smile to assure him I was ready, and drew in a shaky breath that I down played with laughter.

  You d better. If it s been too long you get your ass in gear and come save me, right?

  He grinned and everything melted away. His eyes glowed and his face was animated, so handsome. His smiles came easy now, and it made me happy that I was the one to put them there.

  The happiness faded.

  His head lowered, mine tilted up. The kiss was sweet, a chaste supping of lips, but my heart fluttered regardless, and the heat of him made a delicious shiver travel down my spine.

  We both were left breathless, foreheads pressed together, arms locked in a tight embrace, wings fluttering restlessly.

  Survive,

  he breathed in my ear. Hand slipping around my waist he pushed my cloak aside and tucked his dagger into a sheath hidden behind my back. The hilt pressed into the base of my spine, just above and to the side of where my tail began

  No matter what you survive.

  He backed away and winked before the stone mask was back and he spun to face the battle before us.

  Do not hesitate to destroy anybody who blocks your path.

  A pinpoint of light appeared a few paces away blinding it made me squint before it bloated into a cerulean sphere slashed with green. It buzzed, hovered in front of us, highlighting the contours of Breandan face until he looked like an otherworldly specter.

  Breandan s magic was awe inspiring, controlled, and fluid.

  His sphere was smooth as glass yet the inside broiled like a turbulent sea. It was like Breandan himself, a placid surface that concealed the terrifying might beneath.

  Gods of valor,

  he murmured.

  Hearken to me. Give me the strength to protect whom I love.

  I risked a glance at him, and found his face drawn, eyes closed, and expression intense as his lips moved, silently repeating the small call for help.

  I still needed my body to help my form and focus my magics. My hands opened and closed into an oval. As I moved whips of power rushed over my arms to merge and create a fireball. The edges rough and untamed, it wasn t as pretty a colour as Breandan s simply a roaring orange flame that I forced into a violent ball of aggression.

  I took my cue from Breandan and let the ball of fire expand to extreme dimensions.

  We d been spotted.

  Breandan grabbed my hand as his sphere hurtled forward and knocked down a line of combatants before exploding.

  He bolted, yanking me behind him. My fireball towed behind me, we ran through the space he d cleared, blazing past those struggling to stand. We ran so hard we tore the ground. Faces blurred as we rushed past, knowing that the fighting would swell behind us to close the gap.

  Swinging back my arm to throw it forward in a tossing motion, I sent my own fireball flying. It hammered through to clear an even greater distance, but before I could add the extra oomph it needed to explode, control of the fireball was wrestled from me.

  The flow of my magic was just & switched off.

  The fireball flipped over and sped back toward us.

  Shocked at how control had been ripped from me, I halted, and stared at it.

  Breandan skidded to a stop, retraced his step, and grabbed my arm. Pivoting, he threw me into the teeming host.

  The last I saw of Breandan was him ducking as vampires swarmed over him.

  The ball of flames exploded, jettisoning streaks of blue and silver magic into the sky. The aftershock ripples of magic were like sonic booms. Everyone was shunted or knocked over as they fanned out over the battlefield.

  I screamed, knowing Breandan would ve been too close to not be harmed and the sudden pain that stabbed through the bond was proof of that.

  Wings extended, tail straight, I landed on my feet, already surging up to race back to where he was. Thoughts of the direction I should be going were chased away by my panic.

  I ran forward then rocked back on my heels, arms cart-wheeling to dodge the leap of a were-cat as he landed on a vampire with a vicious snarl scratching, maw chomping. The two tumbled to the ground, both battling for the advantage then the vampire locked wiry arms around the lynx s torso and squeezed. There was a sickening crunch and the lynx went limp. The vampire grabbed the whimpering shifter s head in his hands, struggling for a good hold.

  Coming up from behind, I hooked my hand in the vampire s mouth and yanked. Shrieking, he let go of the lynx to dig dirty fingernails into my hand. His fangs dropped and cut into my palm.

  The short reprieve was all the shifter needed to twist around and go for the jugular.

  I let go, shaking my hand, and left them there.

  The small diversion muddled my sense of direction until I closed my eyes and focused on the bond to centre me.

  A flurry of blonde knocked into me from the side toppling us both over. The hellion straddled me, her fangs bared and eyes inked over black.

  I hissed and struggled, bucking to get her off.

  Rae! Why am I not surprised to find you standing like a simpleton exactly where you re not supposed to be? No doubt this is a plan from that fool of a fairy of yours.

  Stilling, my nose twitched, and I focused long enough to recognize
the snarling person behind the blood and dirt.

  I glowered at her.

  Nice to see you too Daphne. Get off me.

  She eased off, eyes on the fight around us, still crouched and ready to attack.

  I regained my feet with more caution. I too scanned the turmoil, looking for Breandan.

  Dying screams filled the air. Hunting screeches echoed and forewarned the hollow thuds of bodies falling to the ground. The sound of flesh ripping and bones breaking swelled and overwhelmed me until I thought I would pass out.

  Blood and offal soaked into the black soil, splattered over the golden grass.

  The dank scents of earthy minerals were strong, mixing with the heady evergreen fragrance that floated from the Wyld, and infused a giddy zing into the atmosphere. The overhanging scent of death was now stronger, a pungent aroma that stung the nostrils and made your eyes water from the smoke.