“Most women are.” He stops moving. “Do you love her?”
His words catch me off guard. I’ve never been a man afraid of admitting feelings. Truthfully, I could never understand why some choose to hide them. But for whatever reason, admitting I love the woman currently bonded to my brother feels—wrong. Even if he doesn’t deserve her. Maybe especially because he doesn’t.
Ember deserves passion. Love. Someone who is whole. And while I can give her the first two, I’ve never really been anything more than half a man. Not since we lost Niahm.
Fin cringes and drops his sword, sinking to the ground.
“What is it?” I demand, shoving the blade into the ground and rushing forward.
“The bond.” He tips his face up to mine. “I fear I don’t have long.” My friend’s attempt at a smile is clearly forced, causing the ache in my chest to expand with grief over the inevitable.
The countdown on Fin’s life began the moment his mate was killed. But somehow, in the midst of finding Ember and keeping her safe, I’d forgotten that I am likely weeks away from losing my friend.
“Let’s get you inside.” Wrapping an arm around his waist, I drag him toward the kitchen tent. “Get some food in you.”
Bea looks up from where she’s preparing vegetables. When she sees Fin, her expression darkens, and she rushes over to pull out a stool so I can lean him against it.
“Stop fussing. I’ll be just fine.”
“You look dead,” she retorts. “So you’ll excuse me if I want to fuss a bit.”
Fin scoffs. “I will take some water.”
“You’ll take some ale and bread,” she replies. “And I’ll take no arguing.”
Fin smiles, though his cheeks are pale.
“Rafferty!”
I’m turning to the exit when a fae wearing green armor rushes in. While I don’t know his name, it’s an unnecessary detail right now given the panic on his face. “What is it?”
“There’s been an attack,” he says.
“Where?”
“I can show you.” Without waiting for an agreement, he grabs my shoulder and dematerializes.
Even before my body is fully formed from the dematerialization, my lungs are filling with smoke. I cough on it, choking as I peer into smoke so black it’s near blinding. Unease and panic churn in my gut as I move toward deafening screams.
It’s then I’m hit with the pungent stench of burning flesh.
Taranus, you bloody fucking bastard.Dark energy surges beneath my skin, slithering like a serpent prepared to strike.
“Help!” a woman screams. “Help!”
“I’m coming!” I roar back, racing toward the noise. She cries out and falls silent. “Hello?” I call out.
“Hello.”
A shiver runs up my spine.I know that voice. It can’t be.Turning, I expect to see someone—anyone—but there’s no one there.
Nothing but smoke.
“Rafferty!” a man yells.
“Here!” I call back. Seconds later, the guard is depositing me on the edge of the smoke. “I need to get back in there.”
“You can’t,” he chokes out. “The smoke is too thick. They’re all dead. We’ll die too if we go back in there.”