Queen of the Underworld | Book 3

• eleven •

My heart wrenched in my chest and it took everything in me to keep the tears back. I shook my head. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

He nodded weakly and lifted his head slowly. I knelt down closer, trying to capture his last words...

"Tenebrous." A small sigh escaped his lips. His hand suddenly dropped from my cheek and the sound of his hand slapping the cabin floor echoed around me.

I felt his life leave him. His essence moved from his body leaving nothing but an empty, broken shell.

Tenebrous. He had called the cult by name. Had they done this?

This fit what I'd learn about them.

I felt someone move next to me. The sound of crunching leather broke the silence as Asmo knelt down next to me. "Emylin, we have to leave."

I shook my head, wiping a tear from my cheek. "I can't leave him here."

"I will come back with the Guard and I will take him to the Keep." His hand was reassuring on my shoulder. "Your safety is my concern right now."

I looked at his hand then at his dark eyes. "Promise me you will take him to the Keep as soon as I arrive."

He nodded solemnly. "Yes, my queen. I swear it."

Mehnit moved to the corner of the room, her ears and tail high on alert. A powerful roar rocked through the otherwise silent cabin.

Before I could draw a breath, Asmo was on me and immediately, I felt the familiar void of being spectered.

We landed on our feet on the stone floor. He pulled away from me looking over my features with dark obsidian eyes. The darkness took over his eyes, completely encompassing even the white of them. Asmo was pulling on his dark power, however extensive it was. He turned to the guards next to us. "You two, with me."

They nodded quickly and when he let me go, they all disappeared faster than I could form another thought.

I hugged my arms as I stood there, swaying from the events that just occurred.

The man had been murdered. There was no doubting what happened to him...or who he was.

He was a Light Fae, like me. And my magic was cruel or kind enough to have me there for him as he drew his last breath.

Was that how it had been when Robyn executed the Light Fae? Had everyone felt each other's last moments? As a child, did I?

"Em!"

I turned to the voice and watched Damien run to me, worry written on his face. I didn't move from my place as he ran to me. "Whose blood is this? What happened?"

He'd been woken abruptly, too, I noticed. He was in a comfortable robe, his hair was disheveled.

I shook my head as he repeated his questions, running a gentle hand over my hair. "What happened, Em? Who did this to you?"

I swallowed. "I-I'm fine. It's not mine." I tried to gather my bearings, taking a long breath. "It was someone else. Another light fae."

Damien looked at the amount of blood on me. I didn't need to say what happened, he didn't need to ask to know what transpired. He grabbed me, taking me into a massive hug. "I'm so sorry, Em."

A loud sound shook the floor around us. I looked at my surroundings. "Oh, gods, what is it?"

Damien sighed. "We have a problem."

"If that's the case," Asmo said behind me. "We have two."

I didn't even hear him specter back to the Keep.

No sooner did he say it, the room shook again, and this time, I saw who it was that made the commotion.

Julian appeared at the top of the stairs with two guards on him. One held one arm, while the other, went flying in the direction of Julian's outreached arm. They had been fighting. I could tell by Julian's ripped long sleeves and guard's demeanor towards him.

Damien spoke up to the guards. "Let him pass, it's all right."

I could feel Asmo tense behind me and he placed a protective hand on my shoulder. "That shouldn't be up to you, Damien."

"Except it is," Damien hissed in his direction.

I shrugged Asmo's hand off and ran towards Julian.

I didn't care who saw, who drew what conclusions or why.

I didn't care.

I needed the reassurance that he was there. My magic needed our hands to touch, to know that he was solid and there in front of me.

He took me in his arms, my head fitting in the crook of his shoulder.

I breathed him in as he held me tighter.

"Thank the gods you're all right." I couldn't deny the relief in his voice. He was just as scared as I was.

"I thought it was you," I whispered, holding back a sob. "I thought something happened to you."

I felt him nod as he placed his cheek on my head. "I felt it, too. I thought it was you."

"He stormed the Keep about ten minutes ago," I heard Damien say after a moment. "He needed to see you. I told him to be patient while we went to you."

I felt Julian shake his head. "Something obviously happened, she's covered in blood."

"That's not the worst of it."

I turned to Asmo. "This murder is not the worst of it?"

He shook his head. "Not in the least." He exhaled sharply. His features hardened as he watched Julian hold my hand behind me. I still was unable to let him go. "There was someone else in that cabin, Emylin. It's why Mehnit stayed behind."

I swallowed. I'd almost forgotten. "Who is it?"

He sighed. "I've never seen her before but-- she's young. A dark fae. Powerful."

Damien sighed exasperatedly when he wouldn't continue. "Spit it out, Asmo. We have no patience for games."

"I have reason to believe she's Robyn's daughter."