“Why do you look worried?”
“I’m afraid it may be past its season. Fairyweed is a summer plant.”
Cassiel eyed the mountainous range enclosing them. He had to try. “I will go.”
Rawn nodded and mounted Fair. “A word of caution. The fjord is the border of the Moors. We are now on fae land. Careful where you step and whom you offend. I wish you luck.”
Cassiel’s wings unfurled, catching the wind once again. He soared into the night sky, praying for exactly that.
* * *
As the fates would have it, there was no luck to be had. Cassiel flew high and low, searching the highest peak of the mountains for fairyweed, and found nothing. The sky’s darkness faded, signaling that time was over. A sudden pang hit his chest, knocking the air out of him. The bond. It was weakening. He raced back to camp. Whatever put the wolf against him, Cassiel didn’t care anymore. Those teeth could tear him to shreds, but he would give Dyna his blood.
Zev be damned.
But he arrived in camp to find they were no longer alone. A cluster of colorful butterflies fluttered around the tent. No.Fairies, he realized as he landed. Males and females, no bigger than his forefinger, in bronze armor. Each carried sharp glaives the size of needles. They now stood guard outside the tent, their translucent wings flapping in the breeze. Rawn faced off with them, attempting to placate the growling wolf at his side. No more sounds came from within the tent.
“What is the meaning of this?” Cassiel said.
“As I said,” Rawn murmured, “this is fae territory. A delegate of the court has come to investigate our matters here. She has already gone inside. Her guardsmen will allow no one near, and if we are wise,” he added, glancing meaningfully to the wolf who looked ready to spring, “we must wait.”
Cassiel groaned and rubbed his face. “We have no time. I could not find any fairyweed, so I must go to her. I care not what you say, Zev. I will—”
Zev ripped from Rawn’s hold. He charged at the guards. A streak of gold dust burst from the tent and collided with his snout. The wolf went flying and crashed clear across the camp, hitting the ground hard. He snarled and rolled to his feet.
“Stand down,” Rawn insisted. “You cannot fight these fairies. They are as strong as they are—”
But Zev ran right at that tiny bulb of light. It burst in a rain of gold dust, and in its place rose a human-sized girl with rich dark skin, her long black braids flaring behind her. She caught Zev’s jaws and slammed him on the ground with a delightful giggle, as if he weighed nothing at all.
“—small.” Rawn sighed. “This is Princess Keenali of the Morphos Court,” he told Cassiel.
“Morphos?”
“It is a small but wealthy court in the northern, mid-west side of Urn.”
“Call me Keena, Lord Norrlen, if you please.” The fairy girl pinned Zev beneath her knee. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t break free. He resorted to snarling and snapping his teeth. Her full lips broke in a smile, the firelight glinting on her translucent yellow butterfly wings. Her skin glittered and shone like she had been dusted with gold powder. The glossy red petals of her dress and the diadem on her brow made of black and gold beats glinted in the dawn.
“Now, now, wolf. I asked you to wait patiently,” Keena said, speaking in tinkling bell tones. At the shake of her head, pointed ears poked out from her hair. “Will you please stop antagonizing my guardsmen so I may save your friend’s life?”
“We do not need you,” Cassiel said once Zev stopped struggling. “I can dissipate the infection myself.”
Her golden brown eyes met his, widening slightly as a new smile crossed her face, and she clucked her tongue. “Perhaps if you had treated her from the onset, but this may now be beyond you, Celestial. The infection has taken over, and she is but hours from death.”
His heart shuddered as more of the bond fractured. It punctured something inside of him, and the pain nearly knocked him to his knees.
At their horrified silence, the faerie’s wings fluttered, and she released Zev. “I must take her with me to King Dagden’s court. There she will be healed. You have my word.”
“No.” Cassiel took a step forward, but Rawn took his elbow.
“If the fae have come, we must obey while on their land,” Rawn warned. “We are trespassers here.”
He jerked his arm free. “I do not care. I will not simply—”
Lucenna came out of her tent, carrying Dyna in a purple mist. Her face was gaunt; matted red hair sticking to the sweat on her face and neck. Her complexion had lost all color, with dark shadows under her eyes. The sight of her cracked something else behind Cassiel’s ribs.
“Thank you, princess,” Lucenna said, bowing her head. “Please take care of her.”
Keena accepted Dyna in her arms. Zev launched at her, but Lucenna threw out a purple streak. A glowing tether whipped around his neck and muzzled his jaws.
