I got lucky being able to stab Drustan; the element of surprise was on my side. I wanted to be better prepared should I ever find myself in the presence of another fucking siren with obvious ulterior, dangerous motives. I had always been big on strengthtraining. I had taken many self-defense courses throughout my twenties, especially after the horror Audrey and I experienced as teens. I considered myself stronger than most women my age. However, I didn’t think it was enough to defend myself from anything Hyvenmerian. I needed to do more.
“I can hardly lift this.” I used both hands to try to hold a large sword. I hadn’t seen one since we were attacked by the solvyrn, and Liam used his fae magic to summon his. Other than that, I’d only seen swords on TV or in random museums. After grunting and letting the blade hit the ground, Liam’s large hand wrapped around both of mine to take hold of the weapon.
I understood the muscles in his arms better now. He handled the large sword with ease and familiarity. He stepped away from me before showing off and doing a couple of flippy sword trick things that illustrated how familiar he was with wielding one.
“Yeah, that’s not for me.” I wandered over toward the knives Audrey set out.
We were in a warehouse, about half an hour south of Orange County. There wasn’t a lot between Orange County and Oceanside, but there were scattered abandoned buildings in the hills against the coastline. We were in one of those, with the open, exposed ceilings allowing just enough sunlight in for our training session.
I was pretty sure I’d attended a pop-up rave here back in college.
“I prefer knives, too.” Audrey tossed one, catching the tip of the blade between a pinch in her fingers, before flicking her wrist and grasping the handle.
“You’re such a badass now.” I smiled at her.
According to Audrey, Hyvenmere didn’t have guns. Like, at all. They were outlawed, but most civilians didn’t even know that they existed in the human realm. The magical governments, however, seemed to agree on that one specific issue. Guns wereout. Bringing one into Hyvenmere would result in destroying the weapon and a one-way ticket to the Gravhune for the person who dared sneak it in under the radar.
Blades and swords seemed so much more…brutal. Intimate. You couldn’t distance yourself from the life you took with a sword or knife.
Off to the side, Liam was going through a series of movements with his huge ass sword.
“What exactlyisthe Gravhune?” I asked. “The nereids at the boutique mentioned it.”
“It’s a prison,” Audrey explained, balancing a knife on her index finger. “Hidden miles underground, on a secluded island between Vanyara and Lyndoruun—the nereid and siren territories.” I nodded my thanks at her reminder. “It’s cursed with ancient, dark magic. Once you go in, you don’t come out. No one ever has.”
“Unless you’re fucking Drustan.” Liam grunted, slicing the air aggressively.
Liam’s words made the TV segment about him walking out of the Gravhune, looking tortured, that much more newsworthy. That implied that Drustan was the only Hyvenmerian to survive the prison.
Audrey inhaled and blew out a long breath before handing me a blade she plucked from the assortment on the table.
“This one feels like you.”
I had no idea what that meant, but while there was weight to the knife, it felt comfortable in my hand. “Okay.” I pointed at her with the knife, making her grin. “Now fill me in. Why is Liam moodier and more annoying than normal?”
“I can hear you, Van,” Liam replied while continuing his exercises.
“I know, Liam.” I rolled my eyes before leveling Audrey with a look. “I’m going to keep asking about it. The more secretive you are, the more my curiosity is piqued.”
She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth.
She nodded and leaned against the old, folding table on which all the blades were displayed.
“Drustan, Fergus, and Liam used to all be friends.” Audrey looked sadly over at the fae, who was now stretching his arms as he sauntered toward us.
“What happened?” I asked. I refused to step aside as Liam reached forward to drop his sword on the table. My form of dominance—never stepping aside for a man.
“He killed my parents,” Liam grunted before taking one of the spare seventy-two-ounce water bottles we brought from our condo and chugging half of it in one go. “That’s why he was sent to the Gravhune.”
“Oh my god,” I whispered. I had been assuming Drustan slept with Liam’s high school girlfriend or something. I didn’t realize—oh my god. Liam’s parents were the former Fae King and Queen. Drustan murdered the leaders of an entire country.
“Yeah,” Audrey sighed, resting a hand on Liam’s forearm as he settled in to elaborate.
“Why did he do that?” I asked.
“Because Drustan is a monster,” Liam replied.
“Okay—but—like—” I shook my head, suddenly feeling restless. I decided to pull my ponytail out and start braiding my hair to keep my hands busy. “Why?”
