“How often has a beast fae king bound himself to a light fae female?”
A whoosh of wind gusted across the open plain. Hallizel tittered and burrowed herself into the folds of the blanket where Saralyn slept in her mother’s arms.
“Never,” Tessa whispered.
My heart sank. That was what I’d thought.
Chapter 18
REDVYR
Vallon stepped up to the pyre we’d built, having set Tylok—all of him—upon the burial bed. Vaygar had placed Tylok’s hands gripping the hilt of his blade upon his chest. Vallon had found a bonnet of his daughter’s, a wooden sword of his son’s, and the apron his wife wore. An old dark fae custom in burial—to take a token of your loved ones into the afterlife.
The priest, holding a lit torch, then said the shadow fae prayer for the dead.
“May Solzkin warm you on your journey. May your ancestors greet you at the gate. May your pain be gone into the afterworld. May your soul rest in this final fate.”
He lit the kindling along the bottom of the pyre then tossed the torch on top, stepping back to where we all stood and watched in silence. In reverence to the dead.
Tylok had fought hard to save his family. He’d died for them, as would any male who loved his family. It grieved me that he’d given his life, and yet, his wife and children had still been taken by these creatures. And for what purpose?
Once the flames had devoured Tylok, the fire beginning to die, I turned to Prince Torvyn.
“We must be on our way to meet our clan. Especially with this news of the grimlocks, I want to be sure our camp is fortified and protected for the winter.”
“In Ghasta Vale, correct?” he asked.
Though the shadow fae kept to their city in the Solgavia Mountains, their priests monitored the surrounding territories. I’d seen Vallon on more than one occasion. They would know our routine of wintering in Ghasta Vale.
“Yes.”
He gave a stiff nod. “It is a good place for your clan. Easy to defend. Just keep your warriors on guard at all times.”
“No need to remind me. I will watch over my people, though it will be a long winter.”
“For us all, Lord Redvyr.” He gave me a respectful nod, as one fae lord to another, then he turned and marched away.
Vaygar followed right behind. Vallon said to Tessa, “I will give Murgha your love.”
“Thank you. Please watch over her.”
“Always,” he assured her before turning to follow the prince and Vaygar.
The prince took flight first, his great wings spreading wide. The other two beat their wings and lifted off after him, the three of them disappearing quickly into the gray skies.
“There will be more snow today,” said Bezaliel.
“Heavy snow.” I whistled to Wolf, who trotted over. “Come, Jessamine. You and Tessa must ride. We are running the rest of the way.”
Rather than question me, she joined me at Wolf’s side. I took great pleasure in wrapping my hands around her waist and pulling her close before I lifted her onto Wolf’s back. He still carried a heavy load of grain, but he was strong. Even moreso, he was devoted to Jessamine. He would welcome her slight weight, glad to carry her the rest of our journey.
I simply needed us to be there, among my clansmen and my warriors. The need to warn them and ensure we were protected and on guard for these grimlocks drove me to act quickly.
Within minutes, the women were secure on Wolf and Mishka, wrapped well in their cloaks. I headed out first, setting the pace. It was fortunate that Tylok’s home in the old oak wasn’t far from Ghasta Vale. I skirted the woodlands, choosing the open valley floor instead, not wanting any more surprises. The gray skies grew heavier. I was determined to reach the camp before the snow began to fall.
We enteredthe communal cave to find most of the clan there. For our winter camp, we set up tents for sleeping between the two mountains called The Sisters, which flanked Ghasta Vale and blocked the harsher winds. But this cave had always served as our gathering place for meals and fellowship, and even for shelter if a blizzard hit.
This cave was a wide, hollow opening at the base of one of the two mountains called The Sisters, which flanked Ghasta Vale. The smoke filtered through a tight channel carved by snow melting over centuries, and eventually escaped outside.
