The ice on the lake was pretty much gone now; it had only been the fae lord keeping them above the water. When I broke the spell, Kade immediately started to sink, but he had enough time to lift his big foot and connect with the fae’s stomach, sending him flying backward into the open portal. With a loud yell, the Fae Lord cursed as he fell through, and immediately the portal sealed.
Kade groaned, and my wolf almost burst free from my chest when he clutched his stomach and disappeared into the frigid water.
I leapt off the bridge without a second thought; the moment the icy water hit my skin I had to fight the urge to take in a deep breath out of shock from the cold.
Pulling myself together, I ignored the calls of my friends and Finn in my head, and instead headed straight for the last place I’d seen Kade. Following the trail of blood and oil that coated the surface of the lake in that spot.
The water was deep, and I had almost no visibility when I was a few feet down. I kicked and pushed harder, blindly feeling around for Kade. Just when I thought I was going to have to surface again, my lungs screaming for air, my hands brushed against something solid. Hopingwhatever I was holding was Kade and not a piece of trash or wood, I sent some fae and mecca magic out, using it to propel us to the surface.
When my head broke through, I took in a huge gasping breath, hauling the heavy weight up. Relief and panic warred within me as Kade’s pale features became visible. Mercifully, he coughed out a mouthful of water, but was still unconscious. I could feel the pulsing of dark energy within him, and as I pulled him farther up, the staff popped up at his side. It was hooked in the arm of his sleeve, floating along beside him.
Well, that was a lucky break. With the last of my energy, I towed him to the shore, where our friends were waiting. Nikoli and Violet pulled him up and I crawled out of the water, teeth chattering.
“W-w-why is he unconscious?” I asked Violet. “We need to wake him, t-t-the d-d-d—”
The chattering got so bad I couldn’t get words “Dark Fae Lord” out. But everyone understood.
“The wound.” Violet turned worried eyes on me. “He’s fighting it. His body has shut down to try and expel the dark energy.”
The wound inflicted from the oily horn. Violet slammed her hands down on his chest, sending out a burst of energy, like a defibrillator to his heart. Kade’s eyes shot open, then with a roar hewas on his feet, icy water flinging off him in large arcs. Violet stumbled back; Nikoli caught her before she hit the ground.
I stood in front of them both, in case Kade was about to lose it. He had the staff in his hand again. Somehow he had snatched it up from where it lay beside him as he jumped.
“What happened? Where is the dark fae?” he asked, and I was relieved that his voice sounded somewhat normal, not as rage-filled as that bellow.
“Y-y-you pushed him into Rowan’s portal,” I reminded him
Violet stepped forward, and I felt her hand press into my back. A wave of heat filled me. My clothes dried in an instant, and I was warm enough to be able to halt my chattering teeth. I still felt the chill to my bones, but I could at least talk now. “What happened, Kade? Why did you drop in the water?”
He shook his head a few times, his face crumpling as he lifted his free hand to rub at his forehead. “I can’t remember … he gored me, and then my head went cloudy.”
“I think you need to drop that stone now.” Rowan was moving cautiously, acting almost as worried as she had been with the dark fae.
Kade’s eyes flicked to the staff, moving up to the stone at the top. It was like he had forgottenhe was holding it. “Shouldn’t I keep a hold of it until we can get it back to the royal estate? He might return for it.”
“You need to drop it,” Rowan said again, and I was silently begging him to hand it over. He had to be able to let it go. I felt it in my soul that if he couldn’t, we would be in trouble. Some of the agony on my face must have registered with him. He watched me for a few moments, then he slowly lowered the staff.
The moment he lost contact with it, he seemed to lose the small amount of strength he had, crumpling to the ground. Violet hurried to him, pulling her special box from a bag she had slung across her body. It was only large enough to enclose the head of the staff, but hopefully was enough to keep the evil somewhat contained.
“Are you okay?” I dropped to his side, and he let out a pained chuckle, reaching up to push back a few strands of my now dry hair.
I didn’t like how pale his bronze skin was looking, chalky almost.
Violet flung herself down beside us, drying his clothes at the same time she said, “That’s a dark magic wound. I can’t heal it until we get back to the castle, but … at the rate it’s advancing, it will kill him long before then.”
No!
“How much time do I have?” Kade rasped out.
Violet lifted his shirt, exposing the deep ragged gash. It was seeping a black and fizzing fluid, like his blood was having a chemical reaction to the darkness.
She shook her head. “I’m not sure. This is like nothing I’ve seen before. Maybe a few minutes.Shit…” she cursed. “I need this special powder I have back at home. It’s the only thing I can think of which might save him. Counteract the dark poison.”
“We’re hours from home,” I told her, panicking as more color drained from Kade’s face. Magic born had limits on how far they could zap themselves, Violet wouldn’t make it in time.
Finn pressed to my side, and I dropped my hand into his fur, seeking his comfort. In the air I could hear Nix’s call. She sounded like she was weakening also.
Rowan stepped forward. “I can open a temporary portal back to the castle.”
