Falcyn cursed Shadow and the Adoni as Medea manifested a sword to fight them. “Really? You had to dump us in the middle of a fairy hoedown?”
“Well gee, Bubba, you didn’t specify where exactly you wanted ole Miss Scarlett to put ya! It seemed as good a place as any.”
“Oh shut up!” Falcyn lobbed a fireball at the Adoni nearest him.
Meanwhile, Shadow took up arms against those nearest him. “I’ve got to find a better class of friends. I swear.”
“Enough! Stop this!”
They all froze at the sound of Morgen’s voice.
Confused, Falcyn moved to cover Medea. Just in case, as he had no idea what Morgen intended or why she wasn’t ordering their deaths, when that was her normal command.
Shadow also stepped back as the fey queen materialized in front of them.
Morgen cut an evil glare to each of them in turn, but it was Falcyn she singled out for her malice. “I told Narishka you’d come.”
“Pardon?”
“Beg all you want. But I knew you would return for Maddor. She thought me crazy and sentimental. However, you are predictable.”
Falcyn ground his teeth. “Your point?”
“Simple. You want your son … I want your rock. One for the other. Now give it.”
Yeah, right. He knew better than that.
Falcyn hesitated at giving in over her lie. “How do I know I can trust you when I know exactly how untrustworthy you are?”
“You would dare talk to me about trust after you killed my mother?”
Medea choked. “Um … you do get that Maddor is your brother? Right? Surely that hasn’t escaped your notice in all this?”
She passed a cold stare toward Medea. “Half. And he wasn’t my only one. I learned not to get attached.”
Ouch.
Falcyn’s reaction was a lot more violent. He lunged for her. Shadow caught him before he could reach her and cause them to be attacked.
“Temper, brother,” Shadow warned. “Don’t let her get under your skin. Think it through.”
Shadow was right. His anger would cause him to make a mistake, and that was what she was counting on.
Slow and steady won the race.
Still, he wanted to mount her head on the wall. Forcing his temper down, he took a deep breath and reviewed his options. He could turn into a dragon. Take a number of them out.
But they were Adoni. Wizards all. More than that, they were used to battling his kind and knew how to bring a dragon down. In a group of real dragons with the powers of his brothers, he might stand a chance against them.
Alone, even with Shadow and Medea backing him, they could do damage, but would ultimately fall to the fey bastards.
And Maddor would continue to be held by Morgen and would be punished for it. Medea would be dead, and it would all be his fault.
He could never allow that.
So he made the only decision he could. He used his powers to summon his stone and held it in his palm. “Give me my son.”
Morgen snapped her fingers for a grayling. “Fetch Maddor.”
She practically salivated for his dragonstone.
And that caused something to confuse him as he reflected on her words and eagerness.
“Question, Morgen … why is Mordred so special to you? Above all others? As you said about Maddor not being your only brother, he’s not your only child. In fact, Mordred isn’t even your only son.”
Her eyes flared red. “That’s no concern of yours, is it?”
No, but her reaction told him much. There was something special about Mordred. Something more than her other children. Just what it was remained the question.
And that sent a chill down his spine, as whatever differentiated Mordred from his siblings could not possibly bode well for the rest of them.
Ever.
Damn …
But that thought scattered as soon as he saw Maddor.
If he lived another thousand years, he’d never forget the expression on his son’s face. The disbelief that melted into relief and settled into stoicism so fast that it almost made him laugh. He’d be offended if he didn’t understand the fact that in this company it didn’t pay to show weakness.
Still, he’d seen it. No matter how brief.
His son was grateful to him that he’d come here to rescue him.
And so was he. More than anyone would ever know.
Waiting until Maddor reached his side, he used his powers to guide the stone across the room, in thin air, to Morgen.
A wicked smile curved her lips as she seized the stone and wrapped her greedy hands around it.
Then, she looked up and pinned him with a sinister glare. “Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“What?”
“A dragonstone without a dragon is worthless. How stupid do you think I am?”
Honestly? Falcyn was hoping she wouldn’t remember that small detail. In fact, he’d been counting on it.
Crap …
Reacting, he pulled away from Medea, to draw their fire in the opposite direction from her presence. “Shadow? Get Maddor and Medea out of here!” He pushed them toward him, intending to cover their retreat.
But the moment his gaze met Medea’s, he realized that she had other plans.
True to her stubborn Apollite nature, she planned to stay with him.
“I won’t lose another man I love, and I won’t see you lose your son.” She brushed her lips against his an instant before she shoved him through the portal Shadow had opened, then used her powers to seal it shut.
Falcyn was through it and back in Sanctuary before he could even protest.
He landed on the third-floor section, right beside Maddor and Shadow.
Colt cocked his brow at their group. “What the hell is this? You’re back again?”
Disoriented, Falcyn scowled. “Why are we here? Shouldn’t we be back in Kalosis?”
Hissing, Shadow rubbed at his shoulder. “Can’t get in there without Medea. Apollymi would have a shit-fit. Might feed my raunchy ass to a Charonte. Not worth the chance.”
Panicked, Falcyn turned around slowly as he realized he had no way to reach Medea while she was in Camelot. He felt the blood draining from his face as the full impact of what she’d done hit him.
She’d sacrificed her life for his.
What the fuck was that?
Fury scorched every part of him at the very thought of her facing Morgen on his behalf. How dare she put herself in harm’s way! And for what?
For him?
I’m not worth it.
Tears choked him.
“Falcyn?”
He didn’t know who spoke. He couldn’t hear past his rushing heartbeat. Not until he felt a hand on his arm.
“Father?”
It wasn’t until then that he realized it’d been Maddor who spoke.
Blinking, he met his son’s gaze.
“We’ll get her back.”
“How?” Even he heard the crack in his voice.
Maddor gave him a cocky grin. “I might be a bastard, but I wasn’t without some friends in Camelot.”
Shadow nodded. “Ditto. Morgen wants a war? Let’s give her one.”
* * *
Morgen tsked at Medea. “I can’t believe you did something so foolish, little girl.”
“Oh, stick around, hon. My stupidity has just begun.” Medea used her powers to snatch the dragonstone from Morgen’s grasp.
That expression of shock would be comical in a less dire situation. As it was, Medea ran for the nearest door with no idea where it would lead. It just seemed like the best course of action would be to put as much distance between them as possible.
She hit the hallway at full speed.
Oh yeah, this was dumb. Dark and dismal, it was lit with an unholy glowing light. Sinister shadows danced around her like living creatures.
With no idea of where to seek shelter, Medea rushed toward wherever. She had absolutely no destination in mind. Just any place else but here.
Which turned out to be straight into Narishka.
Beautimous.
Medea cursed under her breath as the fey bitch tsked at her. “Be a good girl. Hand it over.”
“Not a good girl. I’m a villain, too. You want it? Gotta fight me for it. Come get some, bitch.” She tucked it in her bra and manifested a set of bagh nakas. For this, she wanted to feel some blood on her hands.
And fangs.
Narishka sent an invisible blast toward her.
Medea countered and sent one of her own. “C’mon. That all you got?”
They attacked en masse and quickly learned why she was the leader of her father’s army, as Medea unleashed eleven thousand years of pent-up Daimon fury on them. One thing about the Spathi, they didn’t hold back.
And they didn’t flinch. Forget the Spartans. The Spathi Daimons were the warriors who could make King Leonidas wet his pteruges.
But that wasn’t the only reason she fought. In the back of her mind was the past, when they’d come for Praxis and Evander.
That night, she hadn’t fought at all. Untrained and passive, she’d been helpless before the humans as they slaughtered her husband and son. Back then, she’d told herself that it was more noble to do as the gods decreed and accept her fate, whatever it was.
To be dutiful. To submit docilely, like a good citizen.
The nail that stood out was hammered down.
Evander had believed it, too. So they had followed the rules and done what they were supposed to. They’d never made noise. Never bothered anyone.
Never harmed another living soul.
It hadn’t mattered. Her loyalty had been returned to her with treachery, betrayal, and blood.
Her kindness shoved down her throat. Those she counted as friends had been the first to turn against her and cast her to the wolves. Not a one had spoken up in her defense.
Not a single act of charity remembered. No. They hadn’t returned to her the respect she’d shown them. Or the regard. Rather, everyone she’d ever helped had abandoned her as if she’d never done anything for them.
Cold-hearted, selfish fucking bastards!
For that bitterest lesson, she’d hated them all.
And that night she’d learned her most vital piece. To thine own self be true. Not just with honesty, but with charity first. For no one else would ever stand up for her when it mattered most.
In the end, you come into this world alone.
Alone you will leave it.
Feet first.
She’d entered this world fighting, with someone else’s blood on her fists, and that was exactly how she intended to go out.
Grinding her teeth, she caught the largest Adoni warrior a punch to the jaw that sent the giant bastard reeling.
Then, turning, she flipped the next one from his feet and delivered a punch to his throat. Her ears buzzed from the rush of blood. Fury coursed through every part of her as it demanded more and more of their life force.
The beast in her was awake and it was starving.
They surrounded her. Outnumbered her. There was no way she’d survive them all. She knew that beyond a doubt.
She didn’t care.
War wasn’t always about survival for yourself. It was about protecting what you loved. Preserving those you held sacred so that they could carry on after you. Making sure they had a future. And if that meant sacrificing your own for theirs, so be it.
One life for the many.
Medea felt a piercing pain in her side.
And still fought. Even though the pain threatened to send her to her knees, she refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her fall. Her mother had raised her better than that.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her from behind.
With a vicious hiss, she moved to clobber her attacker, then froze as she caught sight of the most insanely gorgeous man in any world.
“Falcyn.” His name was a prayer on her lips.
“You had to know I wouldn’t leave you behind.” He cradled her to his chest and ducked so that Shadow and Blaise could cover their retreat.
Tears filled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Morgen let out a fierce shriek.
Falcyn turned on her and fire-blasted her. Then he took Medea back to his cavern, where Maddor quickly joined them. He laid her down on his bed so that he could inspect the wound in her side. “I can’t leave you alone for five seconds, can I?”
“It was more than five seconds, dragonfly. Do I need to buy you a watch?” She hissed and slapped at his hand as he touched a tender place.
“Oh! Hey!”
“That hurt!”
“Yeah, I know.” He shook his hand.
Scowling at him, she fished his dragonstone from her bra and returned it to him. “Don’t even start with me.”
His jaw went slack. “How did you manage to get it back?”
“Ain’t no bitch going to handle my man’s rocks while I’m around. Really?”
Maddor’s eyes bugged at her words. “I’m going to wait outside.”
Falcyn laughed, then kissed her.
Medea sighed as she felt the heat of his kiss flow all the way through her body. More than that, she felt the warmth of his stone knitting her wound closed and healing her.
Completely.
And when he pulled back, she cupped his face and realized that Brogan had been right. She did have a future with him after all.
“So tell me, dragonfly. Where do a dragon and a Daimon make their home?”
“Simple, Lady Spathi. Wherever it is that they want. Whatever it is they want.”