Page 25 of Shadows of Destiny
Cela stroked the young man’s wrist before releasing him. “So, you condemn us as the Lord has done?”
“I don’t condemn anyone, but you don’t have to do this to survive, so why would you?”
“For the same reason the dark fae leave mindless, shadow kissed, sex slaves in their wake… it’s fun,” Cela said. “But you’re okay with them doing that.”
Lexi wasn’t okay with any of it, but she could no more change the dark fae than the sirens or any other immortals. This was the way of things in the realms. None of this would bother her if she’d been raised here, but she wasn’t.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
As the tensionin the nest ratcheted up, Cole prepared himself to get Lexi out of here as fast as possible. He didn’t draw the shadows to him, but they danced and swayed across the walls as the ones inside him rose. He could unleash them faster than these creatures could descend on them.
He glanced at the sirens perched above. None of them looked pleased with Lexi. They’d come here for help, but he wouldn’t beg for it, and he certainly wouldn’t allow these women to attack her. He’d destroy all of Aerie before that happened.
He opened his senses to the wind creeping through the thousands of branches making up the nest. He could also use the air to batter them off their perches if necessary. The sirens wouldn’t expect the attack from the wind, which would give Cole and Lexi more than enough time to get away.
He should have known this wouldn’t go well. Lexi was too kindhearted for the siren’s brutal ways.
“What do you do with the humans when you tire of them?” Lexi asked.
“We kill them,” Cela replied without an ounce of remorse.
While Cole had no opinion on what the sirens did with the humans, Lexi and the captive winced. The man whimpered and moved as if to run, but Cela grasped his chains to hold him in place.
Cela clasped his dick. “But we make sure they’re happy until they die.”
“Don’t,” Lexi commanded.
Cela grinned at her. “Don’t? You forget yourself, little girl. This isourrealm.”
“I’m not a little girl, and I willnottolerate you abusing him while I’m here.”
“Or you’ll what?”
“Or I’ll set this whole place on fire. Don’t. Push. Me.”
Despite probably losing a chance to align themselves with these women, pride bloomed in Cole’s chest. Lexi had always been stronger than she believed, but she was finally starting to own her strength, and it was a sight to behold.
She was a leader, his fiancée, and he loved her. She’d also enraged an entire realm as the sirens released high-pitched screams in response.
Cole still didn’t pull the shadows closer; he would if necessary, but he could still feel the lingering effects from when he drew them close to protect her from Alina. He would use other options first.
The shadows promised power and death. They also sought to gain more control of him, and he wouldn’t let that happen.
Lexi looked at him, and as she did, fire emerged from her fingertips. The screams of the sirens increased until they rebounded off the wooden walls. Some of the glass in their stolen trinkets shattered and sprayed over the ground.
When some of the glass fell toward Lexi, he waved a hand, and a current of air knocked it aside. He ignored the glass settling on his hand and shoulders as he glowered at the winged beasts.
His eardrums throbbed as the awful screeching continued. If the stiff set of Lexi’s jaw was any indication, she was resisting the impulse to cover her ears. The captive man didn’t hesitate as he slapped his hands over his ears and knelt beside Cela.
After another minute, Cela held up her hand and gave a small wave. The screaming stopped. The ensuing hush emphasized the ringing of his ears as a single feather floated down. It landed between them and Cela.
“You need us to help you destroy the Lord,” Cela grated. “You can’t go up against him without an army.”
“You need us more than we need you,” Cole replied. “Once the Lord turns his dragons loose on Aerie, you won’t be able to stop him. And he’s going to come for you. He’s never liked the sirens, and now that the Gloaming is gone, you will have moved up on his list of targets because heknowsthere’s a chance you’ll side with us against him. It’s only a matter of time before he destroys everything here.”
Cela’s full lips turned white when they compressed into a flat line. The color drained from her face, and her cheekbones became sharper beneath her pale skin.
“And we may not have a massive army, but we have more fighters than you. You were at the ball. You saw what I can do, and youknowwhat she is.” Cole rested his hand on Lexi’s shoulder. “She’s the key to defeating him.”
