Nights of Fire & Ash

Chapter 7

We ran into the hedges of a maze that I had gazed out at during the last week while I wondered the castle. I felt so alive in a way that I never had before. We made a few turns through the hedges before we landed in front of a beautiful pond that glowed.

A small fountain stood directly behind the pool with a bench. The angel dancing above the fountain poured crystal clear water directly into the pond.

"Wow, this is absolutely beautiful." I whispered under my breath.

"Not as beautiful as you." Makiel slid his arms around my waste and pulled me in tight to him. My skin burned where he kissed me like he was leaving a hot trail of sparks wherever he went. He grabbed my face with his fingers and turned my head towards his. He looked deep into my eyes. The golden flecks in his green eyes were entrancing. He kissed me on my forehead, once on my nose, on both sides of my cheeks. He was getting ready to lean in to kiss my lips when we heard a loud screaming and the band stopped playing music. We both went stiff as the yelling continued.

Makiel looked at me with frustration in his eyes as he spun around and left the maze. I took a second to gather my thoughts before I rushed after him. I had trouble keeping up with him regularly but in these stills to heals, I had even more trouble as I trampled through the dirt and grass. A few times I nearly rolled my ankle but was luckily able to grab a shrub branch to keep myself upright.

As I came out of the shrubs, everyone was frozen, staring at the stage. Makiel was no where to be seen, and as I came closer to the group of people, I felt the strange cold air that I had felt earlier that morning. A deep, majestic voice sang out towards my ears.

"What a lovely party you all seem to be having. Too bad you didn't invite your neighborhood friendly Winter King to bless the ceremony. I had to hear about it through the grape vines of the High Priests." He clicked his tongue. "You know the magic of the Winter Solstice celebration doesn't work without a proper blessing. Don't I always ask for yours in the summer season?"

"No one asked for a blessing, Izarus." I heard Caythan snap back. Just then, like the wind shifted to his command. It blew past me, straight into the crowd.

"Oh, so your little pet human is here, is she?" The eery tone to his voice sent a chill down mh spine. Every instinct in my body told me to run and run as fast as I could away from the patty, away from the gathering Fae, away from the voice. That powerful, strong voice that most likely belonged to an even stronger Fae that could shred me without a second thought. Before I could turn on my heel and dash towards the door, I felt the winter wind pulling closer to me. My nose wrinkled as I felt a real snowflake land on its tip. Another two or three landed in my eyelashes. I turned around to come face to face with the male Fae from the human realm.

"Hello there, love. Nice to see you again." A smile crept over his lips. My voice caught in my throat. I could feel power rippling off of him. I went to take a step backwards and felt my heel start to twist to the side. Faster than a winter hare, Izarus wrapped his arms around me.

"Take your hands off of her, you pig!" Makiel spat. Izarus held me up by lower back and held my hand with his. We locked eyes for all of 30 seconds, but it felt like an eternity. His eyes looked as dark as the winter sky with a dash of blue in them. It was just enough to remind me of looking at the moon in the winter sky. Like staring at a diamond coming straight from a lump of coal. My breath was held, tightly in my lungs. I felt like if I took a breath that he would crush me in an instant within his tight, steady arms.

"I ask for one dance, one dance." He leaned in close enough that I could now feel his breath inches from my cheek. He pulled me instantly back up and spun me around with my back to him. For a second, I saw a flicker of kindness in those dark eyes. His voice was so kind, so sweet in that moment. My body forgot to fear him until he took his long fingers and wrapped them around my chin and throat. With my back pressed fully against him, he wrapped his other arm around my waist and grabbed my wrist to pin me close to him. Being held against him was like being pressed against a tree. I literally had nowhere to move in that moment.

"Don't be afraid, love." He whispered in my ear. I couldn't keep my fear restrained though as he gently rubbed a sharp cold fingernail against my jawline.

"Let her go, Izarus. She has nothing to do with this." Makiel stalked to the front of the crowd. Caythan, Heldius, Aillard, and Zathrian flanked both his sides. Quickly and quietly, frightened lesser Fae made their way towards carriages and out to the city.

"Oh, she doesn't? I think the way you brutes are sizing me up is an indicator that she has something to do with you, Makiel." I was sure that my fear could be smelled from a mile away now. I had no idea what this monster was going to do to me, but I was sure he wasn't going to make it fast. He was toying with Makiel, like a puppet on a string.

He dug his finger nails down my throat. I was sure that they were elongated like a claw in that moment. Like a cold dagger of ice digging into my skin. I winced as he traced around my jugular vein.

"Fine, I'll give you whatever you want. Just let her go." Makiel pleaded. I could see the fear breaking through his shield of anger.

"I stand corrected. You're more her pet than she is yours. I doubt she'd beg for your life like this. I bet your father is rolling over in his grave right now to see his beloved High Fae warrior groveling for the life of a human." Izarus snickered. "I'll let her go, but I want you to ask nicely. Like you're the general you are, and I'm the king I am."

Aithard put a had on Makiel's shoulder. Makiel just stepped out of his grasp and looked at Izarus.

"King Izarus of the Winter Court, I bow before you and ask you to please, let the human woman go. I ask you, I beg you. Let her go. She intends no harm to our lands." Makiel bowed low before Izarus. I could feel how crushing it was to bow before this monster as he held me with his hands close enough to break my neck.

"And, what else?" Makiel looked up and stared into my eyes for a few seconds.

"Please, bless our Winter Solstice celebration." My stomach turned as makiel fell down to his knees. I couldn't see him like this.

"Much better, General." Izarus, just like he did in the woods, planted a kiss on my neck behind my ear sending a shiver down my spine. His warm lips seeming to spread heat down my entire body. "Once you realize the kind of male he is, I'll be waiting for you." The words were so quiet in my ear. I was sure no one could hear.

Tatiana watched from the stage. I knew she saw the kiss from there. Makiel looked up at us. Then, quicker than I expected. Izarus flung me towards him. I almost lost my balance as I came crashing into Makiel. He held me tightly before I fell to the ground.

"As High King of the Winter Court, I bless this celebration, against my better judgment, to bring peace, prosperity, and good fortune to the Summer Court throughout the next year as we embrace our new Sun." Izarus looked at me with a smug grin as if this torment was all just a game to him. I knew as I looked at him that he would be back, and he would continue to cause havoc for the Summer Court, if not the entire multiverse.

Within an instant, his flurry of white magic took him before any of the other Summer Court Fae could grab him.

"It's okay, Raeva. He's gone. It's okay." I looked up at Makiel. He held me tightly. I couldn't stop my limbs from shaking. I couldn't stop picturing his deep dark eyes with the blue pigment in them. I knew that in some way that he wasn't going to hurt me. I believed him, but it still shook me from my insides outward.

"I just- I just-" I took a shaking breath in.

"I know. It's okay. We can go inside if you want." He looked into my eyes.

"No, it's just- I just need a minute. I don't want to go inside. I want to stay out here for the party. Can I just sit down?" I mumbled. My mind was still distracted, thinking about those dark eyes and his tanned skin.

"Yeah, of course. Let's get to the table." Makiel and I started walking towards the table. My legs started to feel heavy. The dress which had previously felt light started to feel like lead. Once we were a few feet away from the table, the entire world started to spin. I started to fall backwards when I felt Makiel wrap his arms around me again.

"Raeva! Raeva!" Makiel shouted as I lost all consciousness and the blackness swallowed me whole.