Wicked Darkness Read online

  I made a blood oath with the fae queen, and in return, she would make sure me father would never harm us again. It was a trick. My sisters and me were turned into blood drinkers.”

  “Ye sacrificed yerself to protect yer mother?”

  “Aye. Every time I try to protect me family, I make things worse. I wanted to hide so I wouldn’t hurt anyone again. That’s when I met Davina. I promised to never take an innocent life again. But she was dying, so I stole her identity. And then I met ye.”

  “Blame Finn. He brought me to the tavern to pick a wife. I wasn’t expecting to find one.”

  Alder’s heart ripped in two. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

  Leana was his, but she loved Kendrick.

  “Kendrick, can ye forgive me?”

  “I dinnae know. Ye betrayed me, and that’s something I can no’ forgive so easily.” Kendrick said. “Damn the devil, lass. I loved ye, and yet, right now, I dinnae know who ye are. Me children loved ye.”

  “I’m still Davina.”

  Kendrick stared at Leana. “Do ye know what it feels like to fall in love with someone ye thought ye knew?

  “Kendrick, please forgive me.”

  “I can no’.” Kendrick strode out of the kitchen.

  Alder watched Leana fall to her knees, weeping.

  Though he wanted to comfort her, she deserved the pain. She knew the rules; a blood drinker belonged in the fae world, not this one. It was time she was held accountable for her actions.

  Inside, Alder wept for Leana. Not for her broken heart, but for what he had to do now—report back to the queen.

  14

  WITH HER HEART SHATTERED, Leana walked back into the great hall where her sisters waited. She met Masie’s sympathetic gaze, then Adaira’s. Leana knew what she’d done was wrong.

  “Leana, I’m so sorry,” Masie said as she sat next to her at the table.

  She turned to Masie. “Sorry?”

  “Aye, we heard everything.” Adaira claimed the seat on the other side of Leana. “Kendrick said we could stay until morn, but he wants us gone before the children awake.”

  Leana laughed mirthlessly. “I was excepting him to prepare our nooses.”

  “Ye can no’ mean that,” Masie said, shaking her head. “I know yer heart is broken but give Kendrick some time.” Masie put her arm around Leana.

  Maiden, Mother, Crone, how she’d missed her sister’s comforting arms.

  “He’s verra handsome.”

  “Aye, I have never loved someone the way I love him. Och…” She turned to Masie. “I wish ye could meet Anna, Allie, and Kit.”

  Masie brows furrowed. “Who are they?”

  “His children.” Desolation washed over her; she’d never see them again.

  “’Tis best this all came out now,” Adaira added. “We have bigger problems. The queen must be dealt with.”

  “Aye,” Leana agreed. “But how?”

  “Adaira has a plan,” Masie said.

  Adaira always had a plan. A day without a plan was a day with chaos.

  Leana had heard that saying from Adaira since the day she was born. As much as she hated hearing it, she was thankful.

  “We’re going to kill the queen,” Adaira said.

  “Kill the queen?” Leana asked, then quickly covered her mouth as if the queen could hear her. “We dinnae have an army and there’s no force powerful enough to fight her and the fae army.”

  “Och, sister, ye are wrong. Clans Keith and Gunn combined with the Honor Guard will make a worthy threat.”

  Leana disagreed. “Nay, ye can no’ bring innocent men into this fight. I can no’ allow it.”

  “As laird, I can.” Adaira stood. “Dinnae ye think I’m aware of the risks?”

  “The queen will devour those men like a hungry wolf who hasn’t eaten for days.”

  “Mayhap we dinnae need to fight at all,” Masie said nervously looking into her lap. “I’ve been keeping something from ye. Mother is alive.”

  Leana and Adaira turned to Masie. “What!”

  “Aye. When I left Raven’s Landing, the auld woman driving the cart was Mum. She knew we were there.”

  “Why didnae ye say something?” Leana asked.

  “I wasn’t sure if she was real or fae trickery. But if she’s alive, mayhap she can help.”

  “Do ye know where to find her?” Adaira asked.

  Masie shook her head. “Mayhap she’ll come to us.”

  “We dinnae have time to wait,” Adaira said. “We must strike now.”

  Leana fell silent as her sisters argued. The great hall turned red as Leana thought about the queen killing everyone she loved. Snowdrop knew how to get what she wanted. Her majesty was doing it now by turning them against one another.

  Their aunt probably already knew about Kendrick and the children. A chill raced down her back as if the queen was clawing at her. She’d protect Kendrick at all costs. He was right. What kind of evil had she brought into his home? She had to make things right.

  Leana walked up the stairs ignoring her sisters. Quite frankly, their constant bickering made her head hurt. They knew where to find a bed if they wished to rest. However, Leana knew there’d be no sleep tonight. Adaira was

  desperate to battle the queen, and Masie was hell-bent on talking her out of it.

  War could be avoided if her sisters agreed to follow her plan.

  Leana arrived on the floor where the children slept. She stopped outside Allie’s chamber and placed her hand on the door. Every night before bed, Leana checked on Allie. She was going to miss the wee lass.

  The door creaked open, and Allie was standing there rubbing her tired eyes. “Is it morn yet?” She yawned.

  Leana knelt in front of Allie. “No, lassie. Ye should be in bed.”

  “I can no’ sleep. Ye haven’t tucked me in.”

  “Allie, I…” Leana looked into the child’s blue eyes. She couldn’t tell Allie the truth.

  She walked Allie back inside her bedchamber, going against Kendrick’s wishes to stay away from his children. “I’ll tuck ye in but ye must promise to be a good lass and go to sleep.”

  Allie climbed into bed. “Will ye lie down with me until I fall asleep?”

  Leana sat on the edge of the mattress. “Why do ye want me to stay?” she asked.

  “I dreamt ye were gone.”

  A tear slipped down Leana’s cheek as she thought of never seeing Allie again. “Come here, wee one.”

  Allie threw her arms around her neck. “Promise me ye’ll never leave.”

  She held her tight. “Och, dinnae fash yerself. No matter where ye go, I will follow.”

  “I love ye, Davina.”

  Davina. Hearing that name made her heart heavy with guilt. It wasn’t her right to tell Allie the truth, but something deep within her felt the need to do something kind.

  Leana scooted away from Allie. She took in a deep breath. The wee lass was innocent. When she was Allie’s age, Leana witnessed how cruel the world could be. It was the first time she saw her father raise his fist to her mother.

  Nay, she could not bring herself to introduce Allie to her wicked world.

  Knowing how her own heart ached, she couldn’t do the same to Allie.

  Eventually, the lass would find out, but she wouldn’t be here to witness the pain.

  Leana snuggled close to Allie. She hugged the lass tight and brushed a lock of red hair from the lass’s face and kissed her forehead. “Go to sleep.”

  Allie smiled and closed her eyes. Leana took in the moment as she ran her fingers through Allie’s hair. This beautiful, peaceful moment would be one she’d never forget.

  As soon as the sweet lass fell asleep, Leana slipped out of the bed and went to the door. She looked over her shoulder. “Until I see ye again.” She blew a kiss, then quit the bedchamber.

  Leana crept downstairs. Praying no one was in the great hall, she rounded the corner and her heart plummeted. Kendrick was hunched over with his head res
ting on the table. Two empty pitchers were overturned. By the smell of the room, the ale had been flowing throughout the night.

  She wanted to lift the fool up by his hair and scold him for getting drunk again. He needed her. But she couldn’t blame him for rejecting her. She’d confessed to something wicked and couldn’t imagine what had gone through his mind.

  She knew what must be done, and it was the ultimate sacrifice. The one thing that would right all her wrongs.

  “I never meant to hurt ye,” she whispered as she stepped closer to him. “I know what I have to do to keep ye and me sisters safe. In time, I pray ye’ll forgive me.” She bent down and kissed his cheek. “I love ye, Kendrick the fletcher.”

  With that, she donned her cloak and walked out the door.

  Heavy snow had started to fall, and Leana shielded her face with her hands as she trudged through the snow until she was far away from the keep.

  She spun around, searching for any sign of Alder. “I know ye’re here. Ye’re always here,” Leana exclaimed. “I’m surrendering to the queen.”

  Silence filled the night air. She turned to the forest. It was still and calm.

  Why wasn’t he answering her? The queen had won.

  Behind her, the trees rustled as the dark prince landed. He folded his wings and slowly drifted toward her.

  As he came closer Leana could no longer hold back her anger. “Ye left me to take the blame for murder.” She swung and punched him in the stomach.

  The prince slammed against a tree. Clumps of snow came raining down on his head from the branches above.

  “Ye’ve ruined me life.” Leana strode to the prince and raised her hands, ready to blast him with powerful white light. “I will destroy ye just like ye have destroyed me.”

  Leana called forth the fury storming deep inside her. Like a swirling tempest, all the anger and hurt spiraled up her body. Blinding light shot from her hands, hitting the prince’s chest. Tears streamed down her face as she released her wrath. Years of hate for the queen poured out of her, and she wouldn’t stop until every last drop of evil left her body and entered Alder.

  She glared at Alder in shock, apparently the light didn’t hurt him. In a flash, he lifted her off the ground, her toes dangling above the earth. She struggled to free herself, clawing at his icy grip.

  “I had to get your attention, stubborn woman,” Alder growled.

  “I could think of other ways than murder,” she said breathlessly.

  “Aye, but you pushed me too far.” He leaned close. “Jealousy makes a man do wicked things.”

  Her stomach knotted as his hot breath swept over her skin. “’Tis time ye came home, Leana. You can’t run from the queen. Surrender now, and your peasant farmer won’t share the same fate as the Keith lads.”

  Leana gritted her teeth. How did he know about Kendrick?

  “I watch your every move, Leana. I heard you confess your love for that human swine. I can give you everything, pleasure you in ways beyond your wildest dreams, but still you find comfort in this rotting world. What does he have that I don’t?”

  “A heart.”

  Alder turned his head as if he couldn’t believe what she’d said. His brows creased and he pressed his lips together.

  “Go on, punish me. That is what you want to do.”

  “No.” He loosened his grip and placed her on the ground. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

  As soon as Leana’s feet hit the ground, she gasped for air.

  “Leana, my red-haired beauty, I love you.”

  His words chilled her to the bone. He loved her? How could a dark prince love anyone?

  Alder scooped Leana into his arms, and in one leap, they were in the sky heading toward the Frozen Isles to the winter vale of the fae court.

  Somewhere between the mist rising from the isles and the Forest of Destiny, a weightlessness came over Leana. Her eyes grew heavy and she succumbed to a warm peace spreading through her body. Alder was protecting her against the vale’s defenses. Every day the vale’s walls were thickening, which meant reentering the realm would be painful, like a million

  pins pricking her skin.

  Her eyes fluttered open as they walked through a rippling wall of magic, entering the fae realm. They crossed a footbridge, headed for the place she most dreaded. “The queen,” she muttered as her ice castle appeared on top of the mountain.

  “Shh.” Alder brushed his hand down her face. “Sleep. You are safe.”

  15

  MASIE RUSHED into the bedchamber that she shared with Adaira. “Wake up,”

  she exclaimed, “Leana is gone.”

  Her sister stirred slowly. “Leana is gone?”

  “Aye. I’ve searched the whole keep I can no’ find her. We can no’ lose her again.”

  Adaira sat up. “She has no’ run away, Masie. She’s saving us by surrendering to the queen.”

  “How do ye know?”

  “Because she ran away to protect us before. This time, I’m afraid she’s no’ coming back.”

  Masie sat on the edge on the bed and hung her head. “We can no’ allow her to sacrifice her life for ours. We all took the blood oath.”

  “I know, Masie. Her guilt weighs too heavily on her heart.”

  “So, are we going to let her go?”

  “Damn the devil, no.” Adaira threw the furs back and got out of bed. “We stand together.”

  Masie joined her sister, helping her dress. “I’m no’ afraid. I’m ready to send the queen back to hell.”

  “Me too. Before we leave, I need to talk with Kendrick. If we have any chance of saving Leana, we’ll need his help.”

  “Aye, love conquers all.”

  “Aye, sister.”

  “I dinnae understand why ye will no’ help us,” Masie exclaimed. “Ye do love her?”

  Kendrick sat at the table with his arms folded. His jaw ticked with anger as he listened to Masie’s plea. Leana was no longer his concern, nor were her sisters. “Leana has made her bed, she can lie in it.”

  Adaira leaned across the table. “She has gone back to the fae queen in order to save us all. Ye owe it to her to bring her home.”

  “I owe her nothing. She brought this evil to me family.”

  “Ye dinnae understand, the queen is far eviler than us. I can no’ allow Leana to suffer for the rest of her life.”

  Kendrick froze. If the stories were true, the winter fae were as evil and cunning as the devil himself. Meddling in fae business was strongly discouraged by the Druids if you valued your life. The Unseelies and Druids had history. The Druids had lost the great war, the survivors enslaved. It wasn’t until the spring and summer fae court when his people were set free.

  Aye, he knew how powerful and evil the queen was. He wished Leana’s fate could be changed, but he wasn’t the man to bring her justice.

  “I’m sorry, I can no’ help ye. ‘Tis time ye leave now.” Kendrick walked to the door and opened it.

  No more words were spoken as Adaira and Masie made their way out the door. Adaira walked past him and a chill of anger streamed down his spine.

  Masie followed behind, but stopped before she crossed the threshold. “Know this, everything Leana did was out of love. I pray ye find it in yer heart to forgive her before it’s too late.”

  Kendrick dropped his gaze to the floor as he shut the door.

  “Ye are a fool,” Finn exclaimed from across the room.

  “This is no matter of yers.” Kendrick made his way back to the table and sat down with a sigh. He scrubbed his hands down his face.

  “Kendrick, this is no’ time to be hanging onto yer foolish pride. Go after her.”

  “Damn it, Finn. I listened to ye once and look where it has gotten me. I will no’ go after her. I can no’ risk me family’s safety.”

  Finn took a seat next to Kendrick. “Ye can no’ deny that she has made ye a better person. She loves yer children as if they were her own. And God bless her, she must be a saint f
or putting up with yer stubborn arse.”

  Frustrated, Kendrick rested his elbows on the table. He hated it when Finn was right. He’d never quit loving Leana, no matter what she was. Hell,

  he hadn’t been completely honest with her.

  “Kendrick, I know ye to be an honorable man. Even when ye lost yer way, ye have always done the right thing. Do it now. Ye’re the only one that can defeat the fae queen.”

  Kendrick looked up as realization washed over him.

  “Ye know I’m right.”

  “Finn, ye’re an arse,” Kendrick huffed.

  “Aye, the arse that’s going to save yers.” Finn grinned.

  “Ready me horse.” Kendrick stood. “I’ll meet ye in the barn. There’s something I need from the shop before I leave.”

  Finn nodded.

  “And I’ll need ye to watch over the children. I dinnae know when I’ll be home.”

  “Aye.” Finn quit the great hall.

  In his heart, Kendrick knew he was doing the right thing. Without Leana, his world had spun out of control. She showed him how to love again.

  “Damn the devil.” Kendrick strode off to the shop and prepared for the battle of his life.

  16

  THE SMELL of rosewater startled Leana from sleep. She sat up in bed looking around the chamber as bits and pieces of familiarity flooded her mind. Things were much different here than back at the keep. Even though a bed, hearth, and wardrobe were in the bedchamber, it felt empty. Or mayhap, it was dread that filled the space.

  Now that she was back at the queen’s ice castle, all her hopes and dreams were gone. Her new life left her numb. After she made amends with queen, the real torture would begin. No one made a fool of her aunt without grave consequences. She wondered what her punishment would be. Nothing would take away the pain of losing Kendrick. She’d have eternity to suffer, and eternity wouldn’t be long enough to forget him.

  Leana got out of bed. The cold floor bit at her bare feet as she walked over to the wash basin. As she dried her face and hands, she noticed the sheer shift she was wearing. She ran her hands down her body. Her stomach lurched as she thought of Alder gazing at her naked body as he bathed her.