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I realized the naiads had somehow made me invisible, hiding me with their magick behind this filmy shield.
Sighing, I followed Grindolvek down a narrow path that wound along the stream and into an open glade completelycovered by foliage above us. Even though the trees lining the woodland were dropping leaves for autumn, those on these trees remained green and thick. It was his home, kept unnaturally fresh and cool and green as a naiad’s home would be.
Against a thick trunk, there was a bed of the giant lily leaves that grew along the bank of the stream. The leaves were flattened, as it was apparently where he slept. But Grindolvek stopped in the middle of the space that was his home and sat cross-legged. I followed and did the same, facing him.
For the first time since we’d stepped into his small world, Grindolvek smiled, his fangs curved and sharp, all of his teeth serrated like a dryad or naiad.
“You are very beautiful,” he said. “You are a unique creature.” His gaze skimmed to my wings.
Surprised, I let out a little laugh, taking in the green hue of his skin, the jeweled glitter of his eyes. “You are as well.”
“I am,” he agreed without boast but with honesty, that childlike candor making me smile yet again.
Without any warning, he raised his arm, dipped his head, and sank his fangs into his forearm. He then lifted it away and held out his arm to me, now dripping blue blood, the color of dark fae blood, not green like a naiad’s. Words still slipped beneath his skin like living creatures.
“How much do I need to drink?” I asked.
“That has never been told to me in my dreams,” he answered frankly. “I imagine as long as the gods tell you to.”
Scooting forward, I held his arm and dipped my head, opening my mouth over the wound, the metallic tang of his blood sharp on my tongue. Then a whirlwind of whispers filled my mind, and I sensed nothing at all. Only the whispers of the gods.
A blurry vision of Elska, beautiful in a green dress, long brown hair blowing in a silent wind. She stared directly at me,her eyes glittering green stars as she smiled. “The faithful shall win. The faithful shall defeat death and live such sweet lives.” She held out a golden chalice to me, filled with blue blood. “The offering shall fill your soul and seal your path toward righteousness.”
The blood burned its way down my throat, racing wildly through my body. I snapped away from Grindolvek’s arm, screaming up to the canopy of trees. The green film vanished from my eyes and from around my body as I slipped away into darkness and pain.
Chapter 35
GOLL
“I’ve broughtyou something to eat,” said Dalya.
My tent was dim in the light of a single lantern. I’d been sitting vigil at Una’s side. I didn’t lift my gaze at Dalya’s approach, still holding Una’s hand and willing her to wake. “I’m not hungry.”
The naiads had attacked us for half an hour then suddenly disappeared. I’d heard Una scream and followed the sound down a narrow path, finding her unconscious and alone. The sight had crippled me with fear, that I hadn’t been able to protect her.
For a moment, I’d actually wondered if Grindolvek was the one Dalya had warned me of. But when we’d brought her back to the encampment, Dalya ensured me Una was only sleeping and all her vitals were normal.
Dalya sighed then rounded to the other side of our bed of furs. She knelt next to Una and placed a hand on her heart.
“Well?” I snapped, unable to control my distemper.
“She’s still fine, my king.”
“If she was fine, she would be awake.”
“She is resting from her ordeal. She came in contact with the god-touched. That would cause anyone to lose consciousness.”
“For this long?” That had been yesterday.
I’d carried her back to the encampment, assuming she would awaken by nightfall. But she hadn’t. We were now well into the following morning.
“She is not harmed in any way,” Dalya assured me, though it did no good. “She simply needs to rest.”
I turned Una’s hand in mine so that I could see the new runes the gods had etched into her skin. I trailed my finger over the delicate markings that meantguardianbut in the female form.Nurturer and protectorin one.
She bore the same symbols on the other wrist, the runes now encircling both. I could see now that once she ingested the final text, the runes would complete the circle around her wrist.
The markings were a blessing of the gods and a blessing to me. Lumera didn’t mark the moon fae. As far as I knew, Elska had never marked the wood fae. It was Vix and Solzkin and the lesser gods of the demon fae who marked us with rites of passage.
