Page 38 of The Filigree Key

I glanced up at the sky; the puffy white clouds of the morning promised to eventually smother the blue expanse, perhaps even give us a cold rainy afternoon. “Something I’d like to do not in the dark.”

“Agreed.” With a whistle, he ordered the Brotherhood escort to move out, and our horses thundered over the bridge.

It was an unrelenting ride to western Redbud and a dismal one at that. There was something sad about wide-open spaces that had lost the vibrancy of their grasses or the fullness of their creeks. Of the skeletal trees and the pines that seemed to hunch against the weather instead of standing proud. The turkey vultures circling in the sky or picking at something in a field definitely did not improve the mood.

When we passed by Cedar Haven, a flood of relief eased the tension that had been building inside of me. We wouldn’t be navigating the forested river lands to access Alder Ranch from the south. We were taking the longer—and easier—way around. Which meant the elm tree and its wild magic would remain hidden. Safe.

Above, the sky had turned into an oppressive wall of iron-colored clouds. It might as well have been night for all the light the sun could provide, trapped as it was behind the impenetrable barrier of gray. So much for not tackling the demonic half-heart in the dark.

“It’s nothing but the winter storm season come early,” Ossian told me dryly, shifting his gaze from my face to the expanse above. “Ride astride with me if you’re worried, love. Your nerves will only transfer to your horse and we can’t have you breaking your neck when it bolts.”

“You could just command my horse to stay calm.”

He shook his head, copper curls swishing low across his forehead. “To order that would make it unaffected by anything, even at the expense of its own life. It needs its instincts.”

I shivered, wondering when he drained the life essences away from the forest animals he had imprisoned in the dungeon if he preferred them subdued or fighting against the inevitable.

A warm hand slid over mine, starting me from my thoughts. There was a pull on the bond, an encouragement to just relax, and I found the Stag Man lifting my hand to his lips for a kiss. “You’re safe with me, Meadow,” he assured me.

I’m anything but! Flashing a nervous smile, I extracted my hand and adjusted my grip on the reins. “Not when I face the heart. That’s just me against it.”

“I’ll be there in case you lose control.”

My attention shifted upwards, the glamour wavering as I focused on his antlers. His waist and legs, which were covered in buckskin, shimmered as I penetrated his glamour and revealed deer legs covered in thick copper hair. Cloven hooves the size of dinner plates.

Cursed to become a beast himself, came Roland’s voice.

Could a cursed high fae of Elfame be a match for an Unseelie half-heart? “You’d be able to contain it?” I asked.

Ossian’s jewel-green eyes narrowed at the skepticism in my voice. “I would destroy it. That is my power. If you shatter the heart without extracting its essence, you’ll give me no choice.”

His answer smacked of petulance—he was boasting. If he was so powerful he wouldn’t have had to steal Grandmother’s magic or mine to erect the shield around Redbud, nor would he have to drain supes and Fair Folk to supplement his reserves.

“What are you looking at?” he said suddenly, sweeping a hand over his hair. Searched for the antlers he knew should be glamoured.

“Just thinking how perfectly the crown of the Court of Beasts will look when it’s on your head.” I fiddled with my own braid of long brown hair, hoping if he noticed the nervous beating of my heart that he’d misinterpret it as excitement. “Do I get at least a tiara as your mate?”

The Stag Man grunted, lowering his gaze to my chest. “I’ll let you wear one only if you match your jewelry to it. Presentation matters in a fae court.”

The amazonite pendant and the Celtic shield reflected dully in the bleak afternoon light. I stuffed them beneath the collar of the white fox-fur coat. “Better?”

He snorted lightly. “Only just.” He clicked his tongue to his horse again, picking up the pace. “We’re here.”

The metal archway declared ALDER RANCH in bold lettering, but weathering and pitting robbed the sign of any grandeur. The gates were open, gouging the dirt as they hung from their hinges. Where the land sloped upwards into hillier terrain, border collies kept black cattle well away from the open gates. And the glen where the moonflowers contained the half-heart tree.

Our horses decided that the border collies and cattle had the right idea and refused to enter the glen no matter how hard they were whipped. I was the first to dismount, flinging my reins at Alec so he’d be forced to catch them and stop lashing his horse. A brief touch to the frightened beast’s flank sealed the wounds, including the ones left by his spurs.

“Stay here,” Ossian ordered the Brothers, taking my hand and leading me forward. “Can you sense it?”

That feeling of dread and an aura of hate? That brooding malice that was so potent that no other plant grew in the glen except the moonflowers? “Is it too late to have a bonfire in the courtyard? At least when I’m done mastering the essence of fire we could roast marshmallows.”

The Stag Man chuckled once, sobering when the trees abruptly stopped at the edge of the glen. I shuddered at the sight I’d hoped never to lay eyes on again.

Moonflower vines followed the design of a dara knot upon the glen floor, the wizened black tree that was the half-heart’s prison confined at its center. The land was firm underfoot, the air sweeter than when Flora and I had first planted the moonflowers. Crystals peeked out from the healthy foliage like frogs between lily pads.

“Impressive,” the Stag Man mused, abandoning me to inspect the dara knot from all sides. “This might even provide you some protection.” He gave me a lazy flick of his hand. “Over here, love.”

Swallowing, I circled the moonflowers until the red glow of the demonic half-heart shone from the knot in the tree. It pulsed just as it had before, rhythmic and unhurried. Biding its time to infect the land once more when the moonflowers failed.