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A female standing on the bank lowered her hood and took a tentative step forward. Arianna’s eyes shot toward her, though she didn’t take her attention completely from her father.
“She’s healing him.” All eyes turned toward the female.
Rion stepped back, balancing his body and his breathing came deeper. Thank the gods he was standing. She could do this. She could get him to safety.
“Avalon, your daughter is healing him.”
Arianna didn’t release her grip and slowly Rion’s arm came to rest on her shoulders. Chains rattled and she snarled at the iron around his wrists.
The ancient texts were wrong. Everything they had ever taught her was wrong. He wasn’t anymore cursed to his magic than she was to hers. Magic was magic, having a different sort didn’t mean you’d bring destruction upon the world.
Avalon collected himself but she could see the uncertainty in his gaze. “Step away, Arianna. This crea—”
“Mine,” she growled. “He’s mine.” Her father’s eyes flew open wide, but if he understood, she couldn’t tell, Arianna only knew one thing. She needed to get Rion out of here. Away from these Fae. Away from danger.
She stepped back and Rion followed, his legs near buckling. Another step and her father yanked at the magic again, trying to tear it away from her body.
Arianna growled and solidified ice around Rion in a protective cocoon then launched herself at Avalon. She pinned him to the ground, pressed her hand against his chest, and let frost crawl across his torso. “You will not touch my mate.”
He froze and for the first time, she tasted fear. Genuine fear. Those surrounding didn’t move as she challenged each in turn. “If anyone else comes after him, Iwillkill you.” Her words didn’t sound like her own. They were words of command, of threat.
Arianna returned to Rion, melting the surrounding magic without thought before wrapping her hand around his waist. He leaned into her.
“Arianna.” His voice was so low she barely heard it.
“I’m here. I’ve got you.” His hand clenched her shoulder. Weakly, as if he couldn’t quite get his muscles to obey.
And they kept walking. Until they were out of the pool. Until those dressed in ceremonial robes were far behind, rushing to tend to her father. Until the pair were up the stairs and across the landing, her magic still a raging storm around them.
Rion sank to his knees and Arianna sank down with him.
“Just a little further,” she promised, voice cracking. “Please, Rion.”
He ground his teeth and placed one foot on the ground, crying out as he stood and leaned against her. She frantically searched the area. They were in the middle of Móirín, a country that was supposed to be her home but right now felt more like a death sentence. Any minute now those with her father would sprint up those stairs and she’d have to face them on her own.
She just needed—her eyes landed on the guest house across from the estate. It wasn’t much, and she wasn’t sure what she would do, but she needed shelter, maybe she could form a perimeter. Stand guard.
But there were stairs and Rion’s body was giving out. And the shackles around his ankles—
Tears of frustration pricked at the corners of her eyes. Voices sounded from behind, those with her father now daring to ascend the stairs. Just a little further, just a little further, just—
“Lady Arianna?”
Her head snapped toward the voice. Eoghan stood at the base of the stairs they’d been approaching. He stepped forward, one arm outstretched and like something had possessed her, another growl echoed from deep in her throat.
Eoghan paused and scented the air before turning his wrists up. He placed one knee on the ground, but his eyes never left hers. “I’m here to serve you, my queen. Whatever you need.”
Panic swept through her body as the voices behind grew louder. “I need help.”
Eoghan was at her side a second later, his wrists and throat still exposed. “Tell me how.”
“I need him in there.” She tilted her head toward the guesthouse and his gaze followed. He eyed those behind then positioned himself to Rion’s other side, glancing at her for permission to touch the male he’d once called a demon.
She pressed her forehead against Rion’s. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. Because someone else was going to touch him.
Rion’s voice trembled. “I trust you.”
Eoghan grasped Rion’s other arm and draped it over his shoulder, taking the bulk of Rion’s weight. They took the stairs one at a time, too slow for her comfort, and turned down the short path that led to the front door.
