Prince Trevor of Lugh was staring at him.
He felt the Prince’s hot angry glare and realized that he felt a fierce hatred for him. Trevor of Lugh was in his way. Perhaps he would be the first Royal to die.
He had an idea. “What now, brother?” Hordly asked.
“Hordly we must return to the castle and recoup,” he told him.
Without another word, they shifted.
They stepped into the chamber Pestale had set up as his war room and Pestale paced for a moment.
He had seen death in Trevor’s eyes. This prince would disobey his queen and kill him if he could. He wanted his ounce of revenge for that other pretty’s death because he saw a threat to the pretty Fios.
And he would use that. Perhaps the Seelie was too brave?
He would have to lure him in and trap him. He would offer the prince up for trade, get what he needed and then kill him.
That was the plan.
He said to his brother, “We will return and allow the non-shifters to feed on the remaining neighboring towns near the castle.” He sighed and asked, “Where is Graely?”
Hordly shrugged, “He said something about this being a lost cause, and I haven’t seen him since.”
“I don’t know what to do about him. He can’t seem to wrap his mind
around the idea that we will rule this Realm.” Pestale shrugged. “Never mind him. We don’t need him right now but when we do, he will do as we ask.”
“Did you leave enough non-shifters in the village?”
“I did,” Hordly laughed. “They were eating everything in sight, humans, animals, everything.”
“Good, that will keep the Seelie busy for a time.” He put his hand on his brother’s shoulder and Hordly grunted in agreement.
Pestale paused. It occurred to him that he had a family. Why not be satisfied to live in the Highlands to take a woman or many women and live a life of comfort in this beautiful realm. The darkness that was deep inside and now a part of him welled up and balked at such a mundane notion. He felt a sneer cross his face as the fiber of his being demanded he not only live, but rule!
“Hordly,” he said on a determined note. “We know what these Royals mean to do and what abilities they have.. Next time we will have a surprise for them. Next time we get our hands on a Royal we will use him to get what we want.
~*~
It didn’t take long for the Royals and their warriors to vanquish the abominations that were left behind by the Dark Princes to die.
Jazz learned the knack of slicing and dicing quickly. Ete had showed her what to do early on in Inverness. She Slammed, and then helped kill. Her heart hurt over the process. She couldn’t help but think that these were monsters and needed to be destroyed, but she had a moment’s sympathy for their plight.
They had been created as beasts. They couldn’t be tamed, or educated; they just were beings the Dark King had made during his learning process of making life forms. They were his mistakes as he tried to create sons, four Royal Houses for his own pleasure. These mistakes were left to fend for themselves. She knew they needed to die, but her heart felt for them.
She made each kill a quick one.
She turned to find Ete backing away from the grotesque arena of blood and gore. Ete shook her head, and a pained look came into her eyes before she put a hand to her forehead and another to her stomach. She reached out for Jazz’s arm for support, and moaned.
“Ete!” Jazz said with concern. “What is it?”
“Something is wrong,” Ete said on a hushed note. “I do not…feel…quite right…”
“But you are a Fae, you don’t get sick,” Jazz said worriedly. She had formed an attachment for the lovely and wise princess.
“I’m not sick, but something else. Something is whirling around inside of me…and I…” Ete murmured and then looked at Jazz meaningfully. “Jazmine, I don’t want Breslyn to worry, but I think I need…” so saying Ete collapsed right before Jazmine’s eyes.
Jazz was beside herself as she dropped down to the grassy slope where Ete lay unconscious. Ete’s beautiful and bright copper lit auburn hair was spread out all around her and her eyes were closed.