Slamming (Through Time 3)

He did find it odd how devoted this male human was to Morrigu. Their time together had been a short one thus far and yet the two were inseparable. Pestale had investigated and found that Morrigu had not even compelled him to be with her. He remained enamored with her, smiling and laughing as though it was meant to be.

He no longer believed in such things. He had once thought that Royce was meant to be his, but he had been wrong. If this human male disappointed Morrigu then he would send him in pieces to whence he came! But for now he was a good diversion for her, as Hordly and he were too busy to look after her many needs.

Suddenly a shiver swept through him blasting its way into his head, giving him a warning. He looked up into the cloud splattered sky. Something high above made his blood tingle with dread. But what could it be?

He couldn’t see anything, but he certainly felt the magic. He was sensitive to all kinds of magic, whether it was white or dark. He sensed something hovering in the atmosphere.

Only one winged Fae remained, Deimne.

Was it the Sluagh high above?

What would the Sluagh want? What could the Sluagh learn hovering above his castle?

Pestale didn’t like this. He wasn’t ready for an attack by the Seelie Fae. If it was the Sluagh then he needed to be prepared for the winged Fae’s next visit.

The Sluagh was the only Fae capable of hiding himself from Unseelie. This fact swept through him, irritating him to his core.

How dare the Sluagh fly over his castle! It was further proof that he, the first of the Dark King’s sons was more Unseelie than Seelie Fae. For a Seelie Fae would have seen through his invisibility.

Damn his father’s dark magic! With Morrigu’s DNA and the Dark King’s DNA so much a part of him, why hadn’t he turned out completely Royal Seelie?

He knew the answer, of course, for his father had explained it once. It was simple—his father had erred.

The Dark King anxious to create his son all powerful, slipped in the DNA of an Ancient and beloved Danu creature. He had not realized that it had been damaged by the solution the DNA had been preserved in.

The Dark King had hoped to instill all this creature’s powers and abilities for great empathy and kindness and instead, it had made his sons something altogether different.

Graely and his youngest brother, who was now dead, had not received those genes. Only he and Hordly had.

He sighed and shoved these cogitations aside. At the moment he had to deal with the fact that he was certain he had the Sluagh in the sky above his castle. What was it doing? No doubt it was spying for the Seelie.

The Sluagh had to die.

He smiled to himself; very soon he would have the means to accomplish just that. And in fact, as humans so aptly put it, he would take out two birds with one stone.

The notion made him laugh. His laugh was an ugly sound that rang through the Grampian Mountains, so at odds with the beauty of the wild and vibrant life it held.

Pestale immediately shifted to Gorkum.

Chapter Eighteen

“A DISRUPTION HAS occurred at MacTalbot!” Aaibhe said quietly, her hand up halting all conversation around her. “Our treasured Druids, Maxine and Julian, stand at the edge of their warded land conversing with Graely the Dark Prince.”

She turned to Trevor. “You must go there at once. Maxine and her Druid mate are mortal and both are beloved. I am not certain their wards will hold against a Dark Prince. They should, but I would feel better if they had your protection.”

“I’m coming with you Trev.” Jazz didn’t question these things anymore. She simply assumed that the Queen and Maxine had some kind of mind link in place. What she questioned was anything that might put Trevor in danger. From her tone and her stance it was obvious she was not backing down.

“Neither one of you should be going,” Breslyn stuck in irritably. “Maxine and Julian are my people—my friends. I shall attend to them.”

“Breslyn, Maxine tells me that Graely has asked for Trevor,” the queen answered softly. “She must have her reason.”

“I don’t like it,” Bres answered. As Ete reached for his hand and he looked into her eyes, Jazz saw him melt for her. She couldn’t believe that without a word or even a harsh look Ete had worked his will and made it her own. A smile curved her lips as she watched the handsome brute warrior sit beside his mate; much like a youth and allowed her to take control. Now that was a real man—male Fae, or whatever.

Trevor sighed and took Jazz’s hand and frowned at her. “You say that, as though you are sure I shall allow you to accompany me, Jazmine Decker.”

“Whether you allow it or not, I am coming. If I have to track and follow you I will be at your side. When needed I will be with you. Understood?”

Breslyn frowned as he looked their way, obviously still of a mind to go as well. Ete murmured softly, “Maxine linked with the Queen for a reason Bres. She knew you would want to go to them and for some reason she requires Trevor.”