Onyx Eclipse (The Raven Queen's Harem 5)

“Casteel?” she asks.

“Not dead. Severely wounded, but not dead.”

She looks up at me with concerned, powerful eyes. “And the Morrigan?”

“Coming.” I look across the cavern and see the members of my Guard. They’re healthy and full of vigor. Morgan truly had saved them. “We need to move fast.”

“I’m working on a plan.” She pulls me into a kiss. I feel it in every molecule of my body. Every nerve and every muscle. “I need you strong.”

“I’ll be ready.”

“Yes,” she says, taking my hand. “You will.”

Chapter

Morgan

I don’t have time to give Dylan the full treatment, but I lead him to the clinic and assist him while he cleans up. I press my lips against every wound. I stroke his skin until the ache in his muscles ease. I do my best to ignore the hunger in his eyes and below the belt. It’s impossible to turn that on and off. We don’t have the luxury of immersing ourselves in one another right now.

By the time he’s suited up, wearing the all black uniform and matching the other members of the Raven Guard, Nevis is knocking on the door. She asks if she can come in. I give her a welcoming nod as Dylan secures his blades in the suit. Bunny slips in behind her. He’s suited up and my heart cracks a little seeing him unified with us, at least for now.

She’s followed by one of the healers I’d seen in the clinic earlier. He’s a small man with graying hair. “I’d hate to meet any of you in a dark corner of the castle,” she says, giving us the once over. “I’d like you to meet Kuwan. He’s our lead healer. His wife is the Morrigan’s personal assistant.”

These people are like an army of spies. No wonder their community has survived so long.

I step forward. “Thank you for helping, everyone. I know it was unexpected and probably taxed your resources. We will do whatever we can to repay you.”

Kuwan nods his thanks and says, “Nevis told me about the virus that the Morrigan is spreading in your world. It sounds similar to a sickness we had here, many years ago.”

“Years ago? You mean no one gets sick from it anymore?” I ask.

Dylan chimes in. “Was it cured? Eradicated?”

“No. Not exactly,” Kuwan says. “When the Morrigan unleashed her fury on this realm, she destroyed all living things. After the wars were over there were still survivors, but she solved that when cold and dark days rolled over the land. Sickness wiped out the remaining clans.”

“Except this one,” Clinton says.

Kuwan nods. “Yes, except this one.”

“How did they manage that? Just by coming underground?”

“No,” Bunny says. We all look at him in surprise. “The Queen drinks from a vial like those on the counter. It keeps her young. Vital and strong—especially when faced with Morgan and her power.”

“Is that true?” I ask

“Yes,” Kuwan replies

“What does she take? What keeps your people alive?”

“You notice the heat—the warmth. Our ponds are filled by warm springs of clean, clear water that warms the air as well as provides sanitation for cleaning and drinking. The people on the upside were freezing to death. The water sources were contaminated. That only sped up the plague set loose by the Morrigan, and they died.”

I look at Dylan and then Nevis. “You’re saying the water saved your people.”

“Yes,” Kuwan says. “We believe it has healing properties.”

“The water heals people,” Damien repeats.

“Yes. Healing, longevity…”