Read Online Veil of Shadows by Jennifer Armintrout - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer Armintrout
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Occult fiction, American Science Fiction And Fantasy, Fiction - Romance, Romance - Paranormal, American Light Romantic Fiction
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brushing the other Fae away as though they were flies.
Cedric followed the Human.s gaze to the ground, where Bauchan.s robes lay in a puddle of melting ice that used to be his body. But it was an uninteresting sight, and he used the distraction of the crowd to look for Cerridwen.
The Fae that had taken hold of her had dropped her. She lay, unmoving, on the floor, her body turned in on itself so that he could not see her face to tell if she was conscious.
Anger churned in him, flaring red at the center of the tree of life force inside him. Some of it was still directed at Cerridwen herself, for her rash actions. Some was reserved for Ayla, for forcing him into a promise that he could not keep since she had not bothered to teach her daughter to rein in her temper and recognize the consequences of her actions. But those were diminished in the face of the rage that made him wish he could do to these Faeries exactly what Cerridwen had done to Bauchan.
“What is this? Is this some sort of joke?” The Human looked to Cedric on the ground, at Cerridwen, and back to the green Faery. He recognized her as the representative of the Fae. Cedric ground his teeth.
The green Faery straightened her long back and tossed her matted hair over her shoulder.
“This is no joke, Human. Bauchan is dead. Killed by these traitors. And we will punish them as we see fit.”
“Bauchan owes me money,” the Human said. How like a Human, to be unconcerned with anything but monetary gain. “Is this a trick?”
“You will be paid,” the green Faery spat. “Do not trouble yourself with that worry.”
The Human.s gaze moved over Cedric and Cerridwen again, and he flicked nervous eyes back to the green Faery.s face. “I can.t have any nastiness aboard my ship, you understand?
What.s to stop their people from coming after me if they die here?”
“They have no „people..” The green Faery sneered down at Cedric. “They will not be missed.”
The cold efficiency in her voice told Cedric that she truly believed this, and he could no longer idly watch. “You can explain to your Queene, then, why she has been denied her prize.”
The green Faery turned flashing eyes toward him. “Have I asked you to speak?”
“You know that Danae would not permit the death of the Faery Queene. Not when she could parade her in chains for her own pleasure.”
The Faery.s eyes narrowed. Her lips pursed. She said nothing.
“Queene?” The Human frowned. He.d lost control of the situation when he.d lost the green Faery.s attention, and he aimed to get it back. “This one here is a Queene?”
“A Pretender Queene,” the green Faery snapped.
“Queene of the Faery Court, descended from the line of Queene Mabb.” This would mean nothing to the Human, Cedric realized. A bolt of inspiration struck him. “One of your Human poets told of her. Shakespeare? Do you know what I speak of?”
The man made a noise, which was neither an affirmation or denial. It did not matter to Cedric which it was, because now the Human.s focus was trained on him. “She killed Bauchan?”
Cedric nodded gravely. “She did. He committed a great offense against her, and it was her royal right.”
“Liar!” The green Faery struck his cheek with a stinging slap.
Moving faster than Cedric had ever seen another Human move, the man stepped between them and grabbed the green Faery.s arm. She hissed and thrashed and spat, but he kept ahold of her. “There.s going to be none of that!” he roared, pushing her backward. She stumbled against the rail of the stairs and glared up at him. “This is my ship, and if anyone.s going to be dealt with, it.ll be me doing the dealing. Understand?”
The man considered Cedric for a moment, then turned his attention to Cerridwen. “She hurt?”
“I do not know,” Cedric answered truthfully. If she was, he would make those who had done it pay.
The Human nodded to his crew. “Get her up. Check her over. Then throw
Cedric followed the Human.s gaze to the ground, where Bauchan.s robes lay in a puddle of melting ice that used to be his body. But it was an uninteresting sight, and he used the distraction of the crowd to look for Cerridwen.
The Fae that had taken hold of her had dropped her. She lay, unmoving, on the floor, her body turned in on itself so that he could not see her face to tell if she was conscious.
Anger churned in him, flaring red at the center of the tree of life force inside him. Some of it was still directed at Cerridwen herself, for her rash actions. Some was reserved for Ayla, for forcing him into a promise that he could not keep since she had not bothered to teach her daughter to rein in her temper and recognize the consequences of her actions. But those were diminished in the face of the rage that made him wish he could do to these Faeries exactly what Cerridwen had done to Bauchan.
“What is this? Is this some sort of joke?” The Human looked to Cedric on the ground, at Cerridwen, and back to the green Faery. He recognized her as the representative of the Fae. Cedric ground his teeth.
The green Faery straightened her long back and tossed her matted hair over her shoulder.
“This is no joke, Human. Bauchan is dead. Killed by these traitors. And we will punish them as we see fit.”
“Bauchan owes me money,” the Human said. How like a Human, to be unconcerned with anything but monetary gain. “Is this a trick?”
“You will be paid,” the green Faery spat. “Do not trouble yourself with that worry.”
The Human.s gaze moved over Cedric and Cerridwen again, and he flicked nervous eyes back to the green Faery.s face. “I can.t have any nastiness aboard my ship, you understand?
What.s to stop their people from coming after me if they die here?”
“They have no „people..” The green Faery sneered down at Cedric. “They will not be missed.”
The cold efficiency in her voice told Cedric that she truly believed this, and he could no longer idly watch. “You can explain to your Queene, then, why she has been denied her prize.”
The green Faery turned flashing eyes toward him. “Have I asked you to speak?”
“You know that Danae would not permit the death of the Faery Queene. Not when she could parade her in chains for her own pleasure.”
The Faery.s eyes narrowed. Her lips pursed. She said nothing.
“Queene?” The Human frowned. He.d lost control of the situation when he.d lost the green Faery.s attention, and he aimed to get it back. “This one here is a Queene?”
“A Pretender Queene,” the green Faery snapped.
“Queene of the Faery Court, descended from the line of Queene Mabb.” This would mean nothing to the Human, Cedric realized. A bolt of inspiration struck him. “One of your Human poets told of her. Shakespeare? Do you know what I speak of?”
The man made a noise, which was neither an affirmation or denial. It did not matter to Cedric which it was, because now the Human.s focus was trained on him. “She killed Bauchan?”
Cedric nodded gravely. “She did. He committed a great offense against her, and it was her royal right.”
“Liar!” The green Faery struck his cheek with a stinging slap.
Moving faster than Cedric had ever seen another Human move, the man stepped between them and grabbed the green Faery.s arm. She hissed and thrashed and spat, but he kept ahold of her. “There.s going to be none of that!” he roared, pushing her backward. She stumbled against the rail of the stairs and glared up at him. “This is my ship, and if anyone.s going to be dealt with, it.ll be me doing the dealing. Understand?”
The man considered Cedric for a moment, then turned his attention to Cerridwen. “She hurt?”
“I do not know,” Cedric answered truthfully. If she was, he would make those who had done it pay.
The Human nodded to his crew. “Get her up. Check her over. Then throw
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