CHAPTER 71

Pain sliced through Runes Heart as Faye fled. He followed, calling her name.

What have you done!The Ra'Voshnik roared, bashing itself against his awareness.

"Faye, let me explain," Rune called, ignoring the creature. Agony clawed in his chest with each of her broken sobs. "Vsenia."

"Sparrow." Faye pushed open the door to her sister's room.

Rune stood at the threshold as Faye stumbled blindly into the darkened room. Her sister and Vashien slept as Faye crawled onto the bed feeling for her sister beneath Vashien's wing. "Sparrow."

"Faye? Hey, honey what happened?" Sparrow brushed Faye's hair back and wiped her tears. Hellfire blazed to life, lighting the room.

Rune narrowed his eyes as they adjusted to the light. Sparrow pushed Faye back, her gaze fixed to the blood trickling down her throat.

The little blonde's gaze shifted to Rune, burning with rage and accusation. "Did you fucking cut her?"

Tell them what happened,the Ra'Voshnik roared as Sparrow pressed her hand under Faye's chin.

"Take me home," Faye sobbed. Her words were a knife to his heart.

Vashien's wings pulled tight against his back. He called his sword as he leapt over Sparrow and Faye, taking a defensive stance between them and Rune.

"Faye." Rune pleaded, desperate to explain.

She clutched Sparrow tighter and the little blonde snarled, "You don't get to say her name, asshole."

"Take me home." Faye's broken voice gutted him. "I want to go home."

Vashien never took his eyes off Rune, his sword at the ready as he stepped backwards. "Stand up. I'll phase us home."

Do not let him take her!The Ra'Voshnik screamed as Rune pinned Vashien's mind. "You will not. My brother attacked her." Rune stepped into the room and Faye shrank from him. "Love, I said those things to protect you. Every word was a lie."

Faye met his gaze, her lashes clinging to tears she had yet to spill. Tears he caused. "You told me you never wanted Sadi."

"Vse—"

Faye's fingers dug into her sister's shoulder as she screamed, "You both wanted to fuck her!"

"Faye."

"I am not your cheap whore!"

Rune took a step toward them. Needing to comfort her. To make her understand. "I worship you. Alister would have killed you if he knew how devoted I am to you."

Faye went rigid with tension. She held his gaze, grating out a single word. "Why?"

Rune dropped her gaze. There were no explanations for the atrocities he'd committed. His actions were unforgivable. His cruelty and arrogance cost him dearly eight centuries ago. And it would cost him again. Stripping him of his queen.

"You did that to her." Not a question.

Rune swallowed and nodded before meeting her gaze. Her stormy eyes held no warmth. The affection he'd seen minutes ago withered and died before his eyes.

"I did," Rune admitted.

"You're a monster. I never want to see you again."

Rune released Vashien's mind.

What are you doing?The Ra'Voshnik demanded, circling his mind.Do not let him take her.

His queen wished to go. It wasn't his place to question her. He served her will.

He couldn't keep her here. Couldn't make her understand.

Rune could only watch as they faded from sight.

Sleep wouldn't come in the days that followed Faye's departure. Her tear-stricken look of betrayal gutted him, leaving him empty. Rune sat in his study, attempting to read a passage for the third time.

He had no interest in reading these documents. His mind wandered to his night breeze. He'd gone to Faye's home more than once asking to explain, to beg her forgiveness. Faye refused to see him while Sparrow and Vashien barred his entry.

The Ra'Voshnik remained deathly quiet, somewhere in his subconscious. The creature raged, fighting him viciously in the hours after Faye left and suddenly stopped. It did nothing as its presence slowly slipped into the recesses of his mind. It was as though the Ra'Voshnik understood they had irrevocably lost her and no longer cared to carry on.

Rune rubbed his chest over his heart, unable to soothe the ache. He had a mind to tear it out of his chest for a few moments of peace.

He was no stranger to war, torture, even had his flesh carved from his body on occasion. Darkness, he would welcome any of them— All of them to replace the bleeding ache where his heart once was.

Being without his night breeze pained him like nothing else. He'd held a moment of happiness and he'd lost it. Knowing what his life was with her, he could not return to his existence without her.

Sadi brushed his mind before materializing beside him. Rune glanced up at her. Sadi's resemblance to his queen only amplified Faye's absence.

"She's a fool," Sadi said.

"I am a fool." Rune's voice was empty and hollow, echoing his shame. "I was too arrogant. I thought Alister would keep his distance. I should have seen him coming."

He should have explained his blood debt to Faye and let her decide if she would accept his advances. He thought he would have more time. He'd been desperate to show her the man he would be for her rather than what he had been. The actions and choices that ultimately cost him his family.

"I can collect his head." Sadi offered, sweetly.

"No," Saith ordered the same of him once and when he refused, Saith abandoned him.

All my efforts on you will be wasted.

And they were. Rune spent twenty-two centuries becoming a dark weapon for his court. One Saith favored wielding. And Rune never questioned him, desiring his approval above all others.

Until The Creator ordered him to kill his brother, Rune could finally see there was no loyalty in Saith. Family and court meant nothing to him, and Rune would only be favored as long as he was of use.

Exactly as Alister had warned him, all those centuries ago.

"No," Rune repeated more to himself than Sadi. He monitored his brother. Kept a perimeter around Faye's home.

He would keep her safe and continue searching for her altar. Serving her in what little capacity she still tolerated.

These things were all he had left of her.