Elemental Flame - Phaedra Weldon Page 0,2

him and not you."

"You promised to tell me why him," Arden pointed at Crwys. "What's so special about him?"

Brendi's expression softened. "Poor Arden. You've lived among Gods and never knew it. This man, this creature, is wanted in our realm, for crimes against our world. For lighting a fire that nearly destroyed us." She took several steps toward Crwys and put her fingers under his chin. He narrowed his eyes at her, willing her on fire.

Nothing happened. The Arrow did the job it was designed to do. Nullify him. Weaken him. Make him easy to handle. After all, that's what his sister commissioned it for.

"And you, Crwys Holliard. I have your name now. I know what you are, and who you are and a deal within a deal is always the best reward. And because I have you, I will have the hearts and minds of the survivors of our entire realm. Once they know I have the Destroyer, no one will oppose me." She leaned in and he could see her now inhuman beauty. There was nothing human left inside of her. Her pale, smooth skin, her long pointed ears, her catlike pupils and her sharp, pointed teeth.

She pressed a kiss of cold lips against his before she bit into them. He made a noise because he couldn't speak, and tasted his own blood. Brendi pulled back and smiled. He saw his blood run over her bottom lip and down her pointed chin. "Take him to the palace."

The soldiers holding him lifted him higher as they prepared to drag him through the mirror. One of the soldiers in gold armor reached out to grab the Arrow. Brendi drew a sword from a scabbard at her hip and sliced off his hand. The soldier cried out and went down on his knees as pure Faerie blood poured into the mist. "Never touch the Arrow! It cannot be removed. Do I make myself clear?"

The soldiers responded, "Yes, my Queen!"

Crwys looked over at Arden as he was dragged toward the mirror. His eyes narrowed he summoned the last of his power, what little was left to him, and cursed Arden Vervain. A single ember from the balefire shot into the air, spiraled down, and burrowed into her heart. She cried out and clasped her hands to her chest as she stared at him, wide eyed.

She knew what he'd done. She knew he'd cursed her.

"Please! Don't do this! She gave me no choice!"

Her cries for her own salvation vanished as he passed into Alfheim.

Crwys moved in and out of consciousness as his body was dragged, dropped and then placed on an ice-cold surface. He passed into dark bliss, away from the pain of the Arrow for a time. But when he was awakened, he lifted his head and realized just how dire his predicament was as shattering pain followed him into wakefulness.

He recognized the Obsidian Palace by its dark marbled interior and its cold, dead power. He also recognized the throne room where he hung suspended from chains that pierced his body. The chains ripped through his flesh and muscle and fused to his bones not only at his shoulders, but at every joint above his waist. They held his arms out from his sides as blood dripped into a bottomless pit below. The Arrow protruded from his chest, locking him into this body. He was crucified on the altar of the Obsidian Queen.

More chains encased his legs from his thighs to his ankles. The added weight pulled at the chains holding him in the air. Constant, steady pain.

Crwys had known agony in his long life, but never anything as excruciating as this.

"Behold!" Brendi shouted out from her facing throne. "The Destroyer!"

His eyes opened again at the cheers that went up around him. He lifted his head to see thousands of Faerie as they crowded in to see their devil, to see the one that turned their fertile fields to dust.

"We want to see his true form!"

"Show us his form!"

"Show us!"

Crwys smiled as his gaze found Brendi's. What her people wanted, she could not do. Not with the Arrow inside his heart. Like this he was sealed in place, not alive or dead. But if the Arrow was removed, he swore, no he vowed he would lay waste to her and every living thing in the palace.

As the pain increased, he fell back into madness. The old lunacy that became a comfort for centuries before he woke to a life among the humans.