Reign of Ice (Forever Fae #4)(71)

“Ariella!” Brayden called. “Answer me!” Over and over he yelled my name, but I forced myself to concentrate and block him out as best I could.

Merrick placed a calming hand on my shoulder and leaned down to whisper in my ear, “Calm down, Ariella. Patience …”

Alasdair pointed a finger at me and snarled, “Get the army prepared and ready to leave. This ends now.” He turned on his heel and stalked off toward his dwelling. When I watched him disappear behind the door, I gazed out at the army as they salivated for the taste of blood.

“Yes, Alasdair, this ends now,” I said to myself. Brayden and my people were coming; they were going to fight. I couldn’t let that happen. There was going to be no more killing, no more destroying my land, and no more of his poisonous ways. The day for his evil to be stopped was now, and I was ready.

Storming my way to Alasdair’s dwelling, I looked over at Merrick and told him, “Brayden and our people are on their way. I have to do this now or many will die. I can’t let them come in here with all these mortals and their weapons.”

He nodded solemnly and blew out a shaky breath. “I agree. Do you want me to come up there with you?”

I shook my head, trying desperately to keep the tears at bay and my voice from cracking when I said, “No, it’s okay. I need to do this alone. Thank you for being here for me. I don’t think I would have kept my sanity if it wasn’t for you.”

Sighing, he pulled me into his arms and held me tight. “You were always so brave, Ariella.”

I laughed and squeezed him tight. “I honestly think I got it from Drake. He was the one who always pushed me to do the things I did. Without him I wouldn’t have had the courage to do what I’ve done. My whole family has helped me be who I am today. They are all a part of me.”

“Yes, they are,” he stated honestly. “I can see all of them in you, or at least when you don’t look like a troll.”

I smiled and smacked him in the arm. “Leave it to you to make a joke in a time like this,” I teased. He grinned back, but I knew our time was up. “I have to go,” I said, backing away from him. “Tell them all I love them for me.”

Merrick swallowed hard and nodded. “I will, Ariella. Be careful up there.”

I opened the door to the sorcerer’s dwelling and glanced back at Merrick with a smirk on my face. “I am never careful, Merrick. That’s what makes me dangerous.” Taking a deep breath, I waved him farewell and shut the door behind me.

Once I got inside I wasn’t expecting to look up and find a mile long staircase winding its way to the top. I groaned and began climbing. One after the other I ascended the stairs, knowing I was one step closer to ending this.

“Brayden?”

“Please tell me you’re not about to do anything foolish? I know that tone, angel.”

I was up one flight of steps and had a few more to go. “If you consider killing the sorcerer foolish then yes I am.”

“We will be there soon! Don’t do this without me,” he roared.

“And that is exactly the reason I’m going to do it. He brought over the whole mortal army, Brayden. We have magic, but all it would take is one hit by their bullets and it would be over.”

“How are you even able to get around out there without someone recognizing you?” he asked.

“Because there are things about me you don’t know, Brayden, and it might be best if I show you.” I didn’t want to do this, but I sent a mental picture of Alasdair backhanding Gothin across the face, except it wasn’t Gothin … it was me. It was time I came out and showed him what I could do. “That was why you felt the pain,” I cried.

I could feel his confusion when he said, “I don’t understand. Why did I feel the pain of that hit? It wasn’t even you.”

I walked up a few more steps. “Yes, it was, Brayden. I was the one who got hit. I am the troll in that image.”

“How is that possible?”

I shrugged my shoulders and then realized he couldn’t even see me. We were so completely and utterly connected it was as if he was right there talking to me. I explained, “I don’t know how it’s possible, but it is. On the day I turned twenty-one this ability came to me. I can shift to make myself look like anyone I please. I knew I could get close to the sorcerer if I could just shift into the one person he trusted most.”

“So that’s how,” he expressed warily. “That’s how you were able to leave the palace undetected, too, isn’t it? It all makes sense.”

I had about two more flights of stairs to go. “Yes, that was how I got away. I pretended to be one of the warriors.”

“What else have you done to trick me? Were there other times you did this?”

“Yes,” I confessed sheepishly. I figured I might as well be honest with him since I had nothing else to lose. “On the night you had that visit from Taryn it wasn’t exactly her coming on to you.”

“That was you?”

“Yes,” I answered. “I had to see what you would do. I heard of your reputation so I had to test you. I didn’t mean to doubt, but I had to know.”

He sighed. “And now you are in the shape of the troll to get close to the sorcerer?”

“Yes, he trusts him.”