Rise of the Seven by Melissa Wright

roaming my body again. “I
understand you’ve chosen a second.”
    Shit. Shit, shit, shit. There were a thousand
implications in his statement, chiefly that I would not be getting
bound to Chevelle.
    A crash sounded in the corridor, followed by
a high-pitched, “Oopsie,” and a giggle.
    “ Get on with it, Veil,
before I slaughter your minions.”
    He appeared oblivious to not only my comment,
but all of the destruction surrounding us. “An unexpected choice,
your blue-eyed guardian.”
    I stepped forward. “Spit it out or I’ll
remove your tongue.”
    He laughed and glanced at Anvil. Damn, I
hated fairies.
    “ And especially soon. You
seem concerned for your safety,” he said, his eyes falling back to
mine.
    How he knew within a matter of hours, not
only that I had chosen a second, but why, was a problem.
    “ It seems you are concerned
with my affairs as well,” I said.
    His face became serious, but retained the
sexy. “I am very interested.”
    I leaned back.
    Veil leaned forward. “Perhaps we can make an
arrangement.”
    I was momentarily speechless, and not
entirely certain what he was offering.
    “ I can protect you,” he
murmured.
    My mouth dropped open at his word choice, and
then a few choice words emerged.
    “ You are very appealing when
you’re angry, beautiful Freya.”
    I was tempted to hurt him, but I couldn’t
afford a war. Not yet.
    “ No?”
    “ Never.”
    “ Ah, well.” He stepped back,
resuming his pacing. “So then, a gift.”
    I felt a sudden, though light, pull on the
cord which held my mother’s pendant at precisely the same moment
Veil winked at me.
    “ Let me know if you change
your mind,” he hummed in an remarkably alluring voice.
    I glanced down just as his boots lifted from
the floor and found the “gift” attached to my necklace. I didn’t
waste time unlacing it, instead yanking the entire cord free and
away from my skin. When I looked back up, the others were watching
a few dozen fey disappear from sight.
    Unfortunately, that left too many still
within the hall. The pair of gray-feathered fiends looked at me and
smiled. I flinched, not only at their promise, but at what appeared
to be blood on their prickly little teeth. I secured the necklace
behind my belt and readied my sword.
    “ Leave now and we will
remain at peace.”
    It was really a useless warning. All who’d
traveled with Veil had only come to unearth trouble, with the
possible exception of Flora and Virtue, who followed him
everywhere. But they were gone, along with the ones who didn’t care
to risk death. Then again, I couldn’t help but offer, because I
really wanted them to just go.
    The winter sprite who had been harassing
Rider moved to the center of the room and joined another of its
kind. They were very dangerous, despite their frail appearance.
They were nearly as tall as Ruby, but incredibly thin and pale.
Their hair was long, a silvery gray that fell down in waves and
complemented their paper-thin silver and white wings. And they had
the ability to create shards of ice that pierced like glass and
broke like steel.
    “ We have come for the girl,”
the one farthest from me replied.
    I knew exactly who she meant, but I didn’t
dare take my eyes off them to confirm Ruby’s safety. I trusted my
guard. They would protect her. Please, let them protect her.
    “ She will not leave here,” I
pledged.
    As if they had been waiting for the
challenge, for my denial, the rest of the fey gathered in a very
large half-moon behind them. Except for the frost monsters, who
still hovered above Rhys yelling, “Mine, mine,” for his staff. I
wasn’t sure they were even aware of the impending battle, let alone
Veil’s departure. At least they hadn’t tried freezing him yet.
    I hated fairies.
    “ Don’t do this.” I tried
again.
    The gray fairy on the right raised a slender
hand to ready her troops. In typical fey fashion, a small male
became overly excited and broke the charge early, heading