Court of Nightmares and Ruin

Chapter 36

Icelyn

A beast he most certainly was, but I would not let him intimidate me. Where most would step back, I stepped forward. "I have not come to stare at you but to ask for your help."

His green eyes traveled up and down my body, and he scowled at me. A menacing roar echoed in his throat, but I held my ground even though my body was begging for me to run to the safety of Kohl.

"Growl at her again, Leon, and I will personally remove your voice box." Kohl's threat caused Leon to smirk, or at least I thought it was a smirk.

"Come forward, Night Realm queen. Take my hand, and I will hear your petition. Which do you prefer? A hand or a paw?" His question was a trap, I knew he wanted me to say I preferred his hand, which I did, but he wouldn't get that admission from me.

"Whichever you prefer," I answered as genuinely as possible.

I walked up to him and offered him my hand. Quicker than a flash of lightning, he struck at me with his paw and sank his claws into the meaty flesh of my palm. He left his nails embedded in my skin and smiled as I bit my lip to keep from crying out in pain. I held perfectly still, knowing that if I pulled away from him, he would rip the flesh from my bones.

I instantly held up my free hand, stopping Kohl as he moved. Murder was in his eyes, but I am the Queen, and this prick was trying to break me. I would not allow it, just as I would not allow Kohl to fight my battles, no matter how much he longed to. It took a sharp shake of my head, but Kohl finally stopped. He's breathing heavily, and I know it is taking everything within him not to kill Leon.

"Human blood...is there anything sweeter." Leon leaned down and sniffed the blood from my hand, pooling under his paw.

"What is your request, Queen."

"My name is Icelyn, and before you hear my request, you will remove your paw from my hand and heal the damage you have caused." I simmered with anger, and even though I could not back up the threat in my tone, I looked him over and dared him not to do as I said.

He smiled again, and this time he quirked his eyebrow in question to my demand. Ever so slowly and painfully, he retracted his claws and removed his paw from my hand. I stood there with my hand before him, dripping blood on the floor and his pants.

"Now, heal it," I growled.

The Day Realm's most extraordinary power was the power of healing, and not just themselves like all other fae. They could heal others.

He lashed out again, this time with his hand, and tightly gripped my injured hand. He squeezed so hard that he caused my wound to bleed even more and a tear to slip from the corner of my eye. I couldn't hold Kohl at bay any longer, and he instantly appeared behind me.

"Be still, Kohl. I like your female. She has more balls than most males I know." Leon smiled menacingly over my shoulder at Kohl, and I was surprised that Kohl stopped.

I felt the temperature rise between our two palms, and I shut my eyes as a bright light sparked between our hands. When Leon pulled his hand away, the only evidence of his assault was the blood left behind.

"Your courage has earned you the right for me to hear your request. I may even be persuaded to grant it if it is within reason," Leon said and leaned lazily back into his chair.

My head was spinning after that horrid encounter, but I tried to convince my dry tongue to speak. "I need your help changing myself back into a fae." I started slowly, and Leon sat forward as if interested.

"And pray tell, how do you expect me to accomplish this feat?"

"I need you to go with us to get a magical book that you and Kohl entrapped in the mortal realm."

Leon's features were consumed with anger, and this time, I stepped back as he slowly stood. Kohl's arm snaked around my waist and pulled me until I was safely at his back. The world seemed to stop completely as the two large males faced each other.

"You expect me to help you get a book that you refused to bring back into our world, knowing that it was the only way to rid me of this damn curse!" Leon thundered, and I eased away further until my back was flush with the wall.

I expected them to come to blows any second. Leon's hate-filled eyes entrapped me, and I stopped moving. Then they slowly looked back towards Kohl.

"You would do this for her, but not your own brother?"

My mind ceased to process any further information, and my mouth parted slightly in awe.

"Brother?" The question slipped from my lips before I could stop, and both looked my way.

Leon tried to come closer to me, but Kohl blocked him with his large body. Leon stopped and peered around Kohl.

"Don't tell me that Kohl has neglected to tell his mate about our perverse family history?" Leon laughed maliciously.

My eyes traveled from Leon and then back to Kohl. Their resemblance was slight, but it was there. Leon is dark of hair, just like Kohl, unlike the others of the Day Realm, whose features were fair.

"My dear, beloved father, King of the Day Realm at the time, rapped Kohl's mother, and once he found out that she was pregnant and that I was his child and a male, he stole me from her bosom, and this is where I have been ever since. His only male heir." Leon retold the story with such hate that a tremble ran down my spine.

If Leon was a mixture of Day and Night, did that mean he had some of the powers that Kohl had? The mere thought of him having even an ounce of Kohl's powers made my heart lurch with fear. Leon was obviously a very disturbed fae.

"Are you done playing your pity card, or do you need a shoulder to cry upon?" Kohl stepped towards Leon threateningly, and I theorized that none of us would leave this room alive if I didn't separate them soon.

"With Isadora dead, we shouldn't encounter obstacles in bringing the book here. I am asking you, King, to King, to help me get it so I can save Icelyn." Kohl turned so severe a hush fell over the room, and I could tell it was difficult for Kohl to ask Leon for help with anything.

Leon must have known it, too, because the scowl on his face turned somber. "I will help you free the book if, after we change Icelyn back, you hand it over to me so I can break my curse."

"After Icelyn is restored, I could care less what you do with the book as long as it is returned to the mortal realm once you are finished with it."

I held my breath. This was a compromise that was beneficial to both sides.

Leon nodded his head. "Good, then we have a deal."