CARDIGAN, acotar ¹

chapter five

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CHAPTER FIVE

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TIME STOOD STILL. beyond the monstrous figure of gold filling the cottage's doorway, lightning fractured the skies. empty, hollow gaps of silence between the screams and cries were filled with the sound of thrashing fury of nature. the skies were as cold as carson's blue-gold eyes, endless with wonder.

rain fell swiftly from the heavy, weeping clouds, splattering on the mortal lands. the continuous clangour reminded her of blood dripping.

it was her own crimson blood that went icy as she stared with narrowed eyes at the faerie before her. a great, aureate beast with elk-like horns and yellow fangs.

she had read enough tales of the fae to recognize one. the size, the appearance, the slight buzz in the air from the onslaught of its magic.

carson forced a breath into her lungs, but everything hit her.

her once steady breathing dropped in her chest as she and her sisters stood gawking at the faerie prowling around the doorway. it was like she was watching through a window, unable to act, to speak, to do anything at all. like she was stuck in the barriers of her own mind, within time itself.

trapped.

carson felt like she was falling through eons and stars, through skies and lands. until all her instincts slammed their fists and claws against her trapped mind and cried out. apparently, all she need was a flash of her mother's disappointed face to snap her into action.

she didn't know how long it took for her to break free of her trance and grab hold of the hunting blade on the shelf. it nearly slipped from her grasp.

"MURDERERS."

her heart was a wild, pounding mess in her chest. and yet, she found the courage to have her emotions swallowed by a quick death as she surged forward in front of her sisters, acting as a shield.

as she would always be. ready to take all the hits.

in horror, nesta's nails sliced through her skin as she clamped her hand around her lower arm, jerking her backwards.

carson nearly stumbled over elain, who cowered beside nesta, before pulling feyre with her as the faerie beast reared onto its tall, scarred hind legs and bellowed with a voice of utter fury, "MURDERERS."

the word echoed through her mind. her bones. her soul.

as if that had been a key twisting into a locked door, she felt something surge in return at the harm threatening to claim her sisters. she felt it ... a dark, black tendril of burning smoke wrapping around cold, wild flames of white, but blocked off.

by a wall, a glimmering barrier.

carson pushed it away, cursing under her breath as a pain in her chest rushed through her. as if she had been speared by a phantom weapon.

"p-please," her father stuttered, his hand landing on the curve of carson's shoulder with hope to pull her back. she wouldn't budge. "whatever we have done, we did so unknowingly, and—"