Free Why Are All the Good Guys Total Monsters? by De-Ann Black

‘Ready?’ he said.
    ‘Yes.’
    The cabin disappeared and we were standing amid the trees
whose silhouettes still guarded us. It was snowing, and the ground was iced
white. Daire threw a handful of sparkling faerie dust into the air. His wings
extended, preparing to fly off with me.
    No goodbye to Sabastien, I thought, almost tearfully. Would
I ever see him again?
    I glanced around. One last look at this beautiful fae world
of snow, deep dark forests and cities steeped in shadows of the past.
    ‘Hold tight, Vesper,’ said Daire.
    ‘No,’ a voice roared, and then Archer came soaring from the
sky. ‘No, Vesper,’ Archer shouted. ‘Don’t go with Daire.’
    Archer flew at him, knocking him aside.
    Another figure flew towards us in the distance.
    ‘Sabastien,’ I heard myself whisper, seeing his glistening
dark wings power at speed. He was flying as fast as he could through the wind
and the snow. Hurry up, I urged him.
    Daire got back up and challenged Archer. My instincts made
me fight, and I lashed out at Archer, using my strongest techniques to weaken
him. I never thought my martial arts were any match against a fae, but I hoped
I could help Daire, if only by being a distraction for Archer.
    Archer absorbed the blows I tried to inflict on him, and
made no effort to defend himself. His ice blue eyes looked at me as if he never
would. It didn’t make sense. Archer had hunted me, had tried to kill me with
his arrows. Why now would he not want to hurt me?
    There was no time to think. Daire lunged at Archer and what
seemed to be a fight to the death erupted right in front of me. A fury of
wings, fists and dazzling starlight lit up the night.
    Sabastien flew down and pulled me aside, a safe distance
from the fight. ‘Stay here, don’t run. Stay where I can find you.’
    I nodded, thinking surely Sabastien and Daire combined could
deal with Archer.
    Somehow Archer had gained the upper hand against Daire who lay
barely conscious on the ground, entwined with vines of silver and black, and
thorns.
    With tremendous speed Archer drew an arrow from its sheath,
and with his bow he aimed it straight at me. The arrow, brilliant blue crystal,
shone in the night.
    Daire’s eyes were filled with horror as he realised he
couldn’t save me from my fate. ‘Run, Vesper,’ he found the strength to shout.
‘The arrow is poisoned.’
    I knew I couldn’t run far enough or fast enough to avoid
being hit. Archer’s arrow wouldn’t miss me this time.
    Only one other could save me — Sabastien, but there was
little hope of that. He’d sworn never to risk his life again for a girl he
loved. Did he love me? I think he could have if his heart hadn’t been broken.
Perhaps he loved me a little, even with a broken heart. His eyes flicked from
me to Archer and back to me.
    Then it seemed as if time slowed down. I knew it hadn’t, but
that’s how it felt. Archer’s fingers released the arrow from the bow. I heard
the sound of it cutting through the air. I saw the final look in Sabastien’s
eyes — then he jumped at the last breath, and dived in front of me, becoming a
shield to take the arrow that was meant for me.
    But Sabastien was too late — and the arrow hit its mark,
straight through my shoulder.
    I dropped to the ground, with one thought in mind before I
lost consciousness. Sabastien did love me. He loved me more than the girl from
the past because he’d gone against all the things he said he’d never do again.
    Sabastien raged at Archer and then flew off, leaving Daire.
    Daire looked at me as he had done when I’d fallen from the
cathedral — as if it was his fault.
    Archer sheathed the second arrow in his hand. He didn’t need
it. He’d achieved what he’d set out to do.
     
     

     
    Orlaith’s moon garden was all aglow.
I blinked awake and found myself sitting on a chair with Midnight at my feet.
Midnight was asleep, though I felt he’d been keeping guard of me.
    I breathed in the scent of the flowers that bloomed