Page 97 of Let Slip the Dogs of War

“But you helped us escape,” Ophelia says. “Will you be safe?”

He shrugs one shoulder. “I can go elsewhere if need be. There are plenty of places for See—for fae like me to hide.”

Grant nods, though he still looks uneasy about it, and when Tormod transforms back into his horse form, he helps him adjust the wagon. It rattles away, surprisingly loud in the early hours of the morning.

“Come on,” Grant says. “Keep low. I think I know the best way in.”

He leads us deeper into the town, but we stay close to the squat buildings, all of which shimmer with magic. I can still feel that, even if my own magic is slipping away. Will that kill me? Maybe. Probably. I huff and shake my head. Not enough magic to be a truly powerful witch, but more than enough for it to be drained by a fae crown. Great.

We slip around the side of the castle and to a door that swings open at Grant’s touch. Ophelia sneaks in ahead of him, leaving him to watch our backs as we tiptoe through the halls. It’s quiet in here, too, which I’m somehow not expecting.

Then again, with magic at your disposal, I suppose you don’t have to wake up so early to get things done. Maybe I should mention that to Drew. If I can. Not that he minds his early wake-ups with his mates around.

We’re up on the first floor when we hear voices. Grant hears them first, of course, and tightens his hand on the back of my jumper, pulling me to a quick stop. I grab Ophelia’s arm and she stops too, glancing back at us.

I hear the voices then, too. They’re coming closer.

Grant moves faster than either of us, darting back for a door hardly visible even in the latent glow of the walls. It doesn’t open when he sets his hand to it, and the voices are even closer, about to come around the corner. His eyes widen and his magic flares. One of the fae approaching speaks to the other quickly. Do they know we’re here?

It doesn’t matter. Grant beckons frantically and we rush over, stumbling into the room as he shuts the door behind us. He stays pressed up against it, breathing steadily.

“—someone was here,” a voice says. Aodhan. I can feel a rush of fae magic, but it’s hard to recognise who it belongs to now, and sick fear rises in my throat. I’m really that far gone already?

“I sense some trace of the vampire’s magic.”

Grant bares his fangs and glances back at me. The witch. Seems like we were at least partly right then. But if she reaches out, she’ll sense us. She’s too powerful not to.

Grant must realise that, too. His magic settles over us in a cool wave, and Ophelia grips my hand, squeezing tight. There’s nothing we can do.

“They are contained,” Aodhan says. Low-banked fury simmers in his voice. “Unless you believe they are in here?”

He must touch the door because Grant tenses, hands curling into fists.

“No,” the witch snaps. “Do not test my patience, Aodhan.” The growl in her voice makes me shiver. She seemed so benevolent before. So regretful that Lark and I might suffer because of what other fae had done.

Except she caused it all. I don’t think I’ve ever been so angry, or at least not as impotently so. I can’t charge out of here and confront her. She’ll kill me at best.

It’s a few tense moments before they move on, and none of us move a muscle until Grant’s shoulders relax; he can no longer hear their voices. He waves a hand and a candle on a table flares into light.

“Where are we?” Ophelia asks, and Grant’s eyes go wide.

“These are Iagan’s rooms.”

“You can tell?”

He nods quickly and darts off before we can tell him not to. I itch with the desire to move. Lark is here, metres away. I want to get to him. I want to see if he’s well, even if I’m already scared that he’s not.

“Interesting,” Grant says when he returns. “Sorry, just wanted to get a feel for it.”

“Find anything good?” Ophelia asks sardonically, and Grant only shrugs in reply.

“Think they’ve left the castle now, at least,” he says. “Makes sense the witch could get here so fast; we already knew she could manipulate space.”

“We did?” Ophelia asks.

“The forest. When we got here. The twins did that kind of thing, too.”

“Do you think she’ll come back?” Ophelia whispers.