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Lulu Bell, whom I’d known since the day she was born, leaned against the island in a T-shirt, running shorts, and sneakers. And she was stretching out her calves.
“What the hell is this?”
She jerked and looked back. “Shit. I was hoping I’d beat you out the door.”
“I thought we agreed running was only appropriate if someone was chasing you.”
She sighed dramatically. “It’s probably time for a full confession. I’ve been running for two years now.”
I narrowed my gaze.
“I’ve run four half-marathons since you’ve been gone.”
“How dare you?”
She grinned, adjusted the laces on one shoe. “I also own a skort.”
“You monster.”
“Running’s not all bad, Lis,” she said, and began to bounce from foot to foot to warm up. “Just because your mother dragged you to a 5K once upon a time.”
“It was eight 5Ks and it was ridiculous.”
She winked at me. “I’ve run twelve.”
I threw up my hands.
Living together was going to be a test of our relationship.
• • •
I grabbed a banana and a cup of the coffee Lulu had left when she went for her run, and called an Auto to the Ombudsman’s office. By the time I’d grabbed my katana and made it downstairs, the vehicle was waiting at the curb.
I jumped in automatically. And it wasn’t until I’d belted myself into the front passenger seat that I saw I wasn’t alone.
The fairy who’d killed Tomas, who I recognized from the surveillance video, sat in the usually empty driver’s seat, checking the point of a lethal-looking dagger.
My heart began to piston.
“He wishes to see you,” the fairy said. “Resist, and you’ll become intimately acquainted with my blade. I’m sure you know by now that I’m very good with it.”
Before I could respond, a fairy outside the car grabbed my katana, and before I could launch myself after him, kicked the door closed. Then we were speeding away.
• • •
The Auto’s screen showed the destination: We were headed back to the castle. The fairies must have figured I’d take a car this morning, and had hacked my system to give it a new destination.
But I wasn’t sure why. If Ruadan wanted to take me out, there were easier and faster ways to do it. I thought of the covetous look in his eyes, the consideration and interest, and a dark and heavy fear settled in my belly. Not even the monster could push through that.
I had to ignore it, to ignore emotions, and think how to get out of this.
I considered trying to force my way out of the car, trying to survive a rolling stop outside it. But assuming I could do that on crowded streets without killing myself or someone else, I’d still be weaponless and facing down fairies.
Trying to free myself at the castle seemed like my best option. I knew the building relatively well now, and I’d hopefully be able to use that to my advantage. And given I was supposed to be at the Ombudsman’s office, it seemed likely someone would eventually figure out I was gone.
Until then, self-rescue. And hope that I wouldn’t have to gnaw off an arm.
The gate was open, the castle dark. The Auto drove over the gravel path, even though it was too narrow for a vehicle, and came to a stop outside the gatehouse.
