AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Shock rolled through the group.
The male fae fought frequently, but not like that.
Not stabbing someone in the back.
Ervo dragged me backward, and men surged forward, blocking me from her view.
“Give us the final human female and we will release your kings,” Fovea said calmly. “Keep her from us, and more of you will die.”
Silence reigned among the fae men.
I desperately wanted to see inside that cave, to know what was happening to my friends. To help them, in whatever small way I was capable of.
But I remained where I was.
And stayed silent.
“You have one hour before my spear finds another brutal male heart,” the female leader said, before stepping back into the cave. She put a hand on the stone wall, and the hiding place resealed itself.
A few of the unseelies silently picked up the body of the dead fae.
My eyes watered for him.
For the way the life had drained from his eyes.
The way his death could’ve been completely avoidable…
I couldn’t let that happen again.
“They won’t kill Aev, Lian, or Priel,” Nev said, from a few feet away from us. “The women seem to take care of each other, even the harsh ones. Killing the mated men would end the human women, so I don’t think they’ll do it.”
“And they won’t kill me, if I go in there,” I added.
“No.” Ervo’s voice was hard, but even. “You’re staying right here.”
Murmurs of agreement rolled through the group, but I noticed that Nev’s wasn’t one of them.
“Did Priel or Lian give any of you their full names?” someone asked Nev. I was pretty sure the question was geared toward all of the seelies.
Teris scowled. “Of course not.”
“I’m not watching anyone else die,” I said to the group, raising my voice. “I’m going in there.”
“Not a fucking chance.” The phoenix’s voice was a snarl.
Nev caught my eye, and tipped his head toward the forest. I nodded, turning and walking in that direction.
Growls and arguments began to break through the previously-calm group, but Nev was my focus for the time being.
We walked for a few minutes—Ervo never releasing his hold on me—until stopping with Nev and Teris.
“I have an idea,” the basilisk said to us in a low voice. He looked at Ervo. “But you’re not going to like it.” He looked at me. “You probably won’t either.”
Great.
“I’m listening,” I said anyway.
He dipped his head in a nod. “We need someone on the inside to communicate with. As it stands, we have no idea what we’d face if we walked in now. Many of us could use Naomi’s name, but that would only lead to bloodshed. It has to be a male on the outside, if we want to control the situation.”
