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“It’s me,” I whispered. “I’m wearing the necklace.”
I sent my healing magic flooding through their bodies and watched in awe as their wounds began to heal and their bruises faded. Bastian murmured my name and my heart swelled. I cupped his cheeks and kissed him before quickly pressing my lips to Bayleon’s. It wasn’t enough to give them the strength they needed, but it was something. I moved around behind Bayleon and touched the ropes, only for it to burn my hand, the sound of my skin sizzling. I couldn’t see the damage, but I knew there were blisters.
“What the . . .?” I hissed low, jerking my hand away. I healed within seconds.
“What’s wrong?” Lerissa asked, her voice next to me.
I slid my dagger out and sawed at the thick ropes. “Iron. There must be traces of it in the fibers. It’s toxic to the fae.”
“Who are you talking to?” Bayleon asked.
I continued to saw on the ropes. “It’s a long story. But first, I have to get you and Bastian out of here.”
“No,” Bayleon and Bastian both snapped at the same time.
“Listen to me,” Bayleon demanded. “Stop cutting the ropes. I don’t know how much time we have.”
Reluctantly, I stilled my knife and faced him and Bastian, only they couldn’t see me. I didn’t want to remove the necklace in case someone came in.
“What is it?” I asked quickly.
Bayleon nodded toward the door. “You have to get out of here. All of this was a trap to lure you in. They knew you would come for Bastian and me.”
“They? As in the Tyvar?” I questioned.
Bayleon huffed. “And Diawen. They’re working together.”
My heart raced with impatience. I wanted to know the answers, but I wanted to free him. “But why?”
“Lia, you have to leave,” Bastian growled.
I grabbed Bayleon’s face and even though I was invisible, it was as if he could see me. “Tell me,” I demanded.
His jaw clenched. “There are a couple of reasons why we’re here. Diawen knows you want to break the curse and Rogan wants Bastian and me dead so he can be the true leader of the Tyvar. It’s a win-win for them both. Diawen wanted you here so you could see us die. That way, you’ll give up on your quest. With us gone, you’ll have no need to break the curse.”
I didn’t know what to focus on first. Should I go out and kill Rogan so he can’t fight Bayleon and Bastian, or should I go after Diawen? Judging by how much Bayleon and Bastian had been beaten, I had no clue if they’d win in a fight to the death. The only way to get them strong again would be a night full of pleasure, but that wasn’t going to happen.
“Surely you have some friends here, don’t you?” I asked, desperation in my voice.
Bayleon sighed. “Maybe. It’s been a long time since we’ve been back. Their allegiance has probably shifted.”
Letting his face go, I moved around behind him again, using my blade to saw at the ropes. “Then it’s settled. I’m freeing you both now. I don’t give a damn what you say.”
The ropes were so thick it took all my strength just to cut through half of the strand. Sweat poured down my face and my heart raced so fast I thought it would pop out of my chest.
“Do you have another knife?” Lerissa asked. “I can help you.”
“I wish I did,” I replied, still sawing away. “I’ll remember to carry two next time.”
A bead of sweat ran down my temples, and the salty drops pooled in my eyes and stung like fire. My hands shook, and I had almost worked out one full strand of the thick rope that bound Bayleon. I was close, so close, to ripping it apart and releasing him from his restraints.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and a gust of freezing air rushed into the room. A woman with long black hair and bright blue eyes, wearing a sleek black dress, stepped inside.Diawen.Her features were familiar, a near clone of Lerissa. The only difference between the two was their hair color. I could feel Lerissa’s arm against mine and hear her shallow breaths.
A knowing smile spread across Diawen’s face as she glanced from Bayleon to Bastian. “I seem to have underestimated your queen. She got here a lot faster than I anticipated.”
I crept forward, feeling my fingers close around the handle of the dagger, tight and cold in my grip. I wished I could’ve drawn my sword but the sound of it sliding out of its sheath was too much of a risk.
Diawen inched closer, and I saw the wonder in her eyes as her fingers touched Bastian’s face.
