AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Maybe I realised how little wall climbing achieves." I leaned back against the headboard and closed my eyes. It shouldn't be long now. Ryze left an hour ago. Tavian and Vayne shortly after.
I barely finished that thought when I heard the sound of approaching footsteps. I kept my eyes closed until the door opened.
It didn't slam against the wall the way it did when Wornar flung it, trying to scare us. It opened slowly. Hinges creaking. Ominous.
"What the fuck?" Zared spun around, eyes wide.
I stepped off the bed, hands raised and put myself between the three Fae with drawn swords, and my human lover. His fear and anger, coming through the bond was a distraction I had to push aside.
"What do you want?" I took in their green and gold uniforms. In spite of the dark shade, they looked garish compared to the black worn by most of the residence of the Winter Court.
"Our High Lord wants to meet you." The man in the middle spoke in a deep, commanding tone, clearly accustomed to being obeyed. He had a long nose for a Fae. It made him look like a hawk.
I eyed the tip of his sword. "I guess he's not asking."
"You guess right," Hawk-nose said. "Let's go. Both of you." He glanced towards Zared and curled his lip.
I didn't need to look back to know Zared was looking at him the same way.
"Turn around." Hawk-nose put his sword back and grabbed one of two lengths of rope which hung from his belt.
"There's no need for—" I quickly turned around when the other two Fae raised their swords.
"If you think I'm going to let you take her," Zared grabbed his own sword from where it leaned against the wall near his pack.
"You can cooperate, or we can kill you," Hawk-nose said. "It's her Lord Cavan wants." He grabbed my wrists and wound the rope around them.
With my eyes and the bond, I pleaded with Zared to put down the sword and do what the Fae told him. I had no doubt they’d kill him without a second thought if he gave them an excuse to.
Hawk-nose tied a firm knot before shoving me toward the door and grabbing another length of rope.
Zared hesitated, sword gripped in both hands. For the longest moment, I was sure he would lunge at one of them. He would die, but he'd take one of them with him. Maybe two. He might give me a chance to run.
I shook my head. I considered trying to dump water on one of them and freeze it, but either Zared or I would be dead, killed by one of the other two Fae, before the first one died.
I hadn't practised enough with my magic to consider taking on all three of them at once. Not without risking Zared and myself in the process. I was almost certain Cavan wouldn't kill me. This might be the chance I needed to get to my sisters. I had to take it. And try not to get Zared killed in the process.
Finally, reluctantly, Zared placed the sword back against the wall and turned, his hands clasped behind him. His jaw was set firm, teeth gritted hard. He was hating every second of this.
Hawk-nose bound his wrists and shoved Zared towards me. He staggered a few steps, but managed to stay on his feet.
"Follow me," Hawk-nose ordered. To the other two Fae he said, "If either of them try anything, kill the human."
"Yes, sir." One of them gave a short nod and waved with his sword.
The ropes uncomfortably tight, I walked behind Hawk-nose out of the inn and down the streets of Garial.
Fae stopped to stare. Some of them stared at me, but most stared at Zared. He kept his eyes forward, chin jutted out in barely contained fury.
"If I get the chance, I'm going to kill him for touching you." He glared at Hawk-nose's back as though his eyes could sear holes through the Fae man's uniform and skin.
"I was going to say the same thing," I said softly. I hadn't realised how possessive I was of Zared until Hawk-nose was tying him up. It should have beenmetying him up, to the headboard. Me or one of our pack.
"Quiet," Hawk-nose snapped over his shoulder. He led us over to a carriage which waited to the side of the wide road. "Get in."
If Tavian or Ryze were here, one of them would remark that Hawk-nose had no manners. The thought was almost funny, but not enough to smile at. The situation was too grim right now.
I glanced around, hoping to see one of them. I felt all of them on the other end of the bond, but none felt close except for Zared. His simmering anger hadn't let up, not even slightly. If he could, he would have wiped half the city out by now. Our captors and those who stopped to stare.
