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I wouldn't have struggled, even without the claws, given the fact that we were now several floors off the ground. Cadoc’s wings brought us higher, sending cold wind rushing and whirling around us. I briefly marveled at the multicolored, speckled feathers, watching them flex and shine in the moonlight. Whatever creature lived inside him was avian in nature, which…didn’t exactly narrow it down much.
As we rose higher into the trees, I watched the ground disappear completely in a sea of black. All I could make out were the small, glowing creatures buzzing around the tops of the flowers, and it was like staring downwards at a field of stars.
When I thought we couldn’t possibly get any higher up, we began to weave in and out of massive branches that were wide enough to comfortably ride an entire horse along, with some space to spare. Some of them were tied off with vines or rope that hung downward. I spied ladders here and there, and rope bridges that spanned one branch to the next, creating a maze that seemed impossible to navigate.
Cadoc didn’t say a word, so I used this time to really look around, just in case I needed to leave in a hurry. Escaping wasn’t in the plan, but I couldn’t rule it out entirely. There was no telling what these princes had in store for me now that they…ownedme, as Cadoc had said.
Owned me, like property. What did that mean? Was I a slave to the Wild Hunt? Or did I solely belong to the three princes who’d agreed to my bargain?
Stars began to twinkle above the tops of the trees. Cadoc cleared a set of thick branches before leveling out, hovering in the air. Eyes wide, I stared out over a maze of intricately-carved wooden bridges that interconnected every tree within sight. Along the bridges were lit lanterns that twinkled brightly as we landed on a solid, wood platform.
Cadoc set me on my feet harshly, and before I could topple over, grabbed my arm tight enough to hurt but steadied me. I glared at him before ripping my arm out of his grip, cursing under my breath.
I felt dizzy, suddenly realizing how high up we were. If I made a single misstep, there was a very good chance that I would plummet all the way down to the forest floor, splattering everywhere…if I didn't hit about a million branches on the way down.
Aside from the dozens of bridges within eyesight, I also spied small, wooden buildings set on platforms, some in groups of two or three, while others stood alone. From each of these platforms hung several long vines and wooden ladders that led downwards to other platforms below us.
Each building was small, but clearly made with care and skill, with thick, mossy roofs and glass-paned windows. Candlelight flickered in the windows, which were coated with a sheen of water droplets that sparkled in the lantern light. Smoke filtered out of small chimneys that peeked out from the rooftops.
It was a city. A city in the trees.
Cadoc didn’t give me a chance to ask questions. Once again, he released that black smoke rope, which tightened around my torso painfully. I yelped as he strode forward, roughly towing me along behind him. I tried to yank at the smoke, but when I attempted to grip it, my hands slid right through as if nothing were there.
“Get this thing off of me,” I demanded, digging my heels into the platform. “Cadoc!” The more I struggled, the tighter the shadow rope gripped me. “This wasn’t a part of our bargain—”
He whirled, grinding to a halt, black eyes pinning me in place as I struggled for breath. “And what exactly was our bargain, hmm?” He yanked on the shadow rope, causing me to stumble into him, his clawed fingers wrapped around my throat. “I don’t remember you specifying demands while pleading pathetically for your human brother’s life.”
I blinked at him, my mind desperately running though that night a year ago in the faerie caves. Had I really gone into this so blind? Everyone knew how faeries worked. They were cunning and clever with their words, careful not to promise too much or too little.
A sound that I might have been called a chuckle rumbled from him ominously as his mouth stretched into a wicked grin. Fingers tightening on my throat, he lowered his face to the side of my neck and inhaled deeply, and I felt a tremor run through his arm as he groaned. “You should have been smarter, pet. You might be half a faerie, but the human in you has kept you weak for too long. This arrangement is going to be rather enjoyable, I think. The more you struggle, the more I’ll get to enjoy you.”
Releasing my throat, he didn’t even wait for me to stop coughing before he pulled me along after him. I stumbled for a moment but then quickly caught up, trying to keep pace enough that the smoke rope wouldn’t pull so tight and crush my ribs.
There were faeries everywhere, of every kind imaginable, and some I didn’t even have names for. We crossed a wooden bridge where a group of female pixies were gathered. They were beautiful at about three feet tall, with curvy bodies, luminous skin, and massive jewel-toned eyes that didn’t quite fit their narrow faces. Their long hair was curly and wild, stuck through with flower petals and twigs here and there, and every single one of them was stark naked.
As they parted for Cadoc, several of them reach out, lightly running their fingers along his muscled arms. One even went so far as to grasp his hand, attempting to suck on one of his fingers, but he shook her off and kept moving as if this was a regular occurance.
They giggled at me when I stumbled by them. Soft hands caressed my body, and pointy nails raked through my hair. Their voices were seductive and musical, promising to make me feel things I’d never felt with a human man before. I could practically smell the lust coming off of them, and my mind flashed back to Riven’s words before he’d left us for the treetops.
Had there been another pixie here before we arrived? Had she gone back to wherever it was that Riven called home and fucked the faerie prince? I imagined his powerful form thrusting violently into one of those tiny pixies and shuddered, in revulsion or excitement, I couldn't decide. Were all pixies this way? Neera had never struck me as the overly sexual type. Sure, she had a healthy appetite for sex, but this was…different.
Thinking about Neera made my heart lurch. I wondered if she’d been able to get away. Hopefully, she was out of Karn with Zephyr to keep her safe. She’d put herself in danger by coming for me, and I knew the queen would likely send her guard after her with questions, or worse.
Cadoc tugged harder, and I snapped out of my daze. It wouldn’t help my situation to dwell. I needed to focus, because danger surrounded me on all sides. Faeries leered at me as we passed, some of the males gesturing to me as they laughed with their companions. They licked their lips, sizing me up and shouting things at Cadoc that sounded like congratulations on a prize well won.
I glared at them all, forcing my shoulders straight and my head high. I wasn’t going to let them treat me like I was a weak human girl. I was a faerie, too, damn it, and I needed to start remembering that. With fake confidence, I caught up to Cadoc and followed on his heels, trying to avoid his heavy wings as they swayed behind him. I had the strangest urge to pluck out one of those feathers, just to see if he could feel it.
There were multiple moss-covered platforms, where faeries lounged, some of them sleeping in shafts of moonlight, while others were engaged in more…interesting activities.
They were fucking. Out in front of anyone who chanced by them. For all to see, skin on display, moans traveling through the night. Others watched on, as if voyeurism was all too commonplace or they’d be joining in soon. It was hard to look away from the beautiful, writhing bodies.
There were several erasu creeping around, holding platters of food or clutching metallic goblets. They were serving the other faeries, but they eyed me with hunger all the same.
On a bed of deep-green moss, with tiny blue-colored flowers sprouting up all around them, were two females with skin the color of iridescent pearls. One of them had her face buried between the other’s thighs, licking and sucking while her companion writhed and moaned, clawed talons digging into long, blue-black hair while she begged for more.
I spied something silver flattened underneath the one on the moss, and behind the other was a pair of bright-purple gossamer wings that twitched with the movement of her shoulders. I had no idea what kind of faeries they were, but they were ethereal in a way that terrified me yet sucked me in, until my entire body flushed with a strange sense of need.
I shook the feeling away, forcing it down into the inky-dark depths of my soul. I didn’t want to be intrigued by any of this. I was property now, and I would never have the opportunity to enjoy life so thoroughly the way they did.
