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Still was one, because of the collar.
I didn’t know what went on inside that male’s head, but Raz had warmed up to Anaria, even knowing what she’d done to Julian. I studied the way he was positioned, an immovable shield between her and whatever lurked in these woods.
“Get Anaria back on the horse.” Zor nodded to the stallion, calmer now, no longer fighting to get free. “Tristan, take the other horse and ride ahead, find out how close we are to the edge of the forest. We’ll be exposed from there to the bridge. We already know there are two more wraiths, let’s draw them out.”
Tristan galloped away as something rustled in the brush to our right.
Metal screeched when Raz drew his second sword, his eyes focused on the wood, then he swung, cut a charging wraith cleanly in half. I threw Anaria to the ground and a second one missed grabbing her by a hairsbreadth, it’s sharp fingers digging grooves across my back, instead.
I shoved the thing toward Raziel, who chopped an arm off, sent it howling back into the trees.
“One more.” He hissed, taking up position on the other side of Anaria, his booted feet sinking into the dirt beside her head. Gods, if he stumbled, he’d crush her.
The last one blurred through the trees, moving so fast I couldn’t track it, but Zor could, and sent his knife flying end over end until it imbedded into the thing’s stoney chest with a solid thunk.
“Get her on that horse.Right the fuck now.” Zor ordered. “We keep moving until we reach the chasm. Once we’re over that, we’re home free.”
All of us had crossed that gaping chasm at least once and none of us wanted to make that journey again. But a week on foot—with stonewraiths hunting our bounty—was a sure way to fail, and I intended to deliver her to the Shadow King, alive and as intact as possible.
Anaria gripped the horse’s mane, frantically searching the trees, her face a mask of fear.
“You’d best get used to it.” Wickedness coursed through me at the pure panic on her face. This was good, hatred was far better than those weak, worthless feelings that seemed to pop up at the worst possible moments.
“Solarys is a dangerous place, little thief. Once you reach the Keep, you’d best hope the king finds a use for you.”
“You said I was his pawn?” Her voice trembled, and the bastard inside me couldn’t help fanning those fears a little more. “Is there something else?”
“I don’t care, so long as I’m paid what I’m owed.” The words tasted foul, even if I wanted them to be true.
“Which means you don’t really knowwhyyou stole me from the Fae King?” Her voice no longer shook, it had turned speculative. “Eighteen years is a long time for a mission, when you don’t even know why you’re doing it.”
I gripped the reins tighter. The little thief pissed me off faster than anyone before. Just a few well-timed words and I wanted to throttle her. “The Shadow King took you so his brother couldn’t have you. They’ve been at war for nearly a millennium, but I expect he’ll find other uses for you, if you aren’t careful, little thief.”
“His…brother?” Her face had gone still, her eyes wide enough I saw the whites around them.Good. She should be scared. Solarys was a frightening place, thank the gods it wasn’t my job to shield her from its horrors.
“The Shadow King and the Fae Kingare brothers?” She breathed, her body trembling while I wondered why such commonplace information was news to her.
“Carex and Serpens Centaria. Didn’t your years of fancy schooling teach you anything?” I asked harshly, that constant itch of irritation I always felt around her becoming more pronounced.
Tristan appeared ahead, arms waving, Zor and Raz raced to meet him. I dug my heels into the stallion’s side and broke into a trot, not caring that Anaria fought to stay seated.
“Their feud is why Old Valarian was broken into three kingdoms and trapped in an endless war. You stole a power never meant for you from the most powerful being in existence, and Carex will never stop, until he gets his magic back.”
I couldn’t help adding, “Serpens is even worse and if you are not careful, this place will eat you alive.”
30
ANARIA
Iwas shaking so badly I could barely hold on.
I was heading from one Hades straight into another.
“Do not trust the Fae King’s dark brother,” Torin’s note had warned and Tavion was taking me straight to him.Serpens Centaria. I’d never read the name in any of my books, never heard it in any nighttime story. Never in my whole life imagined the two kings were related.
Serpens Centaria. The Shadow King of Solarys.
From what I’d pieced together so far, the Shadow King had been planning my abduction, from the moment I was born. And that had to cost a lot of money.
