Page 25

Why not?

It’s infuriating.

I sit on the cold ground for what feels like a long time. Two of the guards finally return, their horses blowing a little.

“No sign of him?” Japhet asks, even though I can see he knows the answer already.

“No, nothing,” Nyx says.

“There are no tracks at all; we searched high and low,” the other one says. I think Japhet called him Llayda.

“Perhaps you were telling the truth, after all,” Japhet says, glaring at me like it’s a bad thing. “We need to meet Lord Ondine before nightfall.” He goes back to addressing his men. “We can’t return to the Court empty-handed and therefore we can’t return at all.”

“We have her,” the one holding the ponies says, eyeing me.

“A washed-out witch with no power.” Japhet snorts, shaking his head. “She means nothing. We need to find this fae. The queen wants him captured. He is our main target. Not this useless wench.”

My mouth falls open. This again.

The queen.

Why?

Who is Alaric?

The sound of a horse approaching brings me out of my thoughts. It’s Ren.

“No sign of the mystery fae,” he tells Japhet as he pulls his horse up.

“Get up, girl.” The leader nudges me with his booted foot.

Thankfully, my hands have been tied in front of me, so I can use my arms. I clamber to my feet, my cheek stinging a little from where he hit me earlier. I have been hit enough times to know that it more than likely won’t leave a bruise.

“Put her on one of the ponies, Arwin,” he instructs the fae holding the horses.

Arwin nods once. He’s a beast of a fae, with a shaven head beneath his helm and hard eyes.

He gets a smile I don’t particularly like. I know that look.

“It would be my pleasure,” Arwin says, taking me by the waist and lifting me easily onto one of the ponies. He grips my rear and squeezes the flesh. “Tasty little thing,” he tells me under his breath.

“Don’t,” I warn.

He laughs. “You be a good witch now.” He winks at me. “Don’t give us any trouble.” He grins like he’s hoping I will do just that.

I wish I could kick him in the head, but since it wouldn’t help me, I bite my tongue and put my feet in the stirrups instead.

The rest of the fae mount up. To my dismay, Arwin takes the lead rope attached to my horse’s bridle. It looks like the big brute is going to be in charge of me.

“Let’s meet up with Lord Ondine at the rendezvous point. I hope you all brought bedrolls, men. We’re sleeping out here tonight,” Japhet says.

It’s met with grumbles as we head out.

I look down at my bound wrists. The fae holding my horse’s lead is leering at me. What have I gotten myself into?

9

McColl