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“As to taking me back home, I wouldn’t, if I were you.”

“Why not? It’s what we agreed on. I like to stick to my agreements.”

“We agreed to that when you were a human. As a fae, you would be hung and quartered. My kind don’t take kindly to your kind. Back to the part about our species being mortal enemies. You rescued me, and we have called a truce – for now – but nothing has changed as far as our species is concerned.”

“Everything has changed since Snow took over. The old ways of thinking need to change, too.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Her eyes are wary.

“We all need to work together if we are going to overthrow her. All. Of. Us. Regardless of species.”

“Overthrow her.” She laughs like I have lost my mind. “Don’t let anyone hear you speaking like that, or you will be killed on the spot. If the queen hears you, she’ll smite you down. It happens. Bolts of lightning from the sky. I’ve seen it with my own eyes, and it’s terrifying.”

“She can’t see me unless I use my magic. If she can’t see me or hear me, she can’t smite me down.”

“That’s impossible. The queen has eyes on all of her fae children. That’s what she calls you…her children. Did you know that?”

“It isn’t impossible, it’s true. The queen cannot see me unless I wield magic. I amnotone of her children.”

“Let me guess – I can’t ask you to elaborate?” She looks at me with narrowed eyes.

“No, you can’t because I won’t. I swear it’s for your own safety. The less you know about me, the better. All you need to know is that my name is Alaric. I worked as a mercenary after apprenticing as a smithy. I’m a nobody. Let’s leave it at that, please. When I take you back to your coven, I won’t be hung and quartered because you will stand up for me. You won’t let them hurt me.”

“Don’t be so sure.” The side of her mouth lifts in the start of a smile.

“I know full well. You owe me one after I saved your bacon.” I smile.

She laughs, and I find that I like the sound. “I didn’t ask you to rescue me.”

It’s my turn to laugh. “You’re full of it, McColl. You know you wanted to be rescued.”

“I said thank you, and I meant it.” Her face falls. “If my coven decides to hang you or to turn you into a field mouse, I won’t have a say in the matter.” She shakes her head. “You need to understand that. Outsiders arenotwelcome, especially a fae. They won’t like it one bit.”

“You’re powerful, which means that you will have more say than you think.”

“I told you that my power isn’t reliable. It abandoned me when I needed it the most. My power means nothing.” Her eyes turn hazy with thought. “Do you think that something happened when you broke the amulet? I felt something more than just thesurge. I thought it was the release from the eclipse; in hindsight, it could have been more. The more I think about it, the more I know I’m right. The bolt of magic that hit you must have hit me, too.”

I nod. “I’ve been giving it some thought, and I think you’re right.”

“What kind of a fae are you?” She cocks her head like she’s trying to figure it out.

I shake my head. “I’d rather not say.”

“Why? You want me to trust you, but you won’t tell me anything about yourself.” She rolls her eyes. “Let me guess – it’s for my own good that I am kept in the dark.”

I shrug. “Yes, it is. I mean it, McColl, you’re going to have to trust me.”

I notice that her teeth are chattering. She’s freezing cold.

I’m also starting to feel the real chill in the air now that we’ve slowed to a walk.

“Your cape is tied to the back of your saddle, just behind your saddlebag,” I tell her.

I twist around and untie my oilskin, pulling it around myself and slipping my arms into the sleeves.

She does the same with her cape. It looks too thin to be of much use. She pulls the hood over her head and ties the front in three places to secure it. And as if reading my mind, she says, “It’s warmer than it looks, and it’ll keep out the rain, too.”

“You’re right; it doesn’t look like much, but I’ll take your word for it.” I look up at the gray sky. “It will be nightlift soon,” I tell McColl. “We should start looking for shelter. I don’t want to get caught in the open. It’s not ideal, but I think that we should travel at night. I would rather contend with predators than get caught by the fae.”