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I looked to Caelo, who dipped his chin, agreeing with his friend—the prince he’d sworn his own sword to. Now that sword was mine, if I wanted it.

Do I?

The question froze me inside, and though I wasn’t quite ready to answer it, I stepped between the two males, my guards. My friends. Together we approached the humans, all of whom fell silent.

Anna beamed when we stopped before the crowd of a hundred or so. Encouragingly, she nodded, and I assumed that whatever she’d told these people, they’d be receptive to our plan.

“You’re now free,” I said. “And while I have a place in mind where you might live, it’s not ideal. It’s far away, and we’ll have to walk through the mountains of our kingdom.”

“Which is where?”

Right. All that they’d seen was the inside of a mine.

“The Winter Kingdom of the fae,” I replied. “It’s always winter outside, in some form or another. Lately it has been very cold. And it will probably storm as we travel.”

Many exchanged nervous looks.

“But I think it’s the best shot you have at survival,” I added. “You cannot stay here because, one day, vampireswillcome. They will be looking for blood slaves to fill theirbellies.” My voice hitched. “And if they take you to their kingdom, you will never again be free.”

Silence rang, until one human, a woman with a few streaks of gray in her long brown hair, stepped forward. “Anna told us you’re a noble, like the fae who caged us?”

“I am.”

“But you were also once a blood slave?”

“Since I was young.” I swallowed. “I do not wish that fate on any of you.”

The woman nodded, as if that was all I needed to say to convince her, though Anna must have said far more. “I know nothing about these kingdoms, but freedom is better than being beneath a master. And I’m willing to risk the journey for mine. I’m coming with you, no matter the dangers.”

One by one, others agreed until the entire group had chosen a chance at freedom. I exhaled, relieved, but only for a moment before the human miner stepped out of the group, a frown on her dirty face.

“And what of those who mine these mountains?”

She’d seen the dangers too. When the vampires journeyed here to pick up more slaves and found none in cages, they would still have options. The miners.

“I intended to ask you to join,” I said. “We’ll need you to help.”

Her eyebrows screwed together.

“We’ll need to pack food and warm clothing,” I explained, gesturing to some people who wore pants cut off at their knees. Wherever they’d been taken from, itwasn’t a land of eternal winter. “I’m assuming that the mining community has food and supplies?”

The female miner nodded. “We receive supplies—food, clothing . . . seeds, even.”

I arched an eyebrow.

“One of the overseers has earth magic. He set up something that helps us grow underground. It’s in a section of the mountain that we didn’t walk through.” She shrugged as if she didn’t know how the magic worked, which she probably didn’t.

“A fresh wagon filled with supplies came one moon back. I can’t say if it’ll be enough for so many.” She turned and assessed the crowd. “But we have practice in stretching things. We have to do it all the time.”

“Then come,” I said, hoping that they all would.

The more the better. These miners, being so secluded in the west, might even know how to hunt or trap animals. In the new location, that could be the difference between life and death. Growing things without a fae gifted in earth magic would be difficult, but that was an issue for later.

“Fine,” the miner said, and then, as if at a loss for what to say next, she broke from the group and headed to the stairs. “I’ll go rally the rest of the miners. Tell them what happened.”

“What of the overseers? And any guards?” From what I’d seen passing through the little city, there were at least two overseers, but the mines were vast. There could be more.

“You took care of the few guards who stay here. Andthe overseers are both probably dead drunk by now. We’ll take care of them.”

I swallowed and nodded as she left to climb the steps that led to the active mines. When I could no longer see her, I twisted back to the other humans, still standing there, most looking so lost, but some defiant—as if a spark had been brought to life in them.

I hoped they kept that spark and spread it into an inferno that consumed them. For that fire was what we’d all need to survive the journey to come.

Need to know what happens to Neve and Vale? If she’ll claim her title? If he’ll renounce his? What adventures they have a long the way?