Page 107

Kate chewed her lip, then straightened up. “Go hide in the wardrobe, as far back as you can. Don’t make a sound. Oh”—she pointed to his sweater jacket—“can I have that?”

“You won’t fit it.”

“I have no intention of wearing it. I want to use it as a decoy.”

The older boy’s face twisted with doubt, but he stood up and peeled the sweater off his arms. Kate thanked him as she took it, then motioned to the wardrobe.

“Hurry.”

Diaro gathered the three younger children from the chaise and ushered them toward the wardrobe, tossing Kate a skeptical glance over his shoulder. She didn’t blame him. He knew more about these Fae than she could ever imagine knowing, but she hoped that even with magical creatures, panic was still a common factor.

Once the children were tucked away, Kate hurried to the window and tried to look below. The invisible barrier kept her from seeing much other than the emerald grass of the hillside. She flicked the sweater toward the window, testing the magic. A rush of giddiness overcame her when the item broke through the barrier.

Perfect!

Now for the hard part.

Kate turned to the mirror over the vanity beside the window. The side of her face was bright red and raw, blood dotting the welts from Daeanna’s slap. Some damage done, but she needed more.

Clenching her teeth, she squeezed her eyes shut and braced herself for the punch she delivered to the other side of her face. Pain exploded through her head, and she swallowed the urge to yelp. Her cheek throbbed, her eye pulsed, and she prayed she didn’t do too much damage. To make it doubly good, she smacked herself where she’d punched, hoping to worsen the appearance.

She made quick work through the pain and grinding of her teeth as she tore the skirts of the flimsy gown and ripped a sleeve off her shoulder. She clawed at her arm, clawed until she drew blood, clawed until she cried out from the pain.

Returning to the window, she began to yell blindly, whimpering and cursing, and finally screaming.

“Help! They took the kids!”

She flung the sweater out the window as the guards threwthe chamber doors wide open. She ran to them, pointing feverishly toward the window at the other end of the room.

“They got in! I don’t know how, but they-they came in through the window, snatched the kids, and ran off!” She cried, false tears barely wetting her eyes. “I tried to stop them, but they were too strong. I’m just human. I couldn’t—”

“They fled through the window?” one of the guards asked, his partner already running across the room. Kate nodded, pressing her palm to the side of her face. The second guard pointed to a chair close to the door. “Sit down. Don’t move.”

“Of course.”

Kate headed toward the chair, watching the guards as they leaned out the window. They pointed toward the ground and held a furiously whispered conversation.

Then, they vanished.

Kate held her breath for a heartbeat. Two heartbeats. Three.

The room remained quiet.

One chance.

She bolted from the bedroom into the corridor and ran straight toward the Fae king’s prison. She didn’t count on time being on her side. She had one shot at this, and one shot only. Otherwise, she wouldn’t put it past Daeanna to stop her heart before she could blink.

The golden corridors stretched forever, seemingly lengthening the longer and harder she ran. The marble floor beneath her bare feet grew cooler and cooler until she swore she saw webs of frost.

Kate halted, sucking in gasp after gasp, her heart racing and her mind whirling.

Glancing back the way she had come, her hope plummeted.

The gaping double doors to her own chamber cell stood a dozen feet away.

With a vicious grunt, she muttered, “Damn fairy magic, but you won’t stop me.”

She had one chance. One fucking chance to make this right and stop that crazy lunatic bitch from mass murder.