Page 69

ARABELLA

Something chafed at Arabella’s wrists.

Even with the exhaustion weighing down her thoughts, she knew at once she was tied at her hands and feet.

“Don’t touch him,” came Jessamine’s voice from nearby.

Peeling her eyes open with great effort, Arabella took in her surroundings all at once.

She was in some sort of cave with uneven stone walls and a single exit at the far end. There were six guards stationed at the entrance, all with dated swords or crude spears. The cave was no bigger than a guest room in the House of Obscurities, and there was no furniture. On the far wall, there was a single torch.

Breckett—also bound hand and foot—napped peacefully beside Arabella. Meanwhile, Jessamine was on her knees, spitting at a masked male who gripped an unconscious Hadeon by the throat. Her hands were bound behind her, and her ankles were also tied.

All of their weapons were gone.

“I suggest you listen to Enchantress Jessamine and put him down,” Arabella rasped. “I’d hate to kill someone I’ve just met.”

She hoped the bluff wasn’t as obvious as it felt. She doubted she could summon her shadows. Not without proper rest and food.

“I’ll see to you next,” the male hissed in Arabella’s direction. “It’s because of the Twilight Court that we’re here. Because ofhiskind.”

Shadow fae, she thought as relief washed over her.We found them.

The male wore leather armor, which was tied together with handmade laces. Both the armor and his leather boots seemed sturdy. His long brown hair was braided back at his temples, and he had a dark mask that covered his nose and mouth and looped behind pointed ears.

To her eyes, he looked no different from the other fae. Like those she’d met at the Twilight Court, this male possessed supernatural grace, long limbs, and pointed ears. Though his skin was fairer than those in the Twilight Court.

As the male lifted a blade to Hadeon’s neck, about to slice him open, she sighed.

It looked like he was calling her bluff after all.

Rolling onto her knees, she reached for her shadows. Immediately, a headache split her skull, and blood trickled from her nose. But she ignored it. There’d be time for pain later.

The shadows were slippery, and she nearly lost her grip on them. But she managed to weave the dark into a narrow band of magic, which she lashed out at the male and wrapped around the hilt of his blade. With a single pull, she yanked the weapon free, dropping it onto the floor. Then she fell backward, unable to hold the shadows—or her own body up—for a moment longer.

The shadow fae warrior turned on her as her stomach growled loudly.

Rather than the anger she expected to see at her interruption, shock filled his gaze. He dropped Hadeon, who collapsed on the ground, groaning.

Pausing only to grab his blade, the warrior hurried out the single opening at the opposite end of the cave. The warriors at the entrance, wearing matching leather armor and face masks, leveled narrowed gazes on them but didn’t approach. Instead, they gripped spears and swords more tightly in their fists.

Turning, Arabella dry-heaved onto the cold stones. Nothing came up but bile.

“Fuck,” she hissed after it subsided. “I’m so hungry, I could eat my shoe.”

“Please don’t,” Jessamine said. In a dry tone, she added, “It won’t be good with your delicate constitution.”

Despite their rather dire circumstances and the fact they nearly died dozens of times since entering the Abyss, a twinkle of humor filled Jessamine’s eyes.

If she wasn’t so tired, Arabella might have laughed, but all she could manage was a small smile in return—which made her split lip throb. “Bitch.”

Jessamine snorted.

A thought struck Arabella.

“The zaol?” she asked.

Jessamine sighed heavily. “Alive. But it can’t break through the mist. Must be some type of magical ward.” She nodded to the guards at the cave’s entrance. “After they hauled us through, it roared for a time before turning away.”