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I started to haul back my fist.

He laughed. “The king’s little prize. I can’t wait to see the look on your face when you realize what’sreallygoing to happen to you today.”

My entire body froze.

What did he mean? Why did his eyes flicker with gleeful rage, as if he’d just trapped me in a web I couldn’t escape?

A roar cut through the square. Clashing steel echoed soon after. Cormac’s face screwed up, and he grunted, quickly glancing around the banner. I sucked in a breath, hauled back my fist and—

A strong hand grabbed my arm and dragged me backward.

“No,” Morgan hissed into my ear as she spun me to face the opposite direction. “You have to go. Now.”

A part of me wanted to throw my fist intoherface. Trusting her seemed like a terrible idea. How could I be sure she wasn’t plucking me out of the frying pan and throwing me into the fire?

But I also didn’t have much of a choice.

I glanced behind me. Cormac had vanished behind the banner to join the fight. If I wanted to escape this nightmare, this was my only chance. I’d never get another.

“Fine,” I said, hurrying my steps to keep up with her. “But I want you to know that I still don’t trust you, and I definitely don’t like you.”

A ghost of a smile crossed her face. “I would expect nothing less, Tessa.”

We raced through the silent streets of the fae city. It was the first time I’d seen anything other than the crimson castle walls for weeks. King Oberon had not let me outside, and even though my window had given me a view of the village and the wilderness beyond, those walls had felt like a coffin.

Close and suffocating.

As we rounded a corner away from the square, we passed through a wide cobblestone area with wooden huts lined up on each side. Barrels and baskets were piled next to each one, painted signs noting what each of them were. A shop for bread. Another for freshly picked fruit. There was one for meats and another for clothes. There was no one manning the market. They’d closed up shop for the day to celebrate the king’s wedding.

But the sight of it made my soul ache. It reminded me so much of home. A place I might never see again. If I got out of here alive, the village would never be safe for me or the other villagers. The king would look for me there. And if he found anyone hiding me, he’d slaughter them as easily as he had Nellie and Raven.

I’d be forever bound to the mists.

That thought haunted me.

“Have you ever been out there?” I asked, breath huffing.

“How could I have been? We’re all trapped.”

“Trapped because of the Mist King. Do you think he’s anywhere near the bridge?”

Her face paled. “I’m forbidden to speak of that person. I cannot even say his name.”

That was odd.

“Well, do you think it’s as dangerous out there as they say?”

She pressed her lips together. “I don’t want to scare you, Tessa, but there’s no sense in lying. You’ll find out soon enough. Yes, the world beyond the bridge is dangerous. There are things out there that can rip you to shreds before you even know they’re beside you.”

My stomach twisted. “That isn’t very reassuring.”

“You need to know what you’re heading into,” she said frankly. “Unfortunately, it’s your only choice. You can’t stay here.”

“I could hide somewhere. There must be a cellar or a cave or something where the king wouldn’t find me. We could take Mother and Val there, too.”

“Tessa, you know you can’t do that.” She stopped, grabbed my hands, and squeezed. “You have no idea how important you are to him. There is nowhere inside this damned kingdom where Oberon cannot find you. It’s too small. No matter where you go, as long as you stay on this side of the chasm, hewilltrack you down.”

The passion in her voice startled me. All this time, she’d fallen in line, seeming like a good little soldier. But now I saw the truth. She’d been biding her time, just waiting for the right moment to make her move against the king.