Page 13 of A Monarch's Fall

Fredrick shook his head.

“We’ve got to get up and around that hill, boy. A distance in itself that will take one, no, closer to two hours, given that we’re not all capable of walking and climbing. We have no way of contacting backup and no intel.”

“Idonea will help us,” Dylan argued.

I didn’t know who he was speaking of.

“You put a lot of trust in that witch,” Fredrick replied.

“I trust all my witches,” Dylan replied with a grin and a wink towards me.

Gross.

It was the first time I’d ever thought of Dylan as so unappealing. Had he always been so obnoxious, or had the night of the Summer Ball affected his personality?

But at least I knew that Idonea was another witch.

Another witch on our side.

A witch to help get us finally out of this maze. But I wouldn’t be going up and around the mountains of Ardens, or anywhere other than back to the mansion to find Selene. It didn’t matterhow weary my limbs were, or how my right leg ached and burned all at once, or the way the back of my head throbbed; nothing could stop me from returning to her.

“I’m not leaving Ardens Estate,” I told them.

“You’ve not got much choice in the matter,” Fredrick answered. “You can’t get nowhere on your own, and I ain’t walking into the fire with you.”

“You can put me down. I appreciate your assistance so far, thank you, and I understand that I can’t ask you to risk yourself any more than you already have for me. I wouldn’t. I am capable on my own,” I told him.

He stared at me, his thick eyebrows creasing.

“Put me down, Fredrick,” I commanded.

He looked away from me.

“Ordinarily, I would follow such a request, don’t think otherwise, but this isn’t any ordinary situation. This is war. And you’re a young woman, on your own in the middle of the gunfire, got a badly broken leg, a head injury too, which I’m sure isn’t helping your thinking right now.”

“I’m thinking just fine,” I told him. “Put me down.”

“You’ve not been able to think for yourself since that monster trapped you in her enchantments,” Dylan snarled.

“I’m not under any enchantments! What’s wrong with you?” I yelled back.

Dylan laughed dismissively.

“You’ll see soon enough, Percy. But don’t worry, I won’t need an apology,” he said.

“Apology?” I asked.

“For how you’ve treated me when all I’ve done is try to protect and free you,” he said, waving his arm out as if to indicate what he was freeing me from.

I wanted to scream in frustration.

“You’re a waddling duck, Dylan,” I yelled in frustration.

Did he really think himself my hero? Was he truly so deluded?

Fredrick laughed so loudly and unexpectedly that I got such a fright I almost pushed myself out of his arms.

“Sorry, sorry,” he said, as a tear ran down his cheek, revealing a clear path. I hadn’t noticed that he was covered in a dusting of dirt.