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36 CAIDEN

“Open your eyes, prince.” A voice like smooth caramel in milk surrounded Caiden’s senses.

He blinked rapidly, trying to bring the world into focus.

“Who are you? What do you want?” he eked out. His throat begged for water, and his back ached from lying on hard stone. A cold dampness sunk into his bones. Nearby, a fire crackled. The woman who impersonated Ora stood before him. The fire gilded her sharp features. Long, red hair snaked its way down her back in round knots. A rigid nose and almond eyes marked her as hailing from the desert. Could she be a Rasa? What would they want with him?

“It’s not best to exchange names with the product,” she said, leaning down before him.

His hands and feet were bound in iron chains.

“What are you talking about?”

She held up a glass of what appeared to be water.

“Drink. We can’t have you die before I get my payment.”

Caiden pursed his lips.

“It’s not poisoned. I swear. The contract holder specified they wanted you alive.”

Caiden let her tip the glass to his lips. Cool water rushed into his mouth, and he gulped it down. His body begged for more.

“Easy, prince. Don’t choke yourself,” she said, pulling the cup back.

“What did you do with Ora?” His words caught in his throat. He already knew the answer but wanted to hear her say it.

“She went for a swim, you could say.”

Caiden grimaced.

“I’m sure they’ve found her body by now,” she continued.

“What is a Rasa doing out of the desert? Aren’t you all a member of the same cult?”

A smirk tugged at her thin lips.

“Worry about yourself, prince.”

“Well, you kidnapped me. I’d love to know why?”

“I don’t ask those kinds of questions. I just deliver the target,” she said matter-of-factly.

Caiden arched a brow. “And where are you delivering me, exactly?”

She leaned back on her palms, her expression unreadable.

“Great question.” She squeezed an amulet in her palm. Its red jewel looked similar to the one Erissa used to ensnare Baylis. Could that be who hired her? “I’m to wait for the contract holder to arrive. I’ve been squeezing this stupid thing for hours.”

A raven cawed in the distance, dropping something at the mouth of the cave. The mercenary grabbed it before unrolling the tiny parchment. Her mouth twisted with concern as she read it. Letting out a huff, she crumpled the paper into her pocket.

“My contractor?” Caiden asked.

“None of your business.”

Caiden blew a blond lock of hair from his eyes.

“If someone has a contract out on me, I should be at least entitled to know who it is and how much they’re offering you. My family is very rich. I could probably match it.”

She ran her hand over the amulet.

“They promised me your weight in gold.”

Caiden chuckled. “Is that it? I can match it. Have my father send it.”

She mulled over Caiden’s proposition, placing a piece of willow bark on her lower lip.

“Nah. You see, your contract is special. If I go back on it, my counterpart, Alwin, could just capture you again and claim he’s a better merc than me.” She slapped his cheek lightly. “And I can’t have a rumor like that getting out.”

“Your reputation is worth more than gold?”

She narrowed her amber eyes on him.

“My reputation is everything.”

Caiden considered his words carefully. If her employer was Erissa or Gideon, their threat alone would not be worth his release.

He needed to get out of here, but with the chains binding his wrists and ankles, it would be nearly impossible. He needed to get her to release him. Everyone had a weakness; he just had to keep talking to her.

“What was in the note?”

“None of your business.” She skinned a rabbit for her dinner.

Caiden scanned the cavern. A bow and a curved sword rested against a boulder. This woman was well trained. The Rasa were known to be fierce warriors but rarely left the desert. Had she been excommunicated from her people, or did she choose to leave on her own?

“Well, considering I’m in your care, I think it is.”

“Marks don’t get a say in how they’re treated.” She skewered the rabbit on a stick and stuck it into the fire. The smell of burning flesh filled the cave.

“Could you at least tell me where we are?”

“No. And if you don’t shut up, I’ll gag you.”

Caiden closed his mouth. He knew when to push and when to pull back. She was a mercenary—a killer for hire. Her fuse was likely short.

He watched as she devoured the rabbit, pulling the flesh from its bones with her teeth like an animal. Her weapons were well made—mercenary work paid well. Was this a custom of the Rasa people, or had she become feral from being out in the wild for too long?

When she finished her dinner, she rose, pulling a sack of wine from her pack. She drank deeply, red liquid dripping from her mouth. She wiped it on her arm.

When she’d finished, she grabbed Caiden’s arm, hauling him to his feet.

“What’s going on?”

The mercenary bent down, unlocking the shackles binding his feet.

“We need to move out, and I released the horse.” Their eyes locked. “If you try to run from me, prince, I will bring you within an inch of your life.”

Caiden swallowed hard and nodded.

She buttoned a wool coat up and over her mouth. Then, she pulled a hood over her head so that only her eyes could be seen. She fastened a cloak around Caiden before pulling up his hood as well.

“Can’t have anyone recognize those blond locks.” She attached another chain to Caiden’s shackles and the other end to her pack before equipping her sword, bow, and arrows. “Let’s go,” she said, dowsing the fire and tugging on his chains.

Caiden’s stomach rumbled, but he didn’t say anything. The mercenary wouldn’t be sympathetic to his plea.

No stars blanketed the sky as they made their way through a thick wooded forest. The smell of snow and pine filled the air, and only the sound of their feet on the snow echoed through the forest. Caiden tried to orient himself, but it was nearly impossible without the stars. He’d have to wait until sunrise.

They walked and walked through the dense forest. Snow soaked Caiden’s boots, sending a chill up his spine and through to his core. How was the merc navigating without a light? Could Rasa see in the dark?

Lost in thought, his foot caught on a root, sending him tumbling to the ground. The snow burned his face, and with his hands tied in front of him, he was utterly helpless.

The mercenary heaved him up.

“You are more trouble than you are worth, prince.”

“Then set me free.”

“Well, maybe not.”

“Keep moving, prince!” the mercenary called back at him. “We’ll be out of this soon enough.”

The hairs on the back of Caiden’s neck perked. They were not alone in this wilderness, but being attacked could be advantageous to him.

A stick cracked in the distance, and the merc’s head snapped to the left.

Another snap to the right.

Something or someone was playing with them. Night Folk stalked the woods of the Court of Whispers. Is that where they were?

The mercenary drew her blade.

Caiden swallowed hard.

Darkness surrounded them, but Caiden surveyed the woods anyway. With the iron blocking his magic, he couldn’t see anything, but he hoped he could at least make out the shape of a predator.

Something black raced across the snow in front of them. The merc stopped dead in her tracks.

“If you undo my shackles. I can help you fight.”

She scoffed.

“And have you run off? Nice try…” Before she could finish, something yanked her into the forest. Caiden watched the chain attached to her pack go taut before his head hit the snow. He could only watch as the creature dragged him through the forest.

The rough snow scraped at his skin, and rocks and twigs bruised and bloodied his face. All the while, the mercenary screamed. He’d heard stories of the Night Folk before. Half men, half monsters who moved like shadows through the woods of the Court of Whispers, so named for the maddening whispers one heard while in their sacred forest. The sylph of this court regarded the forest with great reverence. Laying sacrificial lambs at the mouth of the forest to appease these ancient creatures. Now, he and the mercenary would be their next meal.

Caiden shut his eyes tightly, hoping to stave off some of the damage. With his hands bound, he couldn’t protect his face. He tried to get a look at the creature dragging them farther and farther into the forest, but all he saw was darkness. He prayed that if Illya took him, it would be a swift death.

The mercenary’s pack slipped free, and Caiden slowly came to a halt in the snow. He just lay there, chest heaving violent breaths. Rolling over on his back, he noticed the first rays of dawn trickle through the dense canopy of pines. Silence surrounded him. Not even the mercenary’s screams could be heard. Caiden swallowed hard. He had to find the key to his shackles.

Using every ounce of will he had, he pulled his battered and bruised body out of the snow. His mouth tasted of metallic blood and dirt. With the iron blocking his magic, he could not heal quickly.

Caiden’s broken fingers shook as he undid the latch to the satchel. “C’mon. Please let it be here,” he whispered under his breath. His heart beat frantically with each second he failed to find the key. Pain radiated through him. He needed to find the key if he wanted to survive.

He emptied the contents of the backpack onto the snow.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He cursed the Trinity for putting him in this situation. He’d have to rescue or, more likely, recover the mercenary if he wanted to be free. Dread churned in his stomach. His eyes followed the trail of blood deeper into the forest. The pack contained the mercenary’s bow, quiver, and some basic rations—hard cheese and bread. Caiden scarfed them down before starting down the trail. The pack dragged in the snow behind him. Not an ideal situation if he wanted to be stealthy, but something told him the Night Folk did not like the light of day.

He followed the trail to the mouth of a cave. Vines crisscrossed their way over the entry, but Caiden easily pushed through them.

The smell of rotting flesh brought bile to the back of his throat. He lifted the pack and held it as he wandered deeper and deeper into the cave, trying his hardest to be as silent as he could.

The acrid smell grew stronger as he ventured deeper. Light streamed in through tiny holes in the ceiling, lighting his way. The caverns twisted and turned with no end in sight. Would he be able to get out?

The dim glow of a low-burning fire caught his attention. Crouching down, he moved closer, his steps dragging on the cold stone. In a darkened chamber, three creatures slept by a dying fire. Caiden’s breath caught in his chest at the sight of them. Taut, black skin stretched over bone, and too-long extremities led to enlarged hands and feet capped with clawed nails. Their gaunt faces were stoic. Were they men or sylph once, or had they come before?

The merc was chained to a rock with a hook in the corner of the chamber. Slumped against the wall, her breaths were shallow, and her face looked worse than Caiden’s.

He swallowed the fear bubbling in his stomach. Without his magic, he couldn’t take on these monsters. How would he even get the key from her?

Taking a deep breath, he tip-toed into the cavern. The sounds of the creature’s snoring reverberated off the walls, drowning out Caiden’s steps.

The mercenary’s chest barely rose and fell with shallow breaths. He held his ear close to her mouth just to make sure she wasn’t dead.

He slapped her cheek lightly. Her head bobbed, but she did not wake.

Caiden’s heart beat rapidly in his chest. C’mon, c’mon. We need to get out of here.

He slapped her harder in tight little intervals while trying to remain as quiet as possible.

Her eyes slowly flitted open, but upon seeing Caiden’s face, they went wide, and she sat up straight, wincing in pain.

Caiden held a finger over his pursed lips.

The mercenary turned to see the sleeping demons. She pointed at her leg. Caiden grimaced at its unnatural bent. A bone protruded from her shin. Shit. He’d have to carry her out, but first, he had to remove the cuffs. He lifted his hands, and the mercenary pointed to her pocket. Caiden fetched the metal key, and together, they worked to free him. With the shackles removed, magic flowed through his veins once more. He clenched his jaw at the feeling of the magic returning, like pins and needles prickling his skin.

Using his lightning, he broke the mercenary free of her chains. She did her best not to scream in agony when he scooped her into his arms.

Caiden kept an eye on the creatures who slumbered deeply as he tried to maneuver quietly out of the cavern.

He barely breathed, and the merc buried her head in his chest.

Nearing the door, a crack sounded behind them. Caiden paused, not daring to breathe.

The pack had fallen over.

The mercenary peered over his shoulder. “Run,” she whispered, panic dripping from that single word.

Caiden could feel the eyes of the creatures upon him. A low growl echoed through the air. Even at full strength, he couldn’t outrun them.

“I’m going to set you down. Try to wedge yourself in between those two rocks.” She nodded.

Setting her down, he turned to face the monsters at his back. Their eyes glowed red, and long fangs protruded from their lips. They towered over Caiden.

Calling his lightning to his hands, he backed toward the wall. “Stay back. I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, sparks flickering at his fingertips.

The creatures closed in on him, communicating with one another through a guttural click . A shiver ran down Caiden’s spine. He mustered all the magic he could, creating a rope of lightning between his hands.

The clicking grew louder.

Caiden snapped the rope like a whip at the first monster, splitting him in two—the smell of burnt flesh filled the room.

In an instant, the other two monsters were upon him. Their sharp claws sank deep into his flesh. He cried out in pain. Was this it? Was this the end? He would be consumed by two Night Folk. Calling his lightning to his fingers again, he blasted one off of him. It’s charred remains smoked in the corner.

Caiden pounded his fists into the second creature. His rings barely made a dent in its leather hide. Blood poured from his shoulder where the creature’s sharp fangs sunk deep into his flesh. Only sparks flickered at his fingertips. The iron took most of his magic. He would need to eat to regain his strength.

The creature lunged, knocking him to the ground. Kicking it in the abdomen, he rolled away, only to feel the steel grip of the creature wrapped around his ankle. He needed a weapon, but there was none in sight. Frantically, he felt around for a rock… for anything he could use.

The monster dragged him closer. A look of delight flickered in its red eyes. Caiden kicked with all his might at the creature’s macabre face, but he was no match for the giant, with his magic drained and his shoulder bleeding profusely.

The Night Folk rose to its full height and dragged Caiden toward the fire. Panic and adrenaline coursed through his veins. He would not let this creature beat him.

The Folk dropped him near the fire. Caiden’s vision blurred. He tried to will his legs to move, but they felt leaden, and his eyes grew heavy. Caiden searched his mind for anything he could remember about the Night Folk. Were their bites venomous? He couldn’t remember, and it didn’t matter now.

The clanking of wood being thrown into the flames startled him, but his body did not flinch. Why was Illya’s gift not protecting him? He should have run. He should not have tried to save the mercenary. Now, they’d both be a meal for this preternatural creature.

His breaths shallowed as his lungs filled with blood. He thought of his wife—of her golden hair and rosy cheeks. The reaper would appear any moment to take his soul. Or perhaps he would be punished to endure the cooking of his flesh.

The Folk appeared over the top of him, speaking to itself in the low clicking tone he’d heard before.

The creature cocked its head at him, and Caiden shut his eyes, hoping death would take him quickly.

The sound of metal crunching through bone, followed by a howl, echoed through the chamber. Blood sprayed onto Caiden’s face. Through his blurry vision, he saw the end of the mercenary’s curved sword sticking through the monster’s gaunt abdomen. Shock radiated through its red eyes. It reached for the sword, but it was too late. The mercenary pulled the blade from the Folk only to ram it back through its chest with a feral wail.

The creature toppled over into the fire. Flames consumed its ancient body.

The mercenary dragged Caiden’s body away from the gruesome scene. He couldn’t move. His whole body was paralyzed.

“Don’t worry, prince. No Night Folk is going to get in between me and my payment.”

He wanted to nod, but he couldn’t.

“Shit,” the mercenary said, applying pressure to his wound. “Guess we’ll have to find a healer.”