Page 60 of City of Promise and Light (Mates of Gods and Fae #1)

I nodded, but glanced back toward the palace, as if I could still see the woman in the cell, the queen, apparently still alive.

She was beautiful, though she had an ancient look about her.

I assumed the faeries here were a lot older than they looked, but she felt older than the other faeries I’d met.

Based on the other cells in the dungeon, hers was the only one that received any light, and the couches and silks that hung along the room felt odd and out of place.

It looked like a gilded cage. But the way she looked at me when our eyes met, it was like she knew me.

There was no surprise in her stare, no shock. Only a cool regard shone back at me.

Taking a steady breath, I looked back at Samian. His throat bobbed, guilt rippling along his face, but he turned to the forest, steadily walking to the front of the group. Ezra went rigid when Samian passed him, though he refused to look his way, keeping his focus solely on the trees.

We kept quiet as we walked through the field, not wanting to jinx our success in freeing Ezra. I replayed the route we took over and over in my head, filing it away so I could add it to my own map later. Something told me it was important, especially if I ever needed to return.

We stepped through the thicket into the forest, and a shiver went down my spine.

I recognized the trees and rocks that surrounded us from when I ran from the crimson-eyed man.

Hugging my arms around me, I kept a close watch on our surroundings.

I wasn’t sure what else was in the forest, but I could feel their eyes on us.

I shivered, my heart beating rapidly in my chest, and I stepped closer to Aster.

Mercifully, Aster kept her eyes forward instead of casting me her cold stare, and slowed her steps, letting me use her presence to calm my anxiety.

The path we took wove through the forest floor, my breathing heavy from the weight I carried and from the climb of the steep hills. The muscles in my legs were burning when the air turned colder, like a winter storm was about to sweep in on us.

We crossed through a thick wall of trees, stepping into a circular clearing. There were rocks in an odd formation in the center. I looked up, sucking in a breath as crimson eyes locked onto me.

“You,” I breathed, my skin feeling too tight.

My head whipped to Samian. My mouth popped open, and shock rolled through me.

I stammered, looking back to the man, his intense stare never breaking away from me.

His eyes were heated, and he smirked. Finally, his eyes flicked to Ezra, his smile faded as he took in Ezra’s tall, powerful frame.

He moved his stare to Aster, swept past her, and landed on Samian.

“This is more than we agreed on,” he said, his voice deep and deadly. The air around us grew heavy and still, reminding me of the moments right before a storm.

“I had no other choice,” Samian said flatly.

“There were some developments that occurred after I responded to your letter.” Samian paused, avoiding my stare completely.

“Ezra and Aster are two of my informants. Aster is the one who creates the medicine I give to you and has supported your cause for a while now. She is safe for the time being and will return with me to the palace. Ezra, however, cannot. He has been found guilty of aiding a rebel and has been sentenced to death.”

Samian finally met my wide eyes. I could feel the blood draining from my face. I knew how adamant he was about getting Ezra out, but I didn’t realize…

Samian looked back to the man and continued. “He was Ambrose’s war general and led a unit with Commander Fenleth. His knowledge will be useful to you, if you allow him into the camp, that is.”

The man narrowed his eyes, folding his arms over his powerful chest as he considered. But his eyes slid back to me, his head lifting in the air. “And Sybil?” he asked, the rasp of his voice making me gasp.

Goosebumps ran down my arms. The man knew my name. Did he know when we met earlier? He obviously knew Samian by the way they were speaking, or at least familiar enough that they knew of the other. My body grew tight, apprehension crawling down my spine.

“She stays with me,” Samian growled, his voice low and threatening.

I could hardly breathe. The pressure in the air felt thin.

Samian and the man stared each other down while the air continued to grow violent.

Vines from the surrounding trees crept closer, readying to strike.

Someone cleared their throat from behind the man, and two figures stepped out of the shadows.

A woman with pale skin, and the man from the village that Arianna confronted.

His golden eyes looked as if they glowed in the darkness.

They moved to the rocks beside the man and waited. I eyed them, my stomach twisting.

The air moved then, returning to the heavy presence from moments ago, and the vines eased back.

Samian still watched him, though the threat in his eyes was no longer there.

The crimson-eyed man tilted his head, considering Samian’s words.

Minutes passed by while everyone remained silent.

Samian tapped a finger on the hilt of the dagger on his hip.

Annoyance began to show on his face when the man finally nodded and made his way to us.

He stepped in front of Ezra, studying him.

Ezra pulled his shoulders back, standing to his full height.

He was taller than the man by several inches, but he didn’t back down.

Instead, his smile turned sharp and he stretched out his arm, offering his hand to Ezra.

Ezra returned the smile and gripped the man’s hand, though I could see the relief flooding through him. His tension leaked away, and the tight lines along his face eased.

The man looked at me then, his stare heating as it dipped to my lips, moving down until they landed on my wrist and the black bands wrapped around them. I swallowed, moving my hands behind my back, my face heating with guilt and shame .

“And you?” he murmured, his gaze feeling penetrating.

“And I, what?” I asked, swallowing as heat coiled inside me.

“Are you going to help us?” he said, cocking his head to the side.

I lifted my nose in the air, bracing myself. I never gave myself time to consider such a thing. I didn’t even know that was a possibility, not after Arbus or the villager.

I looked to Samian, his body stiff. “This is Kieran,” he said carefully. “He is the leader of the rebels and my oldest friend.”

I looked back to the man, his eyes near glowing.

A vicious smile curved along his lips at the shock rippling through me.

It made sense now, the reason why Samian hated Ambrose so much, the odd way he spoke about the queen, how he seemed to know more than he was letting on.

Samian was working against Ambrose, collaborating with the rebels.

He was the cause of the recent failings of Ambrose’s armies that I heard whispers of, the rat that Ambrose seemed to be searching for.

“So?” Kieran purred.

I inhaled, pulling my shoulders back. “I’ll help.”

His eyes grew brighter, and something like pride filled them. “Then welcome, Sybil, to the rebellion.”