Page 31

Kate clasped a hand around Patch’s mouth, silencing him. “He won’t find out because you won’t tell him. Got it?”

The kobold glowered. His dark eyes sank into his wrinkled face with displeasure and his pointed ears twitched beneath the edges of his black cap.

“ Please , Patch. I need to see my brother. He’s only a kid. He doesn’t belong here. He’s terrified and just wants to go home. Roan locked him up in the dungeons before he sent me to the labyrinth. I need to know he’s okay.”

The kobold crossed his arms over his chest, and Kate slowly lowered her hand from his mouth. When he didn’t yell to summon Roan, she let out a sigh of relief.

“Well, you are on your own, then. I’ll not give Lord Arun a reason to put my head on a pike on the ramparts. He threatened to kill me after a stupid troll beamed you with a rock.” Patch glanced at Magda. “No offense, Magda.”

The troll shrugged as a breeze drifted off the water, stirring the silver fur on her body.

It took a moment for Patch’s words to sink in. “He threatened you... because of what happened to me?”

Patch rolled his eyes. “Oh yes, girl. He was mad with rage when he saw you were hurt. I thought for sure old Patch was done for. You must never underestimate a Fae’s anger, girl. It don’t come easy, but it comes strong.”

Roan had been upset to see her hurt? Her chest tightened as she recalled the almost reverent way he’d stroked her skin last night, the tenderness in his voice as she’d woken in the healing pool in his arms. A flutter of treacherous hope spread warmly through her chest.

Yet it was blacked out by a shadow of a dark voice that whispered in her ear: That’s not love. That’s ownership. You are not a lover to be cherished; you are a toy to be possessed.

She remembered the words he’d tossed so carelessly at her. She was a pet to him, a toy, said with the arrogant assurance that there could be nothing between them but physical desire occurring at his convenience, as if she had no will or purpose of her own outside of his bed.

Even if he did care about her, that wasn’t enough. She needed more. She needed love . But could a dark Fae even know the kind of love that she needed?

It was foolish to entertain the thought, because she wasn’t going to be here forever. The dark whisper grew until that flutter of hope was smothered, and Kate resolved not to think of it again.

I’m not staying. I will solve this labyrinth, take Caden, and go home.

If the thought of home made her feel strangely empty, she took strength in her decision and forced her gaze back to the palace.

Her determination left her feeling strangely empty.

Kate turned back toward the palace and the rocky walls she’d have to climb to get to it.

If she could get in and find Caden, then perhaps she could find a way to send them both home.

If she failed in that, her plan was to return to the cave and go back into the labyrinth once more with Roan none the wiser.

It was possible the glowworms might even show her the way to the center or at least point her in the right direction.

Maybe even Merlin’s magic could get her there.

“You should both wait for me here by the cave,” she told her friends. “It’ll be easier if I sneak in on my own. I’ll come back soon.”

“Be careful, Kate,” Magda replied.

“I will,” Kate promised. She rolled up her sleeves and started toward the rocky base that rose up out of the sea, holding the glittering palace far above.

“I’m coming, Caden.”

* * *

A golden falcon rose higher on a thermal current of air far out on the sea, staying just out of reach of the faintly shimmering barrier that kept him from the shores of the northern kingdom of the Unseelie. It was shielded, as was his own kingdom, from being breached by the enemy.

But that didn’t stop him from flying as close as he could. His keen hawk eyes now spied three figures walking along the shore. One of them broke away and started toward the palace.

But that figure was no creature born in the land of the Fae. It was a human. A human . No human was to be brought into the Fae realm by the Unseelie. But apparently, Roan had done it.

So the treaty agreed to after King Bahden’s death had been broken? This was better than he could ever have hoped. Now the Seelie had their chance. He would return to the Morning Court and tell his subjects what he had seen, and they would have no choice but to declare war.

The fire of greed and desire filled the falcon’s chest. His little side attacks were no longer necessary. For the first time in centuries, Culan truly felt joy.

* * *

Kate cursed herself for not going rock climbing that one time she was invited by some friends. Every muscle in her hands was strained or stiff or scratched from stretching to reach for gaps in the rocks to hold on to. She wiped blood away on her jeans, wincing, but she had to keep moving.

I’m making progress, even if it’s slow.

Once she had started climbing, she realized that the rocks that served as the base for the palace formed tiers like on a wedding cake.

As long as she could navigate up a level, then she could take a bit of time to catch her breath and rub at her muscles before she had to move on to the next level.

She glanced down, which was a mistake given how high she was.

She saw Patch and Magda waiting near the mouth of the cave, two tiny figures standing out against the cave’s dark opening.

She shut her eyes as a wave of nausea nearly buckled her knees.

What was she thinking? She hated heights.

When she had climbed down from Roan’s bedchamber balcony that first day here, she’d been focused on the rope and avoided looking down.

This was different. She had no rope this time.

If she missed her footing, she’d be crushed on the rocks below.

“Breathe... just breathe. You’ve got this.” Kate shut her eyes and took a moment to collect herself before facing the rocks again.

Tipping her head back, she stared at the remaining two levels she had to get to the base of the palace.

The sun hung low in the sky by the time she finally reached the place she wanted to get to.

The rocks pitted by the sea spray changed to a smoother material somewhere between marble and mother-of-pearl.

She stroked a finger over the surface while catching her breath. It was beautiful.

“This must be what causes it to shimmer in the sunlight and glow under the moonlight.” She couldn’t help but wonder what it was made of. Patch would probably tell her if he was in a good mood when she got back.

Crawling carefully along the wall, she tried to work her way inward from the sea.

Kate saw the dying sunlight kiss the tops of the labyrinth walls to the southwest as she came upon a door.

It was a shorter door, barely big enough for her to go through without hunching over.

She turned the ornately carved latch, and a wave of delicious smells hit her nose as the door opened.

She took a step into the room and found herself in a vast kitchen.

Hundreds of lit candles were above her head, illuminating the ovens and counters, but they weren’t held by chandeliers. They simply floated in place by magic.

The brownie chefs were suddenly disappearing and reappearing before her as they raced about preparing trays of food.

Once they seemed to have a full tray, they would simply vanish with a pop!

Others stood on step stools to reach large copper pots to stir ingredients.

Fresh-cut herbs like rosemary and lavender hung in bouquets above several of the stovetops.

Kate’s stomach growled. When was the last time she’d eaten? It had been a few days ago when she’d been at the palace. She’d had that little bit of bread. Had it really sustained her this long? She would try to sneak some food out to the cave to her friends after she found Caden.

She took a step deeper into the kitchens, and one of the brownies materialized right in front of her, almost colliding with her. Kate gasped and the brownie shrieked. All of the work in the kitchen ceased, and she found herself being stared at by every brownie in the room.

“Mistress Kate!” a voice squeaked as Babbitt rushed toward her.

“Hey, Babbitt!” She was so relieved to see a familiar face. A second later, she realized the brownie might tell Roan she was here.

“What are you doing here?” Babbitt asked. “The pixies said you were in the labyrinth.”

Pixies. Right. She would have to remember that those little creatures saw everything, which meant sooner or later Roan would know she was here.

“Er, yeah, but I just returned to visit my brother before I go back.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.

She had to let the brownie assume that Roan knew she was here.

“Actually, could I have some food? Maybe some bread and something to drink? I haven’t eaten since.

.. well, since you last saw me. Which, honestly, I’m not sure how that’s possible. ”

The brownie chuckled. “Our food has healing powers, and it will fill you up for days at a time. Doesn’t your food do that?”

“Um, sort of, but I normally have to eat three times a day.”

The brownie’s eyes widened. “Three times a day? It’s a wonder you have time for anything else besides eating!” Babbitt exclaimed.

She began to pile slices of bread on a plate for Kate, who sat down on an empty stool and gratefully accepted it. Then Babbitt prepared a bowl of some steamy soup and a goblet of pale-blue liquid.

“Word is you survived the morgens.” Babbitt chattered as she watched Kate eat. “Pesky creatures, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, that was pretty scary. I almost drowned.” She shivered and pushed down the terrifying memory of that cold water filling her lungs as she sank deep into the darkness in the arms of one of those awful creatures.

“And I heard you saved a kobold from them. That was brave.” Babbitt beamed. “The palace kobolds who watch over Lord Arun’s treasury hold you in high esteem.”

“They do?” Kate blinked and swallowed more of the soup. It was some kind of flavorful potato leek soup that she really liked.

“Then you rescued a troll from being killed by the wild trolls in the labyrinth. We have troll guards who maintain the palace gardens, and they speak your name in reverence because of the kindness you showed to one of their kind.”

“Really?” Kate couldn’t figure out why the trolls would be talking about her.

Babbitt leaned in close. “The trolls in the labyrinth aren’t like the trolls at the palace. Most of them are brutal beasts, backward and cruel. Not like the trolls here in the palace. You’re a hero to them.”

Kate almost choked on the last of her bread. “A what?”

“A hero, miss. You put the lives of others before your own. The Shining Ones... they don’t do that. Well, Lord Arun, Lady Eudora, and Lord Rath do, but not many of the others would. They are the ruling class of Fae, and we are considered beneath them.”

“Babbitt, I was only doing what anyone would do.”

Babbitt’s eyes shimmered. “You must come from a wonderful land if that’s the case.” The brownie cleared her throat. “Now eat up.”

When Kate finished the last of the sweet drink in her goblet, she felt refreshed and energized. She was ready to find her brother.

“Can you tell me where the dungeons are?” she asked Babbitt.

The brownie nodded. “You simply close your eyes and imagine the space you wish to jump to, and then you will appear where you want.”

“Babbitt, I can’t jump to wherever I want like you can.”

“Oh, right... you’re human. I forgot.” The brownie wrinkled her nose as if thinking hard. “If you follow the corridor outside to the right, take the last staircase on the right to the dungeons.”

“Thank you.” Kate stood and then on impulse bent over to hug the little brownie. She really had been so helpful and sweet, and Kate appreciated that more than she could say.

Kate went out the door and found herself in a dim hallway that was lit by sconces of fire. No, that wasn’t it. The sconces didn’t have any flames. They just... glowed. She moved closer to one and stared closely at it. The light was spherical and didn’t seem to give off any heat.

“What are you made of?” she murmured as she reached up to the silver sconce.

The ball of light suddenly bobbed up out of her reach, wound its way over her head, and flew down the hallway.

Fascinated, Kate followed the light as it danced in the air like a glowing firefly.

Then it started to drift away from where Kate wanted to go.

She stopped in front of the staircase that led down to the dungeons, but that ball of light was so tempting and pretty and it beckoned her to follow it. ..

Caden’s tearful face flashed before her eyes. Jolted out of the odd, dreamlike feeling that the light gave her, Kate forced herself to go down the winding stone staircase into the dungeons. She braced her hand on the wall as she navigated the narrow steps.

She halted when she got to the cells. All of them were completely empty.

Caden wasn’t here.

“Oh God... Caden.” Kate covered her mouth to hold back from crying. He was here when she’d left. What had Roan done with him?

Kate had dared to trust Roan with her brother’s safety. She’d given herself to him and opened her heart to him, and he hadn’t kept his promise. Her brother was missing in this land of dark and dangerous creatures.

She’d been such a fool. Roan was Fae. Her mother’s stories had always said they weren’t to be trusted. She’d not only trusted Roan, but she had fallen in love with him.

She gripped the iron bars of the nearest cell. Her legs gave out as she was overcome with a numbing sense of despair. Would she ever see Caden again?