Page 94 of The Path of Blood and Betrayals

But I see the way he keeps his distance, how his eyes flicker to the puncture wounds at my neck. He’s afraid but also, disgusted with me.

My chest caves in and I can’t breathe past the pain.

“Of all the beings, I expected her friend to be the one to understand her.” Kaden pulls me back, arm snug to my waist. It feels good there, right. “She has earned my respect and deference in such the short amount of time I’ve known her. Why has she not earned it from you?”

Tay ignores his taunt, tugging my hair over my neck. “I don’t trust this connection you have to him. But I would be careful, if I were you.”

He grabs another sack from the ground, and gestures to his guards to follow him.

He isn’t even going to say goodbye.

“Oh, and Witch?” Kaden calls back, amber eyes turning black. “I don’t need to work to get between her thighs. I’ve already experienced that delight.”

Tay glowers, swinging on to his large horse, mouth pressed into a tight frown.

With another twitch, he dashes through the opposite side of the forest, heading toward the Coven. He should be home by the time the moon rises.

My stomach rolls with trepidation. Am I making the right choice? I’m not sure, but my feet don’t push me to chase after Taylay. They stay rooted, demanding I stay with the heir.

“Follow me,” Kaden says, leading me back to his party. “I’ll have my guards set up your tent. You’ll stay with me and my siblings while we finish this.”

Glancing once more over my shoulder, I watch Tay’s form disappear into the shadows without another look back.

It cuts deeper than any blade.

Chapter 33

Max

Sleep eludes me.

Every time I close my eyes, I dream of blazing walls, gnashing jaws of bloody teeth and the sensation of being weighted down.

After the third nightmare, I give up, exiting my tent, looking around the Dark Fae campsite. My head pounds, my magic rolling in my belly as I rub my temples.

I don’t move far, before a mug is shoved into my face. Chicory and ewe’s milk, the familiar scent washes over me.

Blinking, I glance into the heir’s unreadable face, taking it with timid hands.

The volunteers mill about, scraping together provisions left behind from Hastings’ people, and I inhale the rich scent of my preferred beverage.

How did the heir know?

Taking a sip, I try to keep from swaying toward him. But it’s a losing battle. My body, my heart, yearns for him, even as I wrestle with the irritation of his rejection nights ago.

As if reading my thoughts, he jerks his chin. “Every morning thatwe stopped for a break, you made it. I thought it would help after last night.”

After watching my best friend leave me here. I didn’t give him much choice but I expected something—a care, a goodbye, something before he left.

My heart still hurts.

He’s been the only one I could depend on since I was ten, and now, I’m alone.

And what will I do when this raid is complete? I can’t return to the Coven. I was never accepted there and now that I’ve chosen their enemy, they’ll never allow me back.

Why did I choose to stay?

The men call for Kaden, wishing to discuss next steps. Being their guides, they need his input on how to proceed. Do they figure out a safe path up the mountain to Wulf’s village, or do they try to enter Erebus’ Hollow?