Sav

F oxglove matched my pace, glancing at me as we raced down the hall. “I would be more careful, Lady. Another might have interpreted that display quite differently.”

“Run and tell my sister about it. Maybe she’ll find another husband to sell me to.”

Foxglove halted and despite myself I stopped, spinning to face him.

His voice softened. “You must know… I never meant you harm.”

For a moment, I almost believed him. Almost. “What I know is that I might have found my place in the winter court if you hadn’t told my sister about my secret betrothal to Bracken.”

“He wasn’t right for you. I only meant to help.”

My hands landed on my hips and I planted my feet, determined not to rush forward and tear his eyes out. “Well you didn’t. None of you Hawthorns ever do.” I turned away, before he could say more, not wanting to hear another word from the male I thought I could trust all those years ago.

I stopped beside Creig, ignoring Foxglove as he entered the room and stood on Creig’s other side.

“What is it?”

Creig pointed a sharp nail at a spot on the map of Earth. “We found another pocket. It leads to a piece of the summer court. That makes them even with us.”

I looked up, searching Creig’s hard expression. “Creig…Do you think.” I bit my lip. “Do you think Mab is in one of these pockets? One of Winter’s maybe? Trapped?”

“Mab is more powerful than any of us. I’m sure she could return if she were.”

I nodded. “Have you found no others in any of the missing pockets?”

“No. They’ve all been empty as far as we can tell.”

“And you haven’t lost anyone?”

He frowned. “We have.”

“And you’re sure none were lost to these pockets?”

He moved to the other side of the table, sliding out a map at the bottom of a pile. “Lord Hawthorn.” Foxglove moved to stand beside Creig. “You sent two males to investigate this space just outside Winter’s border. Regent Goodfellow reported the anomaly. They never returned.”

Foxglove nodded down at the map. “True. We assumed they were being held prisoner by Autumn. Since she’s closed her borders, no one has returned from her court.”

“Have you sent any others to investigate missing lands along Autumn’s border?”

Foxglove scanned the larger map of Faerie. “Here. Near the North Mountains.”

“And?”

“They didn’t make it back.”

The males looked at one another, some silent conversation playing between them. Foxglove nodded and swept from the room, not sparing me another glance.

“I know this is important, Creig, but every day we wait, more of Dane’s prisoners die. Please give me a few of your men and some weapons. If this mission can’t spare you, I’ll command them.”

Creig gave me an indulgent smile, raising my hackles. “Are you prepared to lead an orc army into battle, Love?”

I scowled at him. “Yes. With weapons.”

He stalked around the table, resting a hand on one of his ax handles. “And when they’re captured because the laws our people bound us to don’t allow them to lift a weapon against the humans? What will you do then?”

He was laughing, but there was a cunning edge to his words. A test. If I answered correctly, he would give me what I wanted. “We won’t need to fight.”

“Go on.”

“I only need them to ensure Dane fears us. When I call a meeting, I’ll offer a trade Dane can’t refuse.”

Creig’s dark brow rose.

“His son for the prisoners.” We couldn’t actually allow the trade to happen. Jack knew too much, but I wasn’t prepared to admit something to Creig that might confirm the rumors just yet.

Creig crossed his arms over his chest. “Do you mean your human?”

I nodded. “He was only ever a means to an end.” My fingers trembled and I laced them together to stop the shaking. “I did what I had to, to keep him close.”

“Savage.”

I spun, cheeks and neck flaming as I took in Jack standing in the doorway. I swallowed dryness in my throat. “Jack.”

His gaze hardened as he searched my face for a long moment before turning, his quick footsteps echoing down the hall.

I whirled on Creig. “You knew he was there.”

He shrugged. “Better he knows what he’s walking into. If we brought him under false pretenses, any number of things could go wrong. This plan only works if Jack goes along with it.”

I darted from the room hating how true Creig’s words were but hating myself more for hurting Jack.

It had been true when I learned who he was.

I had planned to use him; I had planned to trick him.

But somewhere along the way I’d let my guard down.

I’d let him in and now the words couldn’t be further from the truth.

But with ISHFA and my sister after us, there was only one way to keep him safe now.

When Jack arrived here; when I knew he was okay, a piece of the wall around my heart had fractured, but Jack didn’t belong in my world, and he would never be safe in his so long as there was anything between us. I had to let him go; had to ensure he let me go.

His eyes had been full of pain. The kind you don’t fake. And I’d put it there.

I stopped outside his door. What was I doing here? I should let him believe those words. It was the easiest path forward, but my traitorous heart stuttered at the idea. I held up a fisted hand, hovering over wood. I bit my lip, indecision warring through me.

I knocked, unsure what I would say.

Silence.

“Jack.” I knocked again, pressing my forehead to the door. “It was only going to be temporary. You could have left as soon as I got the others to safety. You were never in any danger with your father.” Much as I wanted to take it all back, to tell him I didn't mean the things I’d said, I couldn’t.

Jack’s door flew open. “I offered myself to your sister. I offered you a way out.” He filled the doorframe, looming over me. “You didn’t have to pretend you felt something for me.”

I stared into his bright green eyes and flinched at the pain in them. He wasn’t upset that I wanted to use him. He was upset because he believed my lie. He believed I felt nothing for him. Mab how I understood that feeling. The pain in my chest intensified at being the one to hurt him.

Finally…Something my family would have been proud of.

“Jack…I…”

Wetness pooled along his lashes and he backed up slamming the door in my face.