16. The Princess
During Theron’s exchange with the soldier, I’d slowly backed my way into an alley. The hunter was right; being invisible didn’t stop me from running into solid things. And he was attracting a lot of attention.
But when a militia man addressed him by his name, my blood ran cold. I instinctively ducked further into the shadows, even knowing no one could see me.
A thick, meaty fellow with gleaming gold eyes and pointed fae ears approached. He wore a belt full of knives and a bow and arrow strapped to his back. His wolfish grin made my skin crawl.
Theron stiffened, his nostrils flaring and his eyes sparking with recognition. The quivering muscle in his jaw told me all I needed to know.
This soldier was an enemy.
“Vikros,” Theron said shortly. “You’re a bit far from home, aren’t you?”
Vikros drew closer until he stood directly in front of Theron. Theron was taller, but Vikros was twice as thick.
“The queen enlisted my services,” Vikros said.
“What for?” Theron bit out. “I wasn’t aware of any threats to the city.”
“Ah, but how would you know? You’ve been missing for days.”
Shit.
Theron’s eyes narrowed. “Missing? She sent me on an assignment a week ago. I’m simply making my way back to her.”
Vikros’s gaze raked over Theron’s body with a smirk. “In disguise?”
“It’s a habit,” Theron snapped. “Part of my job requires subtlety. Something you could take note of.”
Vikros barked out a laugh. “Ah, I do miss your scathing barbs, Theron. Always such a delight.” He jerked his head to Theron, and several soldiers surrounded him, swords drawn.
I lurched forward, though I wasn’t sure what I could do. My pulse roared in my ears. The smart thing would be for me to leave, to find Stella’s home and hide until the chaos settled down.
But I couldn’t. I couldn’t just leave him to Calista’s wrath.
I drew closer, my steps slow and careful.
To my horror, Vikros’s eyes shifted to me, spearing right through my glamour. I froze, waiting for his gaze to glance over me and move on.
It didn’t.
A slow smile spread on his face. “Who’s your lovely friend?”
A chill skittered down my spine. No, no, no…
I tried to back my way into the alley, but Vikros stepped forward, blocking my path. He eyed me up and down, his smile widening. “Clever glamour. Unfortunately, I’m immune to all glamours. It’s why the queen hired me.”
“Vikros!” Theron roared. He moved, but a dozen swords closed in on him, stopping him. Rage burned in his dark eyes as he looked over the weapons pointed at his chest, no doubt calculating how he could fight them all off.
The odds weren’t good.
Vikros grabbed me by the collar and dragged me forward, but I wasn’t about to come quietly. With a shout, I stomped on his toes, then jabbed my elbow into his gut. He grunted, clearly unharmed by my feeble attack, but he was surprised enough to release me. I ducked down low, drawing my daggers and slicing into his shins. He growled, his large arms swiping for me, but I rolled away from him, keeping low and using my petite stature to my advantage.
“Get out of here, girl!” Theron bellowed. “Run!”
Girl.He couldn’t say my name. But judging by the way Vikros had looked at me, he knew exactly who I was.
I draped my magic over me, going invisible once again as I sprinted away. Even if Vikros could see through it, the other soldiers couldn’t.
“Stop her!” Vikros yelled.
The soldiers scrambled forward, then faltered, obviously bewildered by Vikros’s orders to seize an invisible girl.
I had almost rounded the corner and vanished from sight when I heard it.
A child’s scream.
“Do it!” Vikros shouted.
I stilled, whirling to find a soldier dragging a child by the arm, forcing the boy to kneel in the middle of the street.
Rage and fear shuddered through my bones. No…
“Run!” Theron urged. “Don’t stop!”
But I couldn’t. Every fiber of my being had me frozen in place, staring in horror as more soldiers appeared, each of them dragging a human child no older than ten years old. The youngest looked to be about three, with tears streaming down her face.
The guardsmen in front of the row of children all drew their swords.
My feet were moving before I could stop myself.
“Eira, no!” Theron cried.
I hadn’t realized my invisibility was gone until a swordsman grabbed for me. I dodged him just in time, running straight for the line of soldiers. The children’s cries intensified.
I wasn’t sure what I could do, but I had to do something.
Before I reached the children, Vikros stepped in front of me, eyes gleaming. “I thought that might draw you in. The queen did say you had a soft spot for humans.”
“Those are children!” I shrieked, lunging forward, trying to fight my way around him. “It’s me you want. Don’t hurt them!”
Vikros’s massive arms wrapped around me, pinning my limbs in place with ease. No matter how determined I was, I couldn’t get past him with my stature.
“Vikros, this is too far!” Theron bellowed. “These are innocent children of the Winter Court!”
“There are always casualties in war,” Vikros said idly. “Besides, this is under the queen’s orders. There is no love lost in a human death.”
I felt the blood drain from my face as I stared at the line of children in horror. All of them were weeping openly now, cringing from the blades directed at them.
“You have me!” I argued. “Let them go. Please!”
“As much as I love to see a woman beg,” Vikros said with a savage grin, “we can’t leave any witnesses to this incident.”
I struggled against him with a scream. Fury, pure and volatile, coursed through my veins, igniting a fire within me. My horror and shock melted away, making way for the red creeping into my vision.
Vikros turned to the soldier closest to him and gave a quick nod.
The men in front of the children raised their swords.
Theron screamed something unintelligible. I channeled all of my focus on those innocent children, who shared blood with me, who did not belong in this battle…
I bit down hard on Vikros’s arm. He yelped and staggered back, loosening his grip on me. With my free hand, I dragged my dagger along his stomach, digging deep. Blood gushed, running freely from his wound. He roared in agony, but I was already sprinting away, diving between the closest swordsman before he could strike the doe-eyed girl before him.
“Eira!” Theron shouted.
The blade struck me, slicing through flesh and bone, cutting a path of fire through my chest. White light consumed my vision as I collapsed, feeling nothing but the burn of sharp steel. Hot liquid ran down my body, drenching everything.
And then, all at once, the pain vanished. I gasped as my vision cleared, and my blood stopped flowing. Stunned, I looked around. Was I… dead?
But the soldiers all stared at me in shock and confusion. One of them turned to Vikros, who was clutching his own wound, though it was not nearly as fatal as mine had been.
“Sir…” said a guardsman uncertainly.
“Eira, move,” whispered a familiar voice.
I didn’t have to look to know it was Frisk. In a flash of white fur, he dived for the nearest soldier, connecting with his face and clawing at the man’s flesh. Shrieks filled the air, followed by the clopping of hooves.
I sat up in alarm to see a horde of animals emerge from the forest. Mauro arrived, followed by several other creatures: deer, squirrels, rabbits, birds, and some creatures I had never seen before with horns and claws. All of them charged forward with snarls and chitters and chirps, heading straight for the soldiers.
“Blood and ice,” I whispered.
In a flash, Theron was by my side. The creatures must have attacked the men who held him. Panic creased his features as he looked me over. “Eira. You—Are you?—”
“I’m fine.” I patted my chest in bewilderment. Though my clothes were still soaked in blood, the pain had completely vanished. I tugged down my collar and gasped.
A large gash was carved into my flesh, but… it was frozen. Not a single drop of blood oozed from it. It was like it was suspended in time, frozen solid. I wasn’t healed, but I wasn’t dying, either.
“How?” I asked weakly.
Then my eyes fell to Theron’s hands. They glowed ice-blue, his fingers flexed as if poised to strike.
Something in my chest hummed in recognition. I stared at him. “What did you do?” My tone was accusing, but I couldn’t keep the awe out of my voice.
“I—I don’t know.” His hands started to shake as his gaze dropped to the glow. I recognized the chaos in his eyes; it was similar to when he’d told me his mind was frazzled.
He was about to lose it. And we couldn’t have that.
“Help me up,” I ordered.
“Your wound…”
“Do it, hunter. We don’t have time.”
He nodded and extended a hand. Ignoring the strange blue glow, I took it, expecting his magic to burn me. Instead, it felt pleasantly cool, like pressing ice to a scorching burn. He hoisted me up just as a soldier raced toward us, sword drawn. I raised my dagger, but Theron was quicker. He ducked the man’s strike, then punched him in the nose. Theron hooked his foot under the soldier’s leg, bringing the man crashing to his knees. In seconds, Theron had the guard’s blade in hand and had plunged it into his neck. He turned to me as if this kill had been as ordinary as breathing.
And in that moment, I reminded myself he was a killer. But I trusted him more than anyone else here.
Bile crept up my throat, but I swallowed it down, knowing the dying man had been about to impale a child with that very sword. I nodded at Theron, and together, we hurried toward the line of children. Some were standing there, watching the battle in horror and amazement as the animals continued to claw at the soldiers. Other children were crouched on all fours, covering their head with their arms to avoid getting struck.
“Come on!” I cried, urging the children forward. “Come with me!”
The doe-eyed girl I’d taken the hit for scrambled forward, hanging onto my arm as if I were a lifeline. The other children followed suit, rushing to our sides.
“This way,” Theron urged, his tone surprisingly gentle as he guided them down the street. I had to trust he knew a safe place to take them. I threw a glance over my shoulder to ensure we weren’t being followed. Vikros aimed a kick at Frisk, who easily dodged it with a snicker. Mauro slammed his hooves into the chest of a soldier. Several birds flitted around the soldiers’ faces, taunting them.
It would have been hilarious if I hadn’t been worried for the animals’ safety. But I didn’t have time; the human children needed to get out before they were killed in the crossfire.
I hurried after Theron, who had two children in tow, our footsteps light and quick. With each movement, something tugged at the wound in my chest, like stitches pulling free. Was Theron’s magic wearing off? How long did I have before I started to bleed out again?
“In here,” Theron said, throwing open the door to a four-story building. The children rushed inside without argument, but I hesitated, shooting him a curious look.
“What is this place? Is it safe?”
He nodded. “It’s an inn. I’m well acquainted with the owner. He’ll keep the children safe.”
When I narrowed my eyes at him, he groaned. “Come on, princess. You have to trust me on this.”
“I don’t have to do anything,” I said with a sniff, shoving past him and into the building.
“You are infuriating,” Theron muttered as he slammed the door shut, then called out, “Derek!”
A portly fae man with no hair and a huge black mustache appeared, then faltered as he took in me, Theron, and the ten children we’d brought with us. He scratched at his shiny scalp. “Ah… Thorne. What is this?”
“The queen’s soldiers,” Theron said shortly. “These little ones are in danger. Can you look after them?”
Derek straightened, his eyes darkening with a lethal gleam that almost matched Theron’s. “Of course. Come with me, I have a nice, comfortable room you lot can have. It’s got extra locks for your security. I’ll close up shop and wait with you in there myself.”
A few children nodded eagerly. One ran up to Derek and wrapped her arms around his legs, sobbing into his trousers. Derek patted her head awkwardly and led the children up the stairs. I watched them go, then turned to Theron.
“How did you know he would help? He’s fae.”
“Not all fae despise humans,” Theron said softly, his voice low. Fire still burned in his gaze, but his tone was gentle.
Only then did I realize we stood alone in the lobby of the inn. I drew closer to him, thinking of how he had risked everything to save me, to save those children.
“Theron,” I whispered, gazing up at him as my confused thoughts whirled with awe and gratitude.
He offered a half smile, raising a hand to run his knuckle along my cheek.
I stared at him, suppressing a shiver of delight at the gentleness of his touch. Though I’d seen him kill a man, and I knew he’d done far worse, I delighted in his skin against mine. A rush of warmth coiled low in my belly, igniting something new and frightening.
I wanted him to touch more of me.
I leaned forward, but something ripped violently within my body, and blood seeped out from my wound. A bout of dizziness washed over me, and I swayed into Theron’s arms. He caught me against his chest, his warm body a comforting support as I struggled to regain my balance.
“Eira?” His panicked voice was the last thing I heard before darkness took me.