Chapter 2
Rowan
“I’m sorry, what?” the words spill out before I can stop myself. Not that anyone is paying attention to me right now. “Prince Kyrian?”
“Talyn.” The corner of Kyrian’s mouth twitches upward and he extends a hand to the sentry, the pair clasping forearms. His voice still carries the melodic lilt I've grown familiar with, but now there's something more beneath it.
Authority. Kai-level authority. “When did they let you out of the nursery?”
Talyn gives a short snort of laughter as he sheathes his blade, the others following suit. “A year or so. Not that you’d know. Where the hell have you been the past two years?”
“He did say, your highness, right?” I clarify with Ellie. “That wasn’t my imagination?”
“If you imagined it, so did I,” she whispers back.
Kyrian gives Talyn a kind of curt look that says don’t overstep yourself. “Busy.”
“Of course.” Talyn clears his throat, his attention now off Kyrian and back onto the rest of us. When it lands on me, there is a flicker of surprise, then recognition and then a hate so bitter that I can taste it in my mouth.
“Is that human what I think it is?” Talyn asks. "The mercs claimed they had the Ainsley gift with the cadets, but I thought they were just driving up the price. But they weren't, were they? That's her.”
“Who is in charge of the detachment?” Kyrian says, ignoring the question.
“Prince Theron. I—”
“- Please send word to him of our arrival,” Kyrian interrupts, his face so carefully schooled that I’m certain the commander’s identity isn’t good news.
At least for Kyrian. Whether that’s to my and Ellie’s benefit remains to be seen.
Kyrian lifts his chin slightly. “I would like to attend to him at his earliest convenience. "
Talyn hesitates, glancing at his comrades. “You know I can’t let two humans just stroll into the encampment,” he says, choosing each word with obvious care. “Especially when one of them matches the description of Ainsley's daughter. Not even for you.”
Kyrian exhales sharply. “I take full responsibility for the women. Both of them. Stand aside."
But Talyn doesn't move. Neither do the others. If anything, the other sentries eye us with increasing suspicion. And in the case of one male — a lithe younger looking fae with blue-dyed hair — open hatred. Like I’d done harm to him personally.
"We have orders," Talyn says, his features hardening into that particular expression soldiers wear when caught between rank and regulation. “You may go forward and we can allow your companions in on your parol. The humans will be surrendered to our custody however.”
"And I am giving you new orders," says Kyrian.
"Ones I unfortunately cannot honor.” If Talyn sounded somewhat apologetic at first, all the consideration is now gone from his voice.
His hand tightens on the hilt of his sword to indicate that he’s ready to enforce his orders with steel.
"If you could just follow the protocol, I’m sure Prince Theron will see this issue resolved quickly,” Talyn adds. One last attempt at diplomacy.
On my other side, Kai shifts his weight slightly, not quite reaching for his weapon but not far from it either. Logan's claws dig into the dirt, leaving furrows in the soft earth. We are one breath away from a brawl.
Three against five—I’m not so delusional as to imagine myself and Ellie as anything but a liability.
For a second, I entertain the notion of escaping while the males hold each other’s attention.
But that would be worse than futile. Even if we could make it away from the triad and the patrol, where would we go?
The fae would track us faster than a wolf on the scent of an injured deer.
Then I catch sight of the blue-haired soldier’s face and know for a fact that should I fall into his hands, I will be begging for death. For a very long time.
“Your highness,” Talyn warns, his patrol shifting into offensive formation, their weapons glinting. Five against three.
Kai, Kyrian and Logan are the best warriors I’ve ever seen, but on the heels of an exhaustive run and against a fae sentry patrol?
With two humans weighing them down? I don’t like their chances.
And I like the consequences of Talyn’s sentries taking Ellie and me into custody even less. My heart pounds.
Can the fae smell fear? Does it make them that much more hungry?
"You're making a mistake, Talyn," Kyrian is saying to Talyn. "The situation is more complex than you understand."
"You've brought the enemy into our camp. The Commandant's daughter, no less." Talyn's tone no longer tries to disguise his disgust. "Last chance. Surrender the prisoners to proper custody."
The word makes a fresh chill run through my veins. A chill and then a sharp, sudden pain. I wince, nearly staggering as the world lurches sideways beneath my boots.
Shit.
Not here.
Not now.
Ellie steadies my elbow while I press my palm to my temple, trying to will the vertigo away. It’s like trying to bribe a hurricane with polite requests. I’m overdue for my next dose of tonic and my body is determined to let me know it. Now. Because why not now.
Beside me, Kai and Kyrian are no longer posturing. Their weapons are out, blades gleaming in the low light, held steady but tight. Grim lines bracket their mouths. They’re not negotiating anymore.
Which is when it hits me—harder than the pain, harder than the betrayal. They’re truly worried.
The two most dangerous males I’ve ever met—immortal, unreasonably powerful, and apparently out of patience—don’t know if we’re walking out of this alive. And if they’re uncertain?
We are well and truly screwed.
"Just in case it's relevant, the mercs lost your entire delivery, not just us," Ellie's melodic voice suddenly rings through the violence-laden air with suicidal irreverence.
"Tremendous incompetence, really. You might want to check if they're still collecting payment for jobs they never completed. "
What the hell?
Kai keeps his attention on the patrol, but Kyrian, Talyn, and even the wolf turn incredulous faces in Ellie’s direction.
"What?" Talyn spits out.
"The mercenaries," Ellie continues, flipping a strand of dirty hair from an equally dirt-streaked face. "They were supposed to deliver a bunch of Spire cadets to you, right? Well, they failed spectacularly. Couldn't even manage basic prisoner transport. I'd demand a refund if I were you."
"Uh, Ellie," Kyrian says cautiously. "This may not be the time to offer business consultation."
"I might forget later," says Ellie. "Or be dead. And then what good would I be?"
"Ellie-" I start.
"—I mean, honestly," she continues, talking over me. "Who hired those idiots? Is telling the difference between 'capture alive' and 'get stuck between two armies and almost get everyone killed’ truly that difficult. Amateur hour, if you ask me."
"I'm not," Talyn says, then clarifies, rubbing the bridge of his nose like he's developing a headache. "I'm not asking you. I'm—"
Kai's shadows explode outward like liquid night, wrapping around the male's ankles and yanking him down to the ground with a heavy thud.