8. Everly
Everly
Chapter eight
I’m basically yanked from the room and down the hall, but not toward my room. No, I stumble slightly as the guards abruptly drag me off in a different direction. I notice an alcove up ahead, hints of a hidden staircase awaiting me with its ominous, shadowy steps.
Panic surges through me as I fight against the tight, unyielding grip on my arms, my heart racing. The truth hits me hard—I was a fool to assume they’d allow me to return home. Not that I have much to return to. The only family I have consists of Scarlett and Mia.
“Let me go,” I snap, trying to pull free.
One guard elbows me in the ribs, making my breath catch.
“Enough,” he growls through gritted teeth, his voice laced with venom.
As they tightly grasp my arms, a yelp escapes me, a combination of both shock and pain. I try to slow my thoughts as they pull me further down the hall. I know I’ll end up in the dungeons, but I’m not about to make it easy for them. Maybe I can use my body weight against them. I’ve seen that done in movies, right?
Anything was worth a shot.
As soon as I feel their grips loosen, I fall to the ground, my legs giving out beneath me. Their steps falter and I manage to break free, stumbling backward. They spin on me, and I raise my hands, signaling them to stay back.
“Where are you going to run, human?” one of them taunts.
Glancing quickly to each side, I realize there is no other path to take but to turn back. The guards advance on me, their faces twisted with anger. A surge of energy rushes through me, and my body trembles with the force of the adrenaline that floods my system. Now I’m free, I have no idea what my next step is. I didn’t think that far ahead. The realization that I can’t outrun them leaves me feeling hopeless, but the thought of being locked up is even worse. My heart races in my chest as I take slow, deliberate steps backward, keeping my eyes locked on their menacing figures.
Suddenly, their expressions change, and a wave of confusion washes over me as they halt their approach and seem to straighten up. I cock my head to the side and blink, they aren’t focused on me anymore.
I’m about to turn and make a run for it when a heavy hand suddenly clasps my shoulder, startling me. I twist my head and tip it up into the breathtaking violet, silver-ringed eyes of Maxon. His long, thick brown hair frames his face, and the sunlight only accentuates his good looks. His gaze flicks up to the guards, and in an instant, he is standing in front of me, shielding me from their view.
“What’s going on here?”His deep, rough voice sends shivers down my spine as it resounds around me with authority.
“We are taking the human to the dungeons, Your Highness,”one guard speaks up, a hint of fear in his voice.
Maxon’s body tenses, the movement so slight I don’t think anyone else would notice, but my face is mere inches from his back.
“On whose orders?” he growls.
“The queen’s, Your Highness.”
I’m caught off guard by the sudden flutter near my face, making me jump as my hair moves with the gentle breeze. It’s Nix; her gaze intense and unwavering, her big, round blue eyes focused on me.
“She isn’t going to the dungeons,” Maxon states firmly.
“But Your Highness, the queen . . . ”
“Leave the queen to me,” Maxon barks, a wave of energy accompanying his words.
I take another step back and Nix’s blue gaze is like a laser as she shakes her head in warning.
I widen my eyes at her.What does she want me to do? I have to get out of here.
I don’t want to stay here and run the risk of being thrown into the dungeons. With a quick spin on my heels, I take off running in the opposite direction. The sound of my pounding footsteps is matched only by the pounding of my heart in my chest. The sudden shouts from the guards make me whip my head around, my eyes meeting Maxon’s in a silent exchange. His alluring violet eyes seem to sparkle, and a mischievous smirk appears on his handsome face.I don’t have time to process that expression.
Without warning, I collide hard with a solid chest, causing me to fall on my backside.
Ouch!!
I peer up into the silvery eyes of a huge man . . . with wings!?
My gaze moves slowly over the texture of his leathery wings and I swallow roughly. When I look closer, I can see two horns jutting out from underneath his light brown hair. He frowns down at me; his intense silver eyes seem to swirl like liquid. I swallow nervously and scoot away quickly.
The hulk of a . . . I don’t know what he is, crosses his bulky arms over his massive chest and raises an eyebrow at me, waiting.
“Are you crazy?” Nix shrieks, flying up to me as I lean back on my hands on the floor.
“No, I was tested. Several times, actually,”I snap.
Nix looks taken aback for a moment before she huffs and flitters up to stand on the hulking bat guy’s shoulder.
Grumbling under my breath, I get to my feet, rubbing a hand over my sore butt.
“Where have you been?” I ask her.
“Looking for you.”
I sense a subtle presence behind me, and I instinctively turn, shifting to the side, ensuring I never have my back exposed to anyone. That is a lesson that was ingrained in me since a young age, thanks to the various foster homes I was in. They were far from the safe havens people thought they were. Maxon, with his disheveled, tousled dark hair and his tunic clinging to his sweaty chest, stands before me. I look behind him and see the guards are gone, obviously having been dismissed. At that moment, it dawns on me that it is just the four of us, alone in this precarious situation.
“Did they hurt you?” he asks, his jaw going tight.
I give my head a shake, and his features relax, that twinkle returning to his eyes.
“The queen will be pissed if we go against her orders,” the guy with the wings grumbles.
“I will go and see her,” Maxon replies, putting his hands on his hips.
His attention focuses on me, his violet eyes locking with mine. Everything else seems to fade away as we stand there caught in each other’s gaze. Something deep in my chest tugs, and I want to step into his arms. I trace the lines of his face with my eyes, taking in every detail: the entwining vines tattooed around his left temple, the delicate curves and swirls wrapping around his cheekbone; the way his thick, dark eyelashes frame his captivating eyes, which seem to have depths that could never fully be explored. My fingers itch to reach up and touch his full lips, just to see if they are as soft as they look.
I blink, caught off guard by the sudden clearing of a throat. Here I am drifting off again, only this time I’ve been hypnotized by a Fae. Not just any Fae—a prince. My face heats and I cross my arms over my chest in embarrassment. Maxon smirks, shifting closer, his hand reaching up to glide his fingers over my cheek in a featherlight touch.
My body immediately becomes rigid at the unexpected contact.
“Beautiful,” he whispers, the silver around his eyes brightening.
A completely foreign emotion washes over me causing a soft flutter in my chest. I swallow roughly and step away from him, making his hand drop. There is a moment of awkward silence while I wait for someone to tell me what the hell is going on. Movement down the corridor catches my attention, and I watch as Zaria hurries toward us, her long silk dress getting tangled in her legs. She curses, gathering her skirts in her hands as she runs.
“There you are,” she pants, looking at me as she comes to a stop.
“Here I am,” I reply, shifting on my feet.
“I thought for sure you’d be in the dungeons.” Her tail whips around swatting the hulking bat guy in the chest. “I was looking everywhere for you, and you.” She nod to Maxon.
Uncertainty fills me, I don’t know what’s going on or why I’m here. Who any of these Fae are, or who I can trust?
“Can someone tell me what’s going on?”
“Why don’t you tell us?” the hulking Fae questions.
“If I knew, I wouldn’t be asking now would I, Batman!”
“Batman?”
I gesture to his wings, and he laughs, a rumbling sound coming from deep in his throat. Zaria lifts her hand to hide her smile and Maxon chuckles from next to me. Nix's eyes twinkle with amusement as I lock my gaze with hers. In a swift motion, she flies over and hovers before me, her wings fluttering softly in the air.
“I’m sorry I took so long, but my friend, Raiden here”—she gestures to the winged Fae—“was hunting, and it took a bit to find him.”
Zaria steps forward. “We shouldn’t talk here, not out in the open.”
“She’s right,” Maxon replies. “We will go to my chambers.”
I stand firm, putting my hand on my hips. “Why should I trust any of you?”
“I’ve saved you, twice now,” Maxon counters, a smirk tugging at his full lips.
He has a point, but still . . .
I steal a quick look at Zaria, and she offers a slight nod in my direction. I feel my resolve waver, like a fragile thread about to snap.
Ultimately, I am entrusting my life to a group of complete strangers. And not just any strangers, but fae. It is a thought that I never could have fathomed before. And even though they appear to be genuine, I can’t help but feel a sense of unease.