Chapter 12
Isla
No! No! No!
“I thought you said they’d stay away from here,” Sebastian says.
Julienne shrugs. “Belen can only do his best. You need to hide. Now!”
“They’re really here,” I squeak.
“Yes,” Julienne says. “Hide.”
I panic for a second, realizing that we may have left tracks leading here.
I hope not.
“Take your bowls and goblets with you,” Julienne urges. “Any sign of your presence.”
I grab the items in front of me, and Sebastian does the same. We move fast.
Julienne pulls the animal skin aside, revealing the trapdoor underneath. She lifts it, and a dark square opens up in the floor.
“Down you go,” she whispers.
I lower myself through the opening, my feet finding the rungs of a small ladder. The space below is dark, lit only by slivers of light filtering through the floorboards above. The air smells of earth and old wood.
Sebastian appears at the opening, passing me the goblets and dishes. I take them carefully, stacking them in the corner of the small space.
Then he descends, his large frame filling the opening. The moment he’s down, Julienne closes the door and replaces the animal skin. The already dim light grows even fainter.
My chest tightens.
I’ve never liked small spaces. Never liked the feeling of being trapped, of walls pressing in on all sides. My breathing quickens. My magic flares up inside me, but I push it down.
Be calm, I tell myself. You’re fine. There’s enough air.
Thankfully, I get myself under control because the room might be small, but it isn’t as tiny as I first thought.
As my eyes adjust, I can make out more details.
There’s a mattress in the far corner, thin and worn but better than the cold earth.
Next to it sits a waterskin, full and ready.
On the opposite side are several saddlebags, bulging with supplies.
They’re the ones Julienne spoke of earlier.
All carefully hidden away for our escape…
for the king’s escape. I’m not sure what will become of me, only that I will survive it. I’m good at surviving.
I move to the mattress and sit on the very edge, as far from Sebastian as possible. I’m so angry I could scream. Only I can’t very well do it now, can I?
I risked everything for him. And he repays me by asking me a whole lot of questions? It’s clear he thinks I’m lying. That I was sent to… What?
There’s a part of me that understands his hesitancy to trust, but I still can’t get past it.
“I had not planned on leaving you destitute,” Sebastian whispers, as he sits too, leaving plenty of space between us.
Another bell rings softly in the cabin above. There are footsteps as Julienne walks across the room, and it stops abruptly.
“Oh well, it’s all fine, then,” I say, sounding as angry as I feel.
“I can’t trust you,” Sebastian continues in a whisper. “I’m sorry, but there is too much at stake.”
“I risked life and limb for you,” I hiss, keeping my voice low. “My reputation is in tatters. Why would I do that to myself?”
The rage surges through me, hot and heavy. I’m furious. And underneath that anger is something worse… I’m hurt.
King Sebastian might be beautiful and as masculine as a male can get, but he’s also a complete prick.
I can’t believe I threw everything away because of a feeling I got about him while we were joined magically. I’m sure there’s a better term for it, but if there is, I don’t know it.
I thought that he would help me in return for freeing him. I’m not sure what I was expecting exactly, but this isn’t it.
I was wrong. I’m such a fool.
“You could be working for the queen, for all I know,” Sebastian says.
I suck in a breath. “I’m not.”
“That’s what you would say if you were working for her.”
He’s right, and I hate that he’s right. His logic is sound, even if it makes me want to hit him and then hand him back to the shadowfae.
Arghhhh!
I want to pound my fists against his chest and slap his pretty face.
“I’m not working for her. I have no ulterior motive,” I insist.
He shrugs, his broad shoulders lifting and falling in the darkness.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t trust you, Isla.
Even if I wanted to, I can’t.” His voice is firm and final.
“You were freed for no good reason. You came and helped me, even when you knew it would cost you so much. You have enormous magical ability.”
“I do?” I frown. I didn’t realize. I’ve never trained. Never used my magic so openly before. I wouldn’t know. Most fae don’t wield much magic these days. I had no idea.
“If you’re not part witch, then you must be a hybrid fae, but without the features, which is highly unusual.
” His gaze moves to the side of my head.
“If you are innocent in all this, I apologize, but I still think that you’re not.
There are too many things about you that just don’t add up.
Look, I’ll give you a horse and supplies.
If the person who helped me escape left me coin, you can have the majority of it—”
“I don’t want your coin,” I snap. “I will be just fine on my own.”
For some reason, it irks me that he is treating me this way, even when it shouldn’t.
“I think so too. You’re powerful and resourceful. You can use your magic to keep yourself safe. To—”
I laugh, the sound bitter and sharp in the confined space.
“I can’t use my magic. What do you think happens to people like me?
To us half-breeds?” I spit the word. “We’re put to death, is what.
I’ll be stoned just like my mother was.” I shake my head, feeling helpless.
“Or worse, I’ll be captured and sent to one of the courts to be drained week after week. ”
“So you are half-fae, then?” he asks, his eyes narrowing. I can just make out his face in the dim light filtering through the floorboards.
I nod once.
A knock sounds at the cabin door above us.
We both freeze.
“Don’t try anything,” Sebastian whispers. “If you alert them, Julienne is as good as dead.”
He thinks I’m a monster.
“I won’t hesitate to end you,” he whispers so softly, I almost don’t catch the words.
They leave me reeling.
Julienne pushes back her chair and goes to the door. “Who is it?”
“The shadowfae guard. Open up,” a muffled voice sounds from outside.
There is a scrape as Julienne pushes a bolt to the side and the sound of the door opening. “Oh! Good evening,” she says, sounding duly shocked. “What brings all of you here on this fine evening?”
“Greetings,” a male shouts from outside. “We’re searching for escaped prisoners. We need to search your property.”
“Oh my! Escaped prisoners?” Julienne sounds alarmed. “Are they dangerous?”
“Very dangerous, my lady,” the guard says.
“In that case, you had better come inside.” Julienne sounds unsure now.
There are boot falls as they walk inside. I hope we didn’t leave something up there that will give us away. I clasp my hands together in my lap.
Sebastian shifts beside me, tilting his head to track the movement above. He looks tense. His eyes dart to me for a moment before going back up.
He really distrusts me that much. It sours my gut, but once again, I understand where it’s coming from.
“We appreciate your cooperation,” another voice says. This one is deeper, more authoritative. “Have you seen anyone pass by this evening?”
“No, no one,” Julienne says. “I’ve been here all evening. Just me and my stew.”
More footsteps. They’re spreading out, searching the cabin.
“Is there a barn out back?” someone asks.
“Yes, for my horses,” Julienne replies. “Feel free to take a look.”
I count the footsteps, trying to map out how many guards there are. One near the door. Two moving toward what must be the back of the cabin. Another by the hearth. At least two more heading outside toward the barn.
There must be at least six of them. Perhaps more outside.
Sebastian and I sit in complete silence. I barely dare to breathe.
One of the guards walks directly over our hiding place, his shadow casting over the cracks in the floorboards.
My pulse thunders in my ears.
“Why do you have three horses?” a guard asks. “Seems like a lot for one person.”
“I enjoy riding,” Julienne tells him. “The one is quite old now and out to pasture. The other two I ride for pleasure. It’s peaceful out here, you know. Not much else to do for an old woman like me.”
A pause. Then the sound of a pot lid being lifted.
“Why is there so much food for one person?” The voice comes from near the hearth, directly above us.
“I only just started eating,” Julienne replies. “I have a healthy appetite. I’d planned on eating the rest tomorrow for breakfast and perhaps for lunch as well. Why cook several times when you only have to cook once?”
One of them makes a noise of agreement.
“I’m hungry,” the guard says. There’s a note of complaint in his voice. “I’ve spent a long time looking for the prisoners,” he grumbles. “I’m sure they’re long gone.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” one of the others says.
“I would be long gone,” a third grumbles.
“Who escaped?” Julienne asks.
“The Shadowfae King and the witch who helped him.”
“The king?” Julienne gasps. “I thought he was dead. I don’t understand.”
“He wasn’t dead, just hiding like a coward. Now he’s back,” the guard says. “He appeared right in the middle of a performance at the court. He had the marking and everything. Looks exactly like Sebastian…but…who knows.”
“Kakara’s cat,” Julienne breathes. “The king himself. Returned after all this time.”
“That’s right. And he’s dangerous. He used dark magic against our guards. Killed thirteen of them. A bad omen, for sure. He also ran one of our captains through. Poor Lord Tryfon could have died. He lost so much blood. All so that Sebastian the coward could escape.”
As he talks, Sebastian sighs, looking down at his lap before looking back up.
“If you see the once king, you need to run and hide. He is a killer of the worst kind,” the guard continues.
Sebastian stiffens.
“Are you certain you haven’t seen anyone?” the authoritative voice asks again.
“I would have told you if I had,” Julienne tells them. “I’m just living my life out here, trying to avoid trouble. If I’d seen the escaped king, you’d be the first to know. Especially one so dangerous.” She sounds afraid.
I practically hold my breath.
“Can we stay a short while?” one of the guards asks. “That stew smells good.”
“Oh,” Julienne says. “Well, I suppose—”
“We’ve been out here for hours,” another guard adds. “We’re exhausted. Just a quick meal, then we’ll be on our way.”
Hours is a gross exaggeration.
“Of course. Please, sit. Let me get you some bowls. I would be happy to share with men doing such good work. You keep us safe.”
There is the sound of chairs scraping against the floor and the clinking of dishes.
“Do you have any wine?” one of the guards asks.
“I do indeed,” Julienne says. “Let me fetch it.”
More movement above us tells me that the guards are settling in, making themselves comfortable.
This is going to take a while.
I shift, trying to ease the tension in my shoulders. The space is so cramped that my knee brushes against Sebastian’s. He moves away, somehow making me feel worse.
I didn’t do anything, except save the ingrate.
Minutes pass. The guards above us talk in low voices, talking about nothing of importance.
My back starts to ache. The adrenaline that’s been keeping me going is starting to fade, replaced by bone-deep exhaustion.
Carefully, slowly, I lie down on the mattress. That’s better. I’ll lie here for a little while, and then I’ll sit back up.
My eyes feel heavy.
The voices above continue their low murmur.
It doesn’t take long for my eyelids to start to droop. I need to sit up. I will…soon.