The Princess
My body was still buzzing from adrenaline and the feel of Theron’s hands. Not to mention how that deep, gravelly voice of his made my stomach flutter…
I shoved the thought from my mind as we raced between alleys, my shorter legs struggling to keep up with Theron’s longer ones.
I trusted him to navigate through this network of backroads; it had been far too long since I’d been to Tolston, and even then, I certainly hadn’t taken a route like this before.
A stitch formed in my side, and each gulp of air sent a stab through my lungs.
“How far is Stella’s home?” Theron asked, barely even winded.
I shot a quick glance at the unfamiliar and grimy buildings that surrounded us, unsure of how to answer. After a moment, I wheezed, “Half a mile… south of… Miller’s Forge.”
Theron’s steps faltered, his brow furrowing. A keen, calculating look crossed his face, and then he nodded before leading me to the left. “This way.”
The dusty path took us downhill, and we took another left.
The buildings thinned out, becoming sparser the farther we ran.
When Theron tugged my arm, guiding me to the right, we emerged on an empty cobbled road.
My mouth fell open as I recognized the town square with the church bells in the center.
A statue of my father rested in the center, covered with a light dusting of snow.
The sight of it made my throat tighten. There were stables to the left, and I heard the soft nicker of a horse.
Somehow, the backroads had led us straight to the heart of the village. Ordinarily, this place was bustling, but now, in the dead of night, it was eerily silent—the curfew, no doubt.
“We can’t linger here,” Theron muttered, his gaze roving over the empty square before he urged me forward.
I knew he was right. Already, the heavy footfalls of soldiers nearby made me want to bolt. I was tempted to shroud myself in invisibility, but I knew it would do no good. I couldn’t extend my magic to Theron. Besides, with Vikros after me, it would be useless anyway.
As we crossed the courtyard and ducked into another alley, several shouts rang out. Theron shot a concerned look over his shoulder.
“Will your animal friends be all right?” he asked.
I bit back a smile at the note of worry in his voice. “They’ll be fine. They know where Stella’s home is.”
Theron nodded, but a wrinkle remained between his brows. My chest warmed as I realized how fond he’d grown of Mauro, Kendra, and Frisk.
The cold assassin had a soft heart after all.
The alley we squeezed ourselves into was so narrow that we couldn’t walk side by side. In some places, I had to turn myself to the side and inch forward, the brick buildings brushing my chest and backside.
“We’ll have to slow our pace from here,” Theron said, grunting as he sucked in his stomach and wriggled past a particularly small gap.
“No shit,” I said with a snort, but I was grateful for the reprieve from all the running. I still had a cramp in my side.
For a moment, our trek was silent save for the occasional grunting and scuffling as we shifted around. After a while, I cleared my throat, my heart hammering madly in my chest.
“You didn’t say anything,” I said hesitantly, “about Calista being Demon Fae.”
Theron’s shoulders went rigid, but he did not reply.
I swallowed, a lump forming in my throat. “You don’t believe me, do you?”
“I never said that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
He cut me an exasperated glance. “What do you want me to say, Eira? I can’t lie. I’ve worked with Calista for years. I think I would know if she were Demon Fae.”
“I saw her demon form,” I insisted. “The mirror only reveals truth. She has a powerful glamour; it’s how she hides her true nature. But with the mirror, I can expose her for what she is.”
Theron was shaking his head, and anger bubbled up inside me.
“How can you dismiss this so easily?” I argued. “Think about it. She controls people with their blood. What kind of fae magic does that?”
“Stop.” Theron shifted, only able to angle his body halfway to face me.
His expression was dark with fury. “Do you even hear yourself? You don’t have to convince me she’s evil.
I get it. You hate her. I do, too. That doesn’t mean she’s a Demon Fae.
I’ve fought them, Eira. I know what they look like.
What they smell like. What their magic is like. I’m not a fool.”
“It’s not just you she’s been fooling,” I insisted. “It’s everyone! Even my own father. Her disguise is flawless. It’s why she has to be stopped.”
Theron ran a hand down his face as if I were some wearisome child he was forced to deal with. “This is ridiculous. Just stop, Eira. We have enough problems on our hands without these delusions.”
My blood chilled to ice in my veins. Despair crashed through me, followed swiftly by rage.
Damn this hunter. Damn his stubbornness and his stupidity. If he didn’t want to see the truth, then fine.
He wasn’t on my side. He never would be. And it would be best if I accepted that now.
I huffed a dry laugh and forced a cold smile on my face.
“All right, Theron. I trusted you with this secret, and you treat me like shit for it. You want to be an asshole for the rest of your life? Go right ahead. I’m done.
You said it before: Let’s just get this over with so we can be rid of each other once and for all. ”
Regret crossed his features, and he grimaced. “Eira—”
“Don’t talk to me,” I snapped, my tone icy. “Just keep moving.”
A muscle feathered in his jaw, and he nodded once before turning and continuing down the alley. All the while, I tried to ignore the aching pit in my stomach.
Despite my doubts, a part of me had thought he would believe me. That he would be my ally in this.
But in the end, he only belonged to her—Calista.
And perhaps he always would.
The air grew warmer the closer we got to the forge. The narrow alley deposited us directly in front of Miller’s smithy, the air sweltering and the street echoing with the sounds of clanging metal.
Theron made to step forward, then suddenly stiffened, his arms going rigid at his sides.
“What is it?” I glanced up and down the street, expecting to find soldiers. But it was empty.
When I looked at Theron, his head was thrown back, the tendons along his neck standing out. With a loud shudder, he fell backward into me. I barely caught him, resting against the brick wall for support.
“Theron?” I grunted from his weight, then eased him to the ground so I could get a better look at him.
I crouched in front of him, and my heart dropped like a stone.
His eyes were all black. His mouth opened wide as he inhaled a rattling gasp. I had seen this before.
He was being summoned by Calista.
I shook his shoulders. “Snap out of it, hunter. Stay with me.”
He made a choking sound, like he couldn’t get enough air.
I slapped him hard across the face and shook him again. “Wake up! You have to fight it, Theron!”
In a flash, his arm shot out, his hand aiming for my throat. Just before he touched me, he cried out in pain, his back arching as he twisted violently away from me. His head hit the brick wall behind him, and he let out a pained groan.
“Shivering bones,” I muttered, drawing closer to him. His eyes were closed, his brows creased in anguish. I put my hands on his cheeks, then lifted one of his eyelids.
His eyes were back to normal. He jerked away from my grasp, blinking rapidly, his breaths sharp and ragged. “Eira. What… What…” He winced, bringing a hand to his head.
“It was Calista,” I said grimly. “She’s using your blood to call on you.”
Theron stared at me, his face draining of color. “Shit. Shit. Eira, she’ll order me to kill you. And—”
“And if you try, the fae bargain will take your life,” I said quietly.
Theron shook his head, scrambling to his feet. He stumbled, leaning against the wall with another groan. “I… I have to get out of here. I have to get away from you.”
I grabbed his shoulders before he could stagger off somewhere. “What are you doing?”
“Eira, you aren’t safe!”
I snorted. “When am I ever?”
“If she commands me to do something to you, I have to do it.” His voice was tortured, and the haunted look in his eyes told me he’d done unspeakable things under Calista’s influence.
“I don’t know which one is stronger, her blood magic or our fae bargain.
But I don’t want to find out. You have to let me go. ”
I took a shaky breath and squeezed his shoulders. “There might be another way.”
His brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I watched Calista for years. Sometimes she didn’t even know I was there. And there is one thing that makes her hold on someone a bit less potent.”
His gaze turned wary. “And what is that?”
“Loss of blood.”