6. Aniah #2
“A human girl?” My brows drew. Why would this male be telling me of some human girl? Unless— “What was her name?” I demanded, the cup in my hands slipping. The contents sloshed, spilling on the table.
“Evanee.”
I fought to steady my breathing. After all this time—
“Is she here now?”
He looked down. “No. But you’re not far behind her. The King’s guard came and got her a few days ago. I don’t know why they wanted her after she’d been here so long, but I don’t think it was anything good.”
He stood, taking the teacup to a small bucket of dishes, returning with a rag.
“How did you know I was looking for her?”
“I told you, I have an intuition.” He tapped his head as he sopped up my mess.
“I also saw your big companion sneaking about the other night. Nearly made my stable boy piss himself when he started asking about a girl fitting Evanee’s description.
The lad thought the large male was a skur, what with his white hair and all. ”
I’m going to kill him. I’m going to kill Ryker.
“It’s not safe for you to be here. I did what I could to keep my stable hand from telling anyone what he saw, but I can’t guarantee he hasn’t opened his mouth.
I don’t know what’s going on, but something’s happening.
You and that male can still catch up. I imagine you’ve been searching these lands for a while.
Tonight I’ll leave you two fresh horses near the river.
But you need to go before anyone else notices you’re here. ”
“How can I ever repay you for helping us?”
“No need. Just help your friend—our friend,” he amended, a small smile tugging at his mouth as he cast his eyes away.
“May I know your name?”
“Micah. If you would—when you get her back, tell her I said hello and that I hope she lives a peaceful life. And get her as far away from these lands as you can.”
I bowed my head to him, then put my cloak back on and slipped out the door.
Ryker had moved deeper into the woods to work with his swords.
Sweat gleamed down his shirtless back, muscles bunching with every swing, making the ink there come to life.
The tattoo on his shoulder glistened, drawing my attention to the runes that banded around his bicep at the base.
If I hadn’t been mad, I’d smile at the sight, the scene similar to the day I'd met him.
His head cocked before I reached him. Glowing eyes locked on me instantly, his breathing heavy.
I marched right up to him and shoved him with two hands.
“Idiot!”
“What the hell?” he snarled.
“You were seen!” I spat. “Lucky for you, I think we can trust the Fae who saw, but seriously, Ryker. You have to be more careful.”
He scowled. “I couldn’t sit here doing nothing. Did you learn anything?”
I smiled and told him what the male had said.
Three years… and we were only days behind her. Even Ryker’s eyes burned brighter as we laid out the map, making our plan.
A stick snapped.
Three Queen’s guards came out of the trees, swords leveled at us.
Ryker’s sharp gaze locked onto the males'—calm. Assessing. Whereas worry settled in my bones like a leaden weight.
“Who are you?” The leader in the middle called out.
“Just traders.” I forced my face to relax, though I knew he didn’t believe my lie. The other two spread wide. Corralling us.
Ryker’s jaw tightened as he shifted his position, placing himself in front of me.
“You two need to come with us, now.” The leader pressed his sword further forward.
“No,” Ryker said. “We don’t.”
Everything happened so fast.
The leader lunged at Ryker with his sword.
Ryker moved so swiftly that the Fae male’s head was detached before he could make a sound.
My hands clamped over my mouth to stifle my scream as blood splattered across my dress and face. I moved back to a safer distance. No matter how much bloodshed I'd witnessed over the years, it never got any easier.
Ryker fended off the two remaining knights, their furious cries echoing in my ears as they advanced.
The one on the left tried to go behind Ryker.
Ryker saw him and whipped around, flipping his sword—one slice across the abdomen, and the Fae male on the left stumbled, holding the gaping wound, organs falling into his hands.
Bile burned in my throat as the guard looked up, in shock—Ryker sliced his throat, quickly turning to deflect the remaining guard’s sword.
With swords locked, the last guard eyed his companions’ corpses and gulped as he turned his attention back to Ryker.
The guard’s sword shook beneath the weight of Ryker’s.
Steel hissed as the guard freed his sword and ran.
Ryker threw one of his blades with precision, the steel lodging in the guard’s spine. He instantly went down.
Ryker stalked over to him, yanked the male’s head back, and dragged his remaining blade across the guard’s throat.
My feet wouldn’t move as my gaze swept over the bloodshed. Ryker cleaned his swords, then grabbed his tunic from a nearby branch. Blood coated him, and while I was thankful he hadn’t been hurt, the deaths still tugged at my empathetic heart.
“I’m sorry, Aniah. If I hadn’t—”
“I know.” My voice was quiet. Distant.
His jaw worked as his gaze flicked to the carnage.
“I’ll take care of the bodies. Get your things—we need to move.”
I nodded, words still lodged in my throat.
The horses Micah left us were loaded down with supplies—fruits, vegetables, bread, and two skins of fresh water. He even went so far as to pack five sharpened daggers and soap.
I tied off our old horses, and when I made it back to our campsite, the bodies were gone. The only sign they’d been there at all was the blood soaking into the ground.