“You’re not my usual tormentor,” rasped a masculine voice, and I spun around, grabbing my dagger from my thigh in the process. Holding my blade before me, I prepared myself for a fight, but instead of Warrick standing in the doorway, the captured fae was staring at me. His emerald-green eyes watched me with interest.
“From that reaction, I’m guessing you’re not meant to be here either,” he said.
My heart pounded in my ears as I assessed the fae. His arms and legs were still shackled, so even if the male weren’t bleeding out, he still wouldn’t have been able to physically attack me.
“If you could do me a favor and go back to pretending to be dead, that would really help me out right now,” I said as I returned my dagger to its position on my thigh.
I was aware that I was being a bitch to the male who was already near death, but he was evil, right? Besides, if he didn’t shut up, I was going to be dead soon too.
The stranger just continued to stare at me curiously, his brow furrowed with concentration as if he was trying to figure me out. I realized he was probably confused, as I didn’t have any obvious monster characteristics. He was likely trying to figure out what the hell I was.
“Shifter,” I lied to put him out of his misery, then I cursed under my breath when I realized I should have said I was something else. For all I knew, the fae would tell Warrick I’d been there, and it would have been better if the vampire thought a succubus or some other monster had intruded in his lab. “Just— Fuck,” I said. “I’m leaving now. Please don’t tell Warrick I was here.” I had no reason to remain there. Every moment longer increased the chance Warrick would catch me, and there clearly wasn’t any information about Cara’s location. I started making my way back across the room
“Warrick?” the fae asked.
Despite his swollen left eye, his cracked lip, and the bruises around his face, he had a regal beauty and looked only a few years older than I was.
“Ah, I assume you mean my captor with the charming personality,” the fae concluded. “Oh, you needn’t worry. He doesn’t seem to be interested in anything I say. I tried to explain to him that I was simply here to find and liberate some of our ancient texts that my aunt had brought to this world, but he doesn’t listen. He’s rather rude if I do say so.”
I was almost at the hole I’d created in the wall when the fae stopped speaking, and I twisted toward him. “Wait. Your aunt?”
“Oh yes, she was the queen here once before she was murdered. Though, I suppose you would be well aware of who Queen Izla was, seeing as you monsters now live as long as us fae do.”
Queen Izla is his aunt?I blinked, struggling to take in what he was saying.This fae can’t be for real.“So…your people who are now attacking Katakin. You all came here for…books?”
The fae’s eyes brightened. “They’ve come, have they? Oh, no, I came for the books. They’re here for me. No doubt my father will never let me leave the kingdom again after this.”
I rubbed at my head. I knew I should just leave the babbling fae. I’d been gone for too long, and the fight in the ballroom was surely over. But I couldn’t help but say, “And they’re here for you because you’re…” I trailed off.
“Prince Azaren of the Kingdom of Zalei. Oh, my father, King Chalir, had forbidden any more portals to this world, and truthfully, no one had thought it was possible anymore. But I simply couldn’t help myself when the old scholar told me about the ancient texts, could I? I thought I might be able to sneak in and find the texts using my magic, but I suppose I should have listened to the others. Sasha really did try to warn me. In any case, I can’t turn back time. And I suspect the fae council will want to revisit the idea of war if I don’t return promptly. Even if I do, I’m not sure it will deter them now.”
War?He was talking as if it was no big deal, and I wanted to shake more information out of him. And who were the fae council? “So…your people aren’t here to attack the city. They’re here to search for you, and if they don’t find you, there’ll be a war?” I said, dumbfounded.
“You are correct,” the fae replied, and I still couldn’t believe how chirpy he was considering he was still bleeding out into a freaking tub. “I tried to tell the other guy this, but he was too busy muttering about blood and magic and other such nonsense.”
The other guy?I knew he had to be talking about Warrick. “How long have you been here?”
“About a day, I’d say, but it’s hard to tell in this damned place. In any case, if you’d consider releasing me, I’d be most grateful. I mean, really, I’m your only chance of stopping the war, so you might want to do it before I bleed out altogether.”
My attention went back to the wounds all over the fae’s body. If he went back like that, I didn’t think his father, King Chalir, or whoever he was, would be too happy. And did the male even have the strength to move? Not to mention the fact that releasing the fae seemed like a terrible idea. “How would you even get back?” I asked.
“Oh, that’s easy. I’ll go back through the portal I created to get here. It’s in the forest near a waterfall and between two ancient oak trees.” His face became thoughtful then, and he added, “You know, you should really come with me.”
“I— what?” My brow creased, and I narrowed my eyes. “Why would I do that?”
“Well, because of your…affliction.”
“My what?”
His expression was sympathetic as he said, “I can sense the magic on you. It’s hard to tell exactly what it is, but I suspect some kind of curse?”
I took another step toward him. “Everyone here is cursed. Are you saying you can remove the curse from Katakin?” If the curse could be removed, it would mean Cara could be human again if she wanted. It would also mean no more humans would be taken from my island.
“Oh, right, yes, my aunt’s curse. No, I’m not talking about that. I’m referring to the other spell that’s been placed over you.”
Curiosity drove me to step right up to the male. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m not sure exactly,” he replied with a frown. “There’s powerful magic surrounding you, and I can feel that parts of you have been bound to others. I’ve read tomes detailing ancient magic, and there’s talk of curses that can bind your soul to other beings. I’m not certain that’s what it is, but I’m sure I could figure it out if given time. Such magic has been forbidden for centuries, but I’m sure eventually, I could find a way to remove the spell. I tell you what, how about you free me from here, and in return, I’ll remove whatever magic this is? I’m guessing one of your fellow pals has been experimenting and you’re the one who’s had to deal with the end result. Gods, I’d heard you monsters had inherited some of my aunt’s fae magic, but it really is a wonder you haven’t all killed one another by now.”
