“It is a truth serum I’ve created. If we give this to any of our rebels, they won’t be able to lie. We can keep traitors out of our ranks.”
“Do you have more?”
“I do, but unfortunately I don’t have the antiserum with me. So don’t talk to anyone you planned to lie about anything to until it wears off.”
I walked back and forth through the tidy room and tried to make a plan, rubbing my hands together as I stared at the ceiling. “My stores are in the castle with something far more valuable. I need to get back in without being detected, and if I can have some males come with me, I’d appreciate it. I’ve got a lot of seeds and flowers we will need to make the serum, but if we cannot get to those, I’ll never be able to make it again.”
“Can your friend use her magic to get you in and out?”
I’d refused to think of Gaea the entire journey to the Keep. I couldn’t process the way I felt. I wasn’t sure if I was angry with her for leaving the way she did, or if it was all my fault and I deserved every emotion I’d felt the moment I realized she was gone. But none of that mattered anymore. Not one second of it.
“She is gone. I will have to ride back. Roe is supposed to monitor the status of my rooms at the castle and meet me back here with a plan to get us back in.”
“Okay, follow me.” We walked together down the dimly lit stone hallway all the way at the very end. “It’s not much, but it’s a bed. Get some rest, Tem. You look like shit.”
I closed the door behind him. The room was more of a closet with a folding cot, but it was clean, and I didn’t need anything more than that. I’d fled the castle. I would go back, get my things and for once in my life, those grounds would no longer be my home. If I could be sure the king wouldn’t find the rebellion, then I could be sure he would never find me.
I slept long and hard, and I only woke because Rook banged on my door. I sat up, stretched my arms and remembered where I was. I threw the door open.
“Roe’s here,” he said.
“How long was I asleep?” I asked.
“Nearly a full day. I figured if you slept that long you probably needed it. He just arrived.”
We walked into the empty meeting room, and Roe jumped to his feet. He’d been sitting at a large round table surrounded in empty chairs. “We need to leave right now. There’s a small window of time I can get you into your rooms, but if we don’t race, we aren’t going to make it.”
“Let’s go.”
“There’s one thing though.” His shoulders dropped as if someone had just crushed him. I looked at him expectantly, but he kept his head down as he held out a large metal file to me. “If you enter the castle with your horns, I’ll never be able to conceal you.”
He was right, of course. My horns had grown so mighty, I’d be recognized immediately. “Thank you,” I said, taking the file.
Roe and I left immediately. I held that hoof rasp in my hand for quite some time. Before, I’d have to put myself in a place mentally before I could degrade my stag horns. The difference today would be that I no longer hated myself. I did not blame myself for the cruel actions of the unforgiving world—of the wicked king. I was proud of my own convictions. But as I tilted my head down and began to file, it still took every ounce of self-control not to scream through the blustering night.
I filed and filed right through the pain. I thought of Gaea leaving me and filed. I thought of the king beating me in front of the entire court and filed. I thought of all the fae in Volos who had to leave their homes forever just to live. And filed. I thought of that single female in that slain village who used her fire magic to disintegrate the bodies of everyone she knew and loved, and I filed.
Roe remained silent on his horse beside me as we rode, and I appreciated him more for that than anything else he had ever done for me. Roe had become my friend. He was now the only one I could count on, no matter what, and though he was a lesser fae like me, he was a male of great character, and I was beyond proud to be his friend.
We rode through most of the night and watched as the golden sun crested behind the castle. We went through the gates easily, disguised as servants. Crossing the bailey was not difficult either. The real trouble came when we entered and I had to navigate the halls full of fae who would recognize me.
“Up here, you take a left and go directly into that empty bedroom. As soon as the guards leave and before the next shift comes, I’ll give you the signal and you go to your rooms. Grab what you need and get out, Tem. You’ll only have a few minutes. Then, meet me back in the empty room.”
“Thanks Roe.”
“I don’t know exactly how long until the switch. You’ll have to just hide until then.”
“I’ve got it, Roe. Don’t worry.”
He dipped his head once, his beard sweeping across the floor as he hustled away. I slipped into the vacant room, pressed my palm to the door and rested my forehead against it, breathing in and out slowly while listening to the other side for Roe to give the signal.
I could feel her. I could nearly see that bright red hair and those golden eyes somewhere in the castle. I knew what it meant. I think I had known what it meant for a long time. Gaea did too. Maybe that’s why she had left. How cruel it would have been to make her sit and watch as I discovered, saved, and sacrificed everything for my mate.
I reached for the bond that had formed in my mind. She was on the other end of it when a wave of absolute terror washed over me. She was in trouble. Without thinking, I grasped the door handle, then pulled away. I would have one single shot at acquiring the adda. If I left this room, I’d lose it. But if she needed me, I had no choice. I would have to find another way into my rooms.
I yanked the door open just as the guards walked away.
“Roe,” I whispered. Nothing. “Roe,” I called again.
