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Finally, my own will to survive snatched me out of my stupor. I beat at the beast’s arm while trying to yank free. When he hauled me closer, I slapped him across his cruel face with all my strength. His head snapped to the side, and my hand stung.
One of his comrades chuckled. I waited for the killer to kill me, too, like he had my sweet Min. Instead, he let go of my arm and seized me by the hair, arching my neck and bending my head back. I bit my lip to keep from whimpering at the pain.
He sneered in my face, his orange eyes feral and mean. “Best save the foreplay for your new master, sweetling.”
“Let’s get moving, Erlik,” called one of the others.
“True enough.” His fanged grin sent prickles along my skin. “King Xakiel is anxious to meet you.”
I froze at his words, my chest tightening with cold dread.
He let my hair go and snatched both my wrists, quickly binding them together with a rope he had on his belt. Someone else instantly gagged me with a rope from behind, binding it so tight that a lock of my hair pulled painfully at my scalp.
I couldn’t breathe, sucking in gulps of air through my teeth around the rope, the cord biting into the corners of my mouth. I was struggling uselessly s I tried to calm my panting breaths and grasp what was happening.
A quick glance told me there were seven of them, and they’d killed all of the king’s guard who’d escorted us here, their bodies bleeding in the road. They were deep in our territory with only a few warriors. A covert operation—to abductme.
Another wraith fae warrior walked out of the shadows from the side of the house leading a giant Pellasian stallion. The fae had blood-red eyes and four horns like the one called Erlik, but there were thick silver bands at the base of his horns. I knew that meant he was high ranking.
“Time is wasting,” he said gruffly, mounting his stallion. “Hand her up and let’s go.”
They moved faster at his command. He was their leader.
The others who had entered the home were all mounted now.
When the cruel one, Erlik, lifted me roughly up to their leader, I knew my fate was sealed. All I could do was kick and writhe, trying my hardest to free myself. My wings didn’t even flutter, useless as they were.
“That’s enough,” said the leader, hauling his hand back and swinging it hard toward my face.
I woketo being jostled roughly. I was hanging face-down across a saddle. A hand pressed to my back kept me in place.
I could see nothing but the ground speeding by in the dark, listening to the pounding of hooves and the snuffs of the winded beast carrying me. My head pounded. Whether from being upside down so long or being knocked unconscious, I wasn’t sure.
After what felt like forever, the horses slowed, and the sound of hooves clacking on wood echoed around me. Rushing water gurgled nearby. We were crossing a bridge.
One of the wraith fae said something I couldn’t hear. Then the voice of their leader above me growled fiercely, “Not another fucking word until we’re at the Borderlands.”
The horse lurched into a gallop on solid ground. I tensed my body against the jarring pace.
The Borderlands. I’d flown over them once before when I had wings that worked. When I’d foolishly flown into Northgall territory to try to find the cure for the plague to help my people.
I always wondered what had happened to that wraith fae male with the unusual eyes who’d saved me. He was noble born for certain, and I wondered what crime he’d committed to be put down in the dungeon.
Despite my protests, my father demanded recompense for the brutality I’d suffered. King Xakiel’s response was to attack our northern border. It was the beginning of this long war that seemed to never end.
When my father became too sick to command his armies, Baelynn took control with ease and vigor. He’d managed to keep the fighting far away from our palace, Valla Lokkyr, and our capital city of Issos in Lumeria. I’d never felt unsafe traveling within Issos, not even to the outskirts as I had tonight. There had been no signs of the enemy anywhere close to our capital.
I still always traveled with a full guard, but that hadn’t mattered against this small band of wraith warriors. They’d come with stealth by night into our city to take the daughter of the King of Issos. They must’ve kept vigilant watch on the palace, awaiting the perfect opportunity. And I’d given it to them.
I would become a bargaining chip to end this war. To force my brother to surrender.
My mind trailed back to Min—the way she always made me laugh and spoke with kindness to everyone. And they’d killed her so cruelly. Tears finally slipped free—for my friend and myself, for Aven and his father. For my people.
The cost of war had already starved many since food and weapon resources were sent to the front. Perhaps this was for the best. That I should sacrifice my life in order to end this war. Still, the fear of it burrowed deeply. I didn’t want to die, and certainly not by the hands of my ruthless enemy.
The horses slowed, and torchlight appeared up ahead. No one spoke as our mounts trotted into an enclosure, my stomach roiling with nausea. We came to a stop. A hand gripped the back of my cloak roughly and tossed me backwards to the ground. I fell with a jolt onto a thin bed of hay, my hip jarring hard, my hands and mouth still bound.
“Get her hidden and guard her. Geylan, go get the stableman to feed the horses. Then fetch something from the tavern to tide us over. We’ll eat and rest briefly then be off again. No telling how long it will be before the palace guard sends reinforcements.”
