Page 23 of Prince of Darkness and Deceit

The Fae don’t spare me a glance. Power continues to drag me forward.

I scramble up and work to keep my shaking legs from giving out under their quick pace.

“That seemed a bit dramatic,” one of the Fae says.

I’m too busy trying to figure out how to get out of this mess to know which it was.

“But necessary,” the pale Fae states in his cold, detached voice.

We round the bend, past the bakery with the scent of baked bread still hanging in the humid air. The dark ropes dig into my skin when I stumble once more.

I hiss in frustration, but fighting is futile. I can’t resist the shadows twisted around my limbs, and I’m too terrified of discovery to risk calling forth my own power to try and help. Not that I know what it could do. I doubt the ability to heal broken bones will be strong enough to sever the shadow magic dragging me around like a sack of potatoes.

But maybe I can find another way to get myself out of this mess?

I shove down the instinct screaming at me to keep my mouth shut and channel Ferria’s bravery when I ask, “Where are we going?”

None of them looks at me.

I grit my teeth. “Look, I know Fae despise humans, but if you want my help, you need to tell me where we’re going. Now.”

I brace myself for a volatile explosion of power. Instead, one of the Fae turns and laughs.

It’s the one who walked in with the injured human.

Under the moonlight, amusement shines in his gaze. “A bold one. How refreshing.”

“Shut it, Jaxon.”

I flinch at the icy tone.

“What?” The Fae, Jaxon, snorts at the pale one. “Am I not allowed to speak?”

“Not in front of the human,” he growls back. “The Mother knows you have the biggest fucking mouth in all Eranthia.”

My head snaps between the Fae, my feet shuffling against the muddy path as I’m tugged along. “I won’t tell anyone anything. I swear to the Gods.”

This time, all three Fae shift their dark eyes to me. The weight of their attention is suffocating, even more so when they don’t speak.

Don’t cower, Elara.

I raise my chin. “Wh-what do you want with me?”

“We have a patient for you, little healer,” the other tan Fae says. His black, inky hair is darker now that clouds have blocked the moonlight.

“A patient?”

“Did I stutter?”

I press my lips together and swallow down the lump of fear. “What’s wrong with the patient?”

He turns back around.

Jaxon answers, “You will find out soon enough. If not, your town pays the price.”

Dread coils tight around my lungs, and I almost keel over when I take in the copse of trees growing denser around us. A glance confirms we’re off the main road, walking deeper into the Forbidden Forest.

“Wh-where are we going?” I ask again. “We shouldn't be in the forest.”