Page 65 of Captive of Secrets and Storms

The men at the speaker’s back draw their bows a little tighter.

Shit.

I eye the gleaming arrows once more. Silas and Rian can save us from their attack, but if we have to fight our way out of this situation, what will happen when we get to Virendrell?

No one will be willing to help us if they learn we attacked a ship filled with their men. They won’t care if it was in self-defense.

“You. Girl.”

I jerk. The speaker’s intense stare bores into me.

His eyes flick over my face before lingering on my ears. “You’re human?”

Beside me, Rian tenses, straining like a rope ready to snap.

I swallow and dip my chin. “I-I am.”

“Are you a prisoner of these males?”

I blink. “Prisoner?”

His eyes sharpen. “Yes… Do you need assistance, my lady? Have these males harmed you?”

Only my ego.

The thought comes quickly, but the truth isn’t so simple.

As much as I despise the manipulation that holds me at Rian’s mercy, the Shadow Fae have not hurt me. Not physically.

Except for when his shadows sliced your flesh like a hot knife through butter for trying to betray the deal that you made.

Right…except that.

“Miss?”

I snap out of my musings and meet the brown-haired male’s penetrating stare. “Yes?”

He frowns. “I asked if you are hurt?”

“Oh.” I look at my disheveled blouse and skirt.

Underneath, I’m sure the bruises from the Pelagor’s suckers linger on my leg. And my lungs still ache from oxygen deprivation. Otherwise…

“No, I’m fine.”

His eyes narrow then dart to Rian. “Come aboard our ship, miss, and we will take you ashore.”

A boom of thunder echoes across the sky as thick shadows block out the sun. Power vibrates off Rian, brushing against my skin, making the shadows on my arms twitch.

“That is out of the question,” Silas says calmly. “This woman is under our protection.”

A different man, this one with a large, crooked nose, sneers. “Since when do Shadow Fae protect humans?”

“Since now,” Silas replies evenly.

The man shares a loaded, questioning look with the sailor next to him.

Shadows continue to darken overhead, and the marks on my arms writhe at the ire wafting off the prince at my side.