Page 190 of A Legacy of the Light

“You’re welcome to come with her, Red. But this little human is coming with me, whether you like it or not.”

Reyne’s lips pull back in an expression I’ve never seen her make, turning her delicate face into one of terrifying power. She takes a step in our direction.

“Ah, ah, ah,” he tuts, and presses the blade sharper into my throat. A trickle of blood runs down my neck and Reyne freezes.

“Drop the sword,” my captor commands.

Reyne’s blade clangs as it drops to the ground.

“There’s a good lass.”

Reyne’s teeth grit and my heart sinks.

“On your knees.”

She does as he commands.

“If you want to come with your human friend, I suggest you put your hands out before you.”

Reyne hesitates.

“Reyne, don’t do it. I’ll be okay. Get out of here,” I plead with her.

Her eyes find mine, and resolve settles over her features. She raises her hands in front of her and a rope whips out and binds her wrists together.

“If you both want to live, you will do as I say.”

He removes the blade from my throat and binds my hands, too. He leads me toward Reyne, secures us together with another length of rope, and then takes all of our weapons.

“This way.” He pulls us down the street in the direction of the forest. “Quickly,” he urges in a low voice.

“You’re a rebel, aren’t you?” I ask. He didn’t fight when I watched him, he didn’t wield shadows either.

He turns to me and grins.

“Depends on your perspective, human. To you, it’s rebellion. To me, it’s liberation.”

The sounds of fighting grow dimmer as we near the line of trees. Reyne and I are pulled along behind the Seelie and as we’re swept into the darkness of the forest, I glance over my shoulder. At the top of the street, covered in the blood of his enemies, Tavish roars my name into the night as I’m taken by the Dorche.

Chapter 45

It’s hard to say how long we’re led through the forest by the rebel. It feels like hours but it could be minutes. He tugs us into a sprint, and the sounds of Claver in battle are replaced by those of the forest and the quiet of the night.

The trees thin as we near a clearing, where a small fire flickers in our vision as we get closer.

“What the fuck, Broderic?” someone shouts as we step through the last of the trees.

“Pack up, we need leave,” the Seelie who captured us, Broderic, commands the group.

“But we’re supposed to meet─”

“I know we’re supposed to meet him here. But we need to leave now. Or the prince is going to hunt us down for this.”

Him? Do they mean Callahan?

Broderic pulls me and Reyne forward, unties the rope that held us together, and shoves me into the light of the flames.

“We’re going to need some explanation here, Brodie,” a female Seelie says, crossing her thick arms across her chest. Her pale eyes narrow when they land on me.