Page 51 of On Brutal Thrones

I made myself invisible before. I can do it again.

I reach for my fae power, trying to hide myself as I did in the first Trial. A faint warmth stirs beneath my skin, then fades. Exhaustion drags at me, and my injured arm throbs as I press my hand against the roots.

Come on. Please.

Nothing.

Talon takes another step.

I barely breathe.

He passes directly in front of my hiding place.

For one horrible second, all I can see through the roots are his blood-soaked boots and the bottom of his leathers. He’s so close I could reach out and touch him. I press my lips together, terrified even the sound of my breathing will give me away.

Then he takes another step. And another. He’s walking past me.

Relief rushes through me so suddenly that my eyes burn. Keep going.

Talon takes one more step. The scrape of Thorian’s sword against the ground sounds impossibly loud in the quiet forest.

My stomach drops.

Talon stops.

No.

For several agonizing seconds, he doesn’t move. Then he looks down and slowly bends to pick up the sword I left hidden beneath the bushes beside the tree.

My pulse pounds so hard I can feel it in my wounded arm.

Just leave it.

Talon turns the sword in his hand, studying the bloodstained blade.

Please, Talon. Just keep walking.

But he doesn’t. His gaze moves from the sword to the bushes concealing the hollow. Then slowly, he turns his head toward me. Those ruby eyes find mine.

Every bit of relief vanishes.

The corner of his mouth lifts. Not Talon's crooked, teasing smile. Not the grin that usually makes me wonder what inappropriate thing he's about to say. This smile is wide and hungry.

Every hair on my body rises.

“There you are, Nyx,” he says softly.

He crouches in front of the opening, Thorian's sword dangling from one hand.

“I've been looking for you.”

Terror tears through me so violently that I scream.

My back slams against the roots as I scramble away from him, even though there's nowhere left to go. I raise my dagger with both hands, my heart hammering so hard I can barely breathe.

Talon reaches toward the opening.

I stare at the man I love and tighten my grip on the blade.