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Chapter 29
Bree
Eurig and Breecrept out through the sewers. It had been the outposter’s idea, and she’d wanted to smack him as soon as the words whispered from his lips. The tunnels stunk to high heaven, and she knew the smell would cling to her skin long after they’d exited into the freshair.
When they reached the small hole in the side of the castle walls, they ducked down and pressed their backs against the stone that encircled the entire castle. In the distance, Bree could see the approaching army. There were hundreds of them, just like Eurig had warned. And they were riding straight toward the castle wall with no abandon. Because Taveon had also been right. They had no idea they would come up against any kind of force. They thought they would be able to ride straight inside and take the castle as theirown.
“Too bad we have to be the bait instead of taking up our own weapons against them,” Bree muttered she glared at the fae who were responsible for everything that happened. “I’d like to show them exactly where they can shoveit.”
Eurig chuckled. “I’m sure that you’ll get plenty of chances to harass the Queen when she is behind bars in Taveon’sdungeons.”
That was another thing that Taveon had insisted upon. He wanted the Queen taken alive, and he wanted no shots fired her way. She was to be his prisoner, just like Eurig had been hers for so many years. It was the best and only way to keep the peace between his Court and the outposters when all of this was over. Otherwise, another army of angry outposters might charge theirway.
“It’s almost time,” Eurig said, shifting his body closer to Bree. The scent of him enveloped her like a warm blanket. Mint and cinnamon and the sea. She leaned toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck, tipping back her head to stare into his angular face. Emotions battled inside of her chest. Fear and anger at the outposters clashed with the affection she felt toward thismale.
“You ready?” Bree asked, heart practically in herthroat.
Eurig gave a nod, they clasped hands, and then they pressed their foreheads together. With a deep collective breath, they both turned toward the chargingfae.
A heavy hand slammed down hard on Bree’s shoulder, and sharp fingernails dug into her skin. The hand yanked her back, and then pushed her to the ground where all of the breath was knocked from herlungs.
“Not so fast, Redcap girl.” A tall, thin fae stood over her, sneering down at Bree while her dark reddish hair whipped around her sunken face. “Nor you, Eurig, though I can hardly believe my eyes. You’re atraitor.”
“I was banished,” Eurig said through clenched teeth. “For having the King’s blood running through my veins. That hardly makes me atraitor.”
“No matter,” another fae said. This one was male, and he had his arms wrapped tight around Eurig’s chest. And, somehow, he was much larger than her outposter male. His grip was strong and sure, and Eurig wasn’t goinganywhere.
“Let us go,” Bree said, though she knew it was useless. These were outposters, and they had caught them off guard. Bree stared helplessly at the approaching army. She and Eurig needed to be storming straight at them right now, or else they wouldn’t be distracted enough for Taveon’s soldiers to catch themunaware.
“The Queen will decide what to do with you,” the female said, yanking Bree hard from the ground and shoving herforward.
They met the approaching army in the middle of the field. Bree’s jaws hurt from how hard she ground them together, and her heart felt like a jackhammer in her chest. Eurig had gone silent while the fae shoved him along, and now more than ever, she wished she could read his thoughts. They needed to figure out a way to get out of this. They needed to find a way to turn this right back onto the outpostersthemselves.
The Queen rode at the front of her army, jet black hair trailing behind her. Her eyes were pinched and her jawline sharp, and there was something horribly unnerving about the female. She was tall and lithe like Bree’s captor. Very unlike Eurig and most of the soldiers that surrounded theirQueen.
She slowed her horse and held up her hand. The entire army shuddered to a stop in unison. Bree couldn’t help butshiver.
The Queen elegantly slid off her horse, and her dainty feet hit the ground. She eyed Bree from head to toe, no emotions flickering in her dark eyes. “So, this is the King’s champion. She is much plainer than Iexpected.”
Bree ground her teeth together even harder, but she refused to rise to the Queen’s bait. She would not say a word, no matter how hard the Queen tried to needleher.
The female’s dark eyes flicked to Eurig, and a strange emotion flashed within the depths of them. It had been the only sign that she was not a robot, as far as Bree couldtell.
“Eurig.” She let out a sigh and shook her head. “Your father would be very disappointed if he knew you had joined theenemy.”
Eurig spat on the ground by her feet. “I think he’d be a hell of a lot more likely to cheer me on. Or have you already forgotten that youmurderedhim?”
Several of the soldiers grunted in response. Their horses shifted underneath them, hooves stomping the dusty ground. Bree stared up at them all, silently demanding they explain themselves. How could they follow this Queen after what she had done? Why didn’t they revolt against herrule?
But the Queen had no reaction to their mutterings. Instead, she turned toward the female who still held a tight grip on Bree and motioned for her to letgo.
“I am growing impatient. Give her to me so we can put an end to this reign once and for all.” The Queen’s voice was full of ice and a raw kind of power that made Bree’s bones ache fromdread.
The female shoved Bree toward the Queen, and there was a sweet, sweet moment of pure freedom. Bree focused her thoughts on the beast within. The Queen could try whatever she liked, but she would be no match for the wolf. It raged inside of her, its insides desperate for a taste of the Queen’s blood. And for once, Bree would give in to whatever the beastdesired.
She gritted her teeth and forced her limbs to shift, but...nothinghappened.
She focused on her hands, on her claws. They didn’t come toher.
