“Take you to my home,” Garrin said.
“To, to…” Visions of what men did to hapless females choked her.
Garrin’s brow furrowed as though he were confused at her response. “To introduce you to my people. And to find your magic.”
So they weren’t going to…Wait—“What magic?”
“You are a powerful Halven, Lex. I do not understand how it could be either, but the prophecy is real.”
Her eyes widened. “I’m the weakest person I know. You’ve got the wrong girl!”
Garrin’s wide, full lips compressed. “I am never wrong. Dark Kingdom lies a great distance through the Land of Ice. We must leave this cave and prepare for the journey.”
“You’re not listening to me. And what do you meanLand of Ice…as in snow? You’re not taking me to-to the snow, are you?” Lex’s mind whirled, her words coming out choppy.
“There is a great deal of snow in the Land of Ice,” he said absently as he grabbed a pack and shoved garments of some kind inside. They looked puffy, like coats people wore for heavy winter.
Lex sank to the ground. She couldn’t get past these men, but she wouldn’t go willingly. Suddenly, the cave didn’t seem so bad after all. “I won’t leave.”
Garrin stopped what he was doing and frowned. “You will eat something, and then our journey begins. It will be long and grueling. Unless you have perfected your abilities? I assumed not, but…” He looked hopeful.
She threw up her hands. “What abilities? Of course I can’t help you. Have you listened to anything I’ve said? I’m not the person you’re searching for.”
He let out a soft sigh. “You are her; you will see. However, without your magic, we must make the journey the hard way.”
Lex grabbed the sides of her head. It wasn’t pounding in pain and her heart wasn’t racing, but her mind spun like a tornado. “Why are you doing this to me?”
Garrin paced away, his back to her, and said, “To save my people.”
3
Lex stared at the food in her hand. “Tacos?”
Garrin sniffed the taco he’d just unwrapped. “I was surprised as well. It’s rather flavorful, this human food.” He took a large bite, eating half in one fell swoop. “We are conspicuous in your land, but the establishment allowed us to drive our vehicle to a window to procure the meal. But do not worry. Soon we will be in Tirnan, where the food is excellent.” He grinned and tossed the last bite into his mouth.
The picture he painted of three seven-foot men pulling up to a drive-through would be funny if she weren’t being kidnapped.
Lex’s stomach roiled and the food in her hand grew cold. Was she Halven?
Now that she wasn’t having a panic attack, she studied the three guys doing what men do best the world over and eating their weight in food. They were attractive—beautiful, even—with straight features and athletic, tall bodies. Not to mention confident. All adjectives that didn’t apply to Lex. Shewastall, but that was the only thing she had in common with them.
She set her taco down and rubbed her forehead. If she could only think straight. “How far is this Land of Ice?” Maybe if she went and showed Garrin she wasn’t magical, he’d let her go?
He hesitated as though deciding what to tell her. Which wasn’t reassuring. “We will travel to Tirnan, the Fae realm—a relatively simple journey to navigate via portal. Traversing the Land of Ice and reaching our kingdom…that is more of a challenge.”
A cold sweat broke out on Lex’s forehead. “Because of all the ice and snow?”
Garrin frowned. “You are not eating.”
“My stomach…” Lex pressed her arm to her belly. “I can’t eat.”
“Help her,” she heard Garrin say.
Zirel reached over a Frisbee-sized palm and flattened it on her stomach.
Lex squirmed away, but not fast enough. Heat infused her abdomen, and the coiled muscles and sinew eased.
She glared at Zirel. “Warn me before you do that. It’s super creepy.”
