“Don’t you need them?”
“No. If they stayed attached, I’d end up stuck under a pile of them,” I say, watching the brittle, bright motes disappear into the breeze. “They need to leave.”
I give my wings a good shake, and there is a significant fall. Kaitlyn’s eyes are wide and then, without warning, she makes the most horrendous sound. A huge whooshing noise which means I have a dagger in each hand before I can even think.
“I think I’m allergic to you.” She puts her finger up at her little nose.
“What. Was. That?” I growl.
“I sneezed,” she says, digging in the pocket of her funny coloured coat and pulling out a rag.
She puts the rag to her nose and makes another loud noise.
I’m not sure I like it.
“I will refrain from de-scaling in your presence if it causes you to make those noises.”
“Probably for the best. I mean, after all, it might kill me,” she says, not meeting my eyes.
“No one is going to kill you,” I growl. “If they try, they’ll have to come through me.”
“You’re not going to kill me? I thought you were an assassin?”
“My job was to watch you and to bring you to Tam Lin. Not kill you,” I say, puffing up my chest.
“Who is Tam Lin and what does he want from me?”
“I don’t know,” I say truthfully.
“What if I don’t want to go to Tam Lin? What if he wants to kill me?”
“I am not taking you to Tam Lin,” I rasp as my brain fires into gear. “I’m keeping you for myself.”
KAITLYN
Linton doesn’t let me respond. Instead I’m lifted off my feet into his arms which are like iron bands as they clamp onto me. I could fight him, but I doubt very much I’d win.
Because I belong to him, apparently.
I know some of the creatures of the Yeavering take mates. After all, my friend Wynter is married to a huge werewolf called Reavely. Their mating brought his entire family back from the dead. Mating is a powerful thing, or so it seems.
But belonging to a Bluecap is not mating. Given Linton seems to think he knowseverythingabout humans, when he clearly knows nothing, I’m not sure belonging to him is anything like being mated.
If belonging to him means I don’t have to die, I’m prepared to give it a go. I might even be able to persuade him to let me go back to the bakery.
Or I might end up as a Bluecap’s pet. It’s genuinely difficult to tell which is the most likely outcome. Linton is not going to be clear, other than he has taken me and he is going to keep me.
Yet, belonging to him is not the worst situation I’ve been in during my time in the Yeavering, and as strange as Linton is, he’s handsome, completely ripped, and he’s saved me from some Redcaps and a spectral army. If I had to choose between him and a Faerie Lord when there is a claim on me, I’d pick Linton every time.
Other than his main attributes, he doesn’t smell like old cheese either. And his good looks are not a result of glamour, like the Faerie.
I look up at his face. His antennae are flat against his head as he keeps up an impressive pace. Fortunately we are not flying again, but we’re moving faster than I could walk in my slippers. I wish I had an idea of Linton’s plan. The full moon is still many nights away, and while we’ve been going all day, there’s no sign of the forest ending or of where we’re going to stay the night.
Given Linton is a sort of mothman, perhaps he won’t stop at night. Perhaps he’ll keep on, never slowing his pace, until we reach wherever we are destined to be.
My heart eases a little in my chest. I don’t think I’m going to die, today or perhaps any day. Whether this is down to the intervention of Linton remains to be seen, but for the time being, it looks like I’m stuck with him and he with me.
Although given Ibelong to him, it would appear he’s happy enough to have me, well, in his arms.
