“The brothers are excellent at control. They instilled it in this Bluecap assassin. He is not a threat to anyone in this state.”
I do my best ever mock shudder. “A Bluecap assassin? I’ve always hated them.”
The Faerie releases my arm. Have I done enough to convince him? I give him a frightened look.
“May I go, my lord?”
He sneers at me. I hold my breath.
“On your way, witch,” he says. “And don’t come here again.”
He doesn’t need to tell me twice. I drop my head and hurry away, hating every second of this charade when all I want to do is grab hold of Linton and take him with me.
But I can’t defeat the Faerie without a weapon. And the only place I’m going to find what I need is back in the kitchens.
LINTON
Ifeel good. I feel like I’ve been flying above the moors, the scent of summer in my nostrils, along with that of my mate.
I want to mate my Kaitlyn very much. Plus she’s close to me, even if my vision isn’t great at the moment. I can scent her too, along with the summer and the moors.
I like the moors. I like Kaitlyn. I should take her to my lair. We can mate and breed. Then we can mate and breed some more.
Something presses on my face. It hurts and I don’t like it much.
“Where is she?” a voice growls in my ear. “You vex me, Bluecap. I gave you one job, to deliver the human to me, and instead you defy my orders.”
The fog in my head clears a little. Tam Lin stands before me. I attempt to recoil but my body won’t comply.
“She is not yours.”
“I’m well aware you think she is your mate, but you are wrong,” he snarls. “Her soul is mine. Give her up and you can go free.”
I might not have any weapons, but it doesn’t mean I can’t do him some damage, so I lunge forward.
Unfortunately the rest of me doesn’t seem to be in agreement with our momentum and direction, and instead of reaching him, I find myself face down on the cold floor.
“If you don’t want your wings ripped off, you’ll tell me where she is, assassin.”
“Kaitlyn,” I say into the stone flags.
“He’s too far under,” Tam Lin growls over me. “Fetch Brother Angus. I need answers, and I need him in a better condition to provide them.”
I find I quite like being on the floor. It’s certainly easier. Things spin less. I watch as all the legs leave the room and the door is closed.
Kaitlyn was in the doorway before, I think. She is not here now and my spicket is regretful.
It is also achingly hard. I probably shouldn’t touch it, but instead my hips grind against the floor, and I groan out loud. I probably shouldn’t attempt to fist it, like I have done occasionally in the past.
I can’t fist it unless I move, and I like being where I am. In fact, if I close my eyes, I can see Kaitlyn, and I like seeing my mate.
I’d like it more if I was sheathed in her.
“Linton! Linton!” My name is being hissed and it means I have to open my eyes.
Staring down at me is Kaitlyn.
“Are you real?” I ask. “Or am I still dreaming?”
