“We need to get off the main road.”
The forest was to the right. I veered toward it.
“We’re not supposed to go into the creepy forest,” Evie puffed out. Good to know she was finally getting tired too.
“We’re low on options.” Another fireball hit my ward, and the edges of my vision darkened. Evie pulled me to my feet again, and we stumbled into the forest.
A dirt path appeared as soon as we reached the forest. Wild flowers popped up along the path out of nowhere, and I almost tripped on a tree root that seemed to lunge at me.
I swiped my knife from my ankle sheath. Something told me this forest didn’t take kindly to unexpected guests. Especially guests who were running from the seelie.
“Haul ass!” Evie yelped.
I glanced behind us. A group—pack?—of rabbits was bouncing toward us. But they were covering far too much ground, faster than bunnies had any business being, and when they opened their mouths…
I gaped at the huge, sharp fangs. “What the actual fuck?”
We ran faster.
Killer bunnies. If only Kyla were here.
The fae were gaining on us. I could hear them pounding behind us. My ward had managed to keep them at bay, but all they had to do was wait until I weakened enough to drop it—or the strange creatures in this forest killed us.
A brightly colored bird launched itself at me, and I yelped. The bird exploded, and thick, wet liquid sprayed over my face.
“Sorry,” Evie said.
I would not stop to vomit. I would not stop to vomit. I would—
“About damn time.” Evie let out a slightly deranged laugh and pointed.
Vas and Bael were in the sky. Vas had gotten Ilayda to safety and come back for us. As I’d known he would.
The tree canopy began to close. My stomach spiraled. The forest was going to lock us in. Vas’s eyes met mine, and they practically glowed with his fury. His wings were tucked close to his body, and he dove toward me, Bael mirroring him.
The canopy closed faster, but Vas ignored it, his gaze stuck on my face. I held out my arms to make it easier for him to grab me. Evie shot forward a few feet and did the same for Bael.
Vas’s arms were around me, and I was in the air before I took my next breath. Scratches marred his face from the canopy’s branches, but he clutched me to him with his right arm, raising his other arm threateningly. The demon fire was so hot it made sweat break out on my face.
The forest seemed to get the message, because the branches moved, and we could suddenly see the sky again.
I could practically feel the forest’s ire. If we were ever dumb enough to take a stroll down that dirt path again, we were dead.
“Who did this to you?”
I blinked at Vas, still a little stunned by our close call.
His dreamy eyes had turned hard with the promise of wrath, and he gently caressed my face. I pushed the hair away from my eyes as he turned into the wind.
“Oh, that.” I lifted my leg and shoved my knife back into its sheath. “Well, there was this bird… Never mind. It’s not mine.” And god I wanted a shower.
“Don’t ever ask me to leave you in danger again,” he said.
The portal glowed welcomingly just a few feet ahead of us, and I braced myself, preparing for the pain as we flew through.
My skin was on fire.
And then it was over.
