I suppress my rising anger, the muscles in my jaw tightening, and speak through clenched teeth. “I don’t lie.”
“Somehow, I find that hard to believe. If you won’t tell me who you’re protecting, then you leave me with no other option.”The queen looks behind me to the two guards. “Take her to the dungeons, a few days in there should change her mind.”
“What?!” I shout, jumping to my feet. “You can’t just lock me up.”
My body trembles as my mind fills with thoughts of being confined in a small, dark area, unable to escape. A sense of dread and claustrophobia rises, making panic pulse in waves as sweat breaks out on my palms and neck.
“Of course she can,” Nolan says, speaking for the first time.
The guards stalk over and grab an arm each and turn me toward the doors. I dig my feet in, protesting. I won’t be locked up, I can’t. My breathing picks up and I try desperately to pull my arms free, but I am no match for these fae guards.
“Oh, and Everly?” Queen Lavina calls out as we reach the door.
I glance at her over my shoulder and I'm met with a cold, hard stare, her eyes sharp and her lips curled in a sneer.
“You won’t be going home until you tell me what I want to know.”
When I don’t answer, her lips press together in frustration, and she gestures to the guards, turning her back on me.
Chapter eight
Everly
I’m basically yanked from the room and down the hall, but not toward my room. No, I stumble slightly as the guards abruptly drag me off in a different direction. I notice an alcove up ahead, hints of a hidden staircase awaiting me with its ominous, shadowy steps.
Panic surges through me as I fight against the tight, unyielding grip on my arms, my heart racing. The truth hits me hard—I was a fool to assume they’d allow me to return home. Not that I have much to return to. The only family I have consists of Scarlett and Mia.
“Let me go,” I snap, trying to pull free.
One guard elbows me in the ribs, making my breath catch.
“Enough,” he growls through gritted teeth, his voice laced with venom.
As they tightly grasp my arms, a yelp escapes me, a combination of both shock and pain. I try to slow my thoughts as they pullme further down the hall. I know I’ll end up in the dungeons, but I’m not about to make it easy for them. Maybe I can use my body weight against them. I’ve seen that done in movies, right?
Anything was worth a shot.
As soon as I feel their grips loosen, I fall to the ground, my legs giving out beneath me. Their steps falter and I manage to break free, stumbling backward. They spin on me, and I raise my hands, signaling them to stay back.
“Where are you going to run, human?” one of them taunts.
Glancing quickly to each side, I realize there is no other path to take but to turn back. The guards advance on me, their faces twisted with anger. A surge of energy rushes through me, and my body trembles with the force of the adrenaline that floods my system. Now I’m free, I have no idea what my next step is. I didn’t think that far ahead. The realization that I can’t outrun them leaves me feeling hopeless, but the thought of being locked up is even worse. My heart races in my chest as I take slow, deliberate steps backward, keeping my eyes locked on their menacing figures.
Suddenly, their expressions change, and a wave of confusion washes over me as they halt their approach and seem to straighten up. I cock my head to the side and blink, they aren’t focused on me anymore.
I’m about to turn and make a run for it when a heavy hand suddenly clasps my shoulder, startling me. I twist my head and tip it up into the breathtaking violet, silver-ringed eyes of Maxon. His long, thick brown hair frames his face, and the sunlight only accentuates his good looks. His gaze flicks up to the guards, and in an instant, he is standing in front of me, shielding me from their view.
“What’s going on here?”His deep, rough voice sends shivers down my spine as it resounds around me with authority.
“We are taking the human to the dungeons, Your Highness,”one guard speaks up, a hint of fear in his voice.
Maxon’s body tenses, the movement so slight I don’t think anyone else would notice, but my face is mere inches from his back.
“On whose orders?” he growls.
“The queen’s, Your Highness.”
I’m caught off guard by the sudden flutter near my face, making me jump as my hair moves with the gentle breeze. It’s Nix; her gaze intense and unwavering, her big, round blue eyes focused on me.
