I snickered. She still didn’t realize whatI’d done.
Niamh blanched, looking around.
My snicker turned into a chortle. Her stricken eyes zero’d in on me.
“What did you do?” she asked, finally realizing something was wrong.
I cocked my head and leaned forward as far as Eric would let me. I gave her a nasty smile.“I took them from you.”
She shook her head and just kept shaking it. Gone was the lady of the forest who had gloated in my plight, who had sought to put Liam and the others under her thumb.
“Do something,” she cried at her husband.
He shook his head.“The hunt is over. Any action now would break the treaty.”
He didn’t even bother to pretend at regret.
Baran and Breandan behind him moved through the trees, circling Niamh.
“Such a pity to see the great lady helpless,” Breandan said. There was a seductive edge to his voice.“I hope you run fast, my lady.”
His twin slid me a look and winked before the two of them turned and disappeared into the early dawn, the forest swallowing them as if they’d never been present.
It might have been my imagination, but I could have sworn I heard a soft voice say,“See you soon, little breaker.”
I waited, expecting Thomas or even Liam to do something. They didn’t. They stood quietly, watching the Fae with hard expressions.
I straightened, a little of my drunkenness fading.“What are they doing? Why aren’t they doing anything to her?”
“They can’t,” Eric said, not sounding any happier as he and the rest glared at the High Fae.
My gaze swung toward him, the depths of my disbelief almost comical.“What do you mean they can’t? She tried to put Liam under her thrall. She nearly killed me.”
“That’s exactly why we can’t. No one can know she was able to put vampires as powerful as Liam and Nathan under her thrall. It would show a weakness others would seek to exploit. They’ll blame everything on the Wild Hunt instead,” Anton said, sounding pissed.
I looked back at her.“She’s going to get away with everything?”
I didn’t want that to be the case. She’d almost broken Liam and damn near killed me. Letting her get off without any punishment offended me.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that,” Niall said, appearing beside us.
The enforcers tensed.
Our gazes swung back to the scene as Jerry and the rest of the Fae advanced on Niamh.
Liam made his way over to me, taking me from Eric’s hold.
“What’s happening?” I asked, still not feeling totally present.
“There will be a hunt of another kind,” he said softly.
His insinuation was clear, especially when Niamh blanched and fled into the trees.
“Won’t her husband try to help her?” I asked, feeling all trace of inebriation flee with the sounds of the Fae’s screams as they gave chase. It was a haunting reminder of my own flight.
Liam drew me close, dropping a kiss on my forehead.“There’s no love lost between the two. If she can’t escape on her own, he has no need for her anymore.”
There was a brief scream and then silence.
