“I don't think so,” the figure laughed. “Lephas – is this her?”
“It must be. Look at her clothes,” a third voice piped up.
Lori was dragged forward a few paces, her legs lolling beneath her.
“She's injured. There's blood on the snow,” the first, deep voice spoke again.“Karn – here.”
There was a heavy pause.
“It wasn't the wolf; there's no blood on his muzzle. She must have cut herself on something as she fell.”
Lori's hood was pushed off her. The bitter wind whipped at her anew and she whimpered, squinting against the assault of bright white.
There was a low whistle.
“What do you know? She's a babe – even if she is a faerie,” the second raspy voice mused. “Definitely older than we thought.”
Lori let her head fall forwards, hanging low. She could feel her pulse pounding at her temple.
“Let me see her head,” the deep voice asked. A large gloved hand pushed the hair that had come loose from her braid away from her face.
She hissed and sucked in a pained breath as fingers were pressed against her wound. Her vision tunnelled. Everything felt so far away.
“Hm, not good.” Her hood was pulled up over her head again. “We need to get her out of the snow and have a proper look at that.”
“Who cares if she's injured?” another unknown voice asked angrily, joining the conversation
Lori fought to stay conscious. How many men were there? Her stomach churned.
“Look at her – she's out of it. We need to sort that out before we can hope to get her to answer any questions. Zelrus won't want her killed... At least not yet,” the raspy voice said.
Zelrus... Where had Lori heard that name before? She couldn't think.
“Please... Let me go,” shewhimpered.
“Afraid not, Little Dove,” the raspy voice spoke to her, softer this time. “You don't stand much chance out here without us now.”
“My father... Please, take me to him,” she pleaded. “He'll pay you handsomely for my safe return.”
There was a short laugh.
“Somehow I doubt that. Besides, why would you run away from home and then beg to go back? You've made your bed, faerie. Now you're lying in it.”
How did they know she'd run away? Who were these men? She shivered... Demons? She had never even seen a demon in the flesh before that morning, and he had only been a child. The sketches of their horrifying horned visages in her father's books wavered before her eyes.
Her father's books... With a flash, she remembered – Zelrus! The new King of Demons.
Demons. Demons had captured her. Lori fought anew.
“Hey, hey – calm yourself. You're going to–”
Lori felt her assailant’s grip on her falter. She tried to remain standing but her legs failed her. She fell forwards into the snow again.
“Haros...” the deep voice chastised.
“Sorry, boss – she was thrashing,” the raspy voice – Haros, was it? – replied.
“You – seeing as you don't care about our prisoner being injured, you get the pleasure of carrying her until we find shelter,” the deep voice commanded.
