In a flash, a knife was at her throat and a palm covered her mouth.
The moon escaped, illuminating someone with shadows coming from their fingers standing behind Vade. Shadows wrapped around Vade’s face and body, and his hands had been pulled behind his back.
“Scream and I’ll slit ya throat,” a sinister voice said in her ear.
nineteen
Orelia raised her handsin surrender. A voice she recognized told someone to hold her, and the knife fell from her throat.
She yelped as her arms were pinned behind her. Warm furs brushed her back, and a man breathed erratically in her ear.
The rest of the fae from the tavern prowled toward Vade who was on his knees trying to get free. The veins in his neck bulged, and even in the dark, his black eyes promised blood.
Balor stopped in front of him and let out a deep breath. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this.” He twisted his neck from side to side.
Vade snarled indistinguishably. Her words had been muffled when he’d used the tendrils on her, but with how furious he looked, even the shadows restraining him couldn’t contain his rage.
Balor punched him in the face.
Vade’s head whipped to the side, and he groaned.
Orelia whimpered and tried to go to him, but the man holding her held her back.
Balor’s grin was lupine. “Aww, that’s sweet. She cares about you and doesn’t want to see ya hurt.” He kicked Vade in the ribs, hard enough that she knew at least a few had been broken.
Vade folded over and coughed against the shadows wrapped around his face.
“Stop! Please!” Orelia begged.
The others standing nearby chuckled, and the Myrker holding Vade captive let out an eerie cackle she never wanted to hear again.
“Why would you care about what happens to this monster, lass? Have you no idea who he is?” Balor asked.
“I know who he is,” she snapped.
“Ya sure? The Vade I knew wasn’t much for talkin’, so I doubt you know all he’s done. Tell you what . . .” Balor freed a seax from his side and ran his finger along the knife’s iron edge down the tapered point. He stepped behind Vade, grabbed a handful of his hair, and pressed the tip of the knife to his throat. “Let’s play a game.”
Vade’s chest heaved, his skin glistening in sweat, anger palpable.
Orelia could do nothing but watch.
“You answer a question right, and I won’t touch him. But get one wrong, and he’ll pay for it.”
Orelia knew her words wouldn’t deter the man, but she tried anyway. “Please don’t hurt him.”
Ignoring her, Balor pulled Vade’s head back, exposing his throat. “How old was he when he abandoned his tribe in the Points?”
“Eight!” she blurted out before she realized her mistake. “I mean, seven!”
Balor grinned. “Had it right the second time, but it doesn’t count.”
Vade didn’t move, even as the man pressed the knife into his throat, drawing blood.
Orelia tried to go to him but was easily yanked back. “Try runnin’ again, and I’ll put a knife to your throat, too,” the man holding her said.
“Next question,” Balor said with excitement lifting his voice. “How did he come to work for the king?”
She looked to Vade for a hint, but he only swallowed, the lump in his throat bobbing. Orelia didn’t know what to say. She just knew he left, then started working for Aradonis, but not how it had come to be.
