“You possess something we want,” Gareth said. “The key that serves as one of Kilraith’s anchors of theytheliad. And you possess something Kilraith wants: us. Am I correct in what I say?”
I listened with my heart in my throat but didn’t dare say anything to stop him. It was a bold gamble to name the key outright. But fae appreciated boldness, and maybe that would be enough to get information out of Ifanna.
After a moment, the fae queen answered, “You are correct.” Her black eyes glittered as she beheld Gareth. “And why is it that Kilraith wantsyou?”
A small chill shivered across my nape. So Ifanna did have an anchor, and it was indeed the key. Gareth’s gamble had paid off.
Gareth smiled. “You mean he hasn’t told you about us? That’s odd. I assumed he had taken you into his confidence.”
“And you assume correctly,” Ifanna snapped. Her hair streamed behind her as if roused by a static charge. “I am one of his favored. I offered my loyalty and my soldiers in exchange for a place at his side inthe new world.”
“Of course,” Gareth said. “My apologies.”
I could hardly breathe. Gareth was playing a dangerous game. Toying with a fae’s pride was like walking along a cliff’s edge with your eyes closed, trusting that you wouldn’t take a false step.
“Tell me who you are, then,” Ifanna said, “and why Kilraith would want you.”
Luthaes huffed out an irritated breath. “Your Majesty, you are allowing thishumanto impair your judgment—”
“Be quiet, Luthaes, or I will cut out your tongue.” Ifanna didn’t take her eyes off Gareth. “Well?”
“It’s the month of your winter games, is it not?”
That caught her by surprise. “And how does a human such as you know about our games?”
He smiled, ignoring the question. “Here, then, are the terms I propose: You begin your games here, tonight, with a hunt. My friends and I will participate as hunters, and you will allow us to use, unimpeded, whatever power and weapons we possess. If we win, you will give us the key Kilraith entrusted to you and allow us to safely leave Gothyn. If we lose, I will tell you who we are and why Kilraith wants us, and let you bring us straight to him.” He flashed her one of his dazzling smiles. “I assure you that would win you his favor beyond all others.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Fae games were brutal, not meant for humans, and their hunts were the most brutal of all. Violent visions swarmed my mind: my sisters impaled on fae spears, my Roses reduced to bloody shreds by fae hounds.We should never have come here, I thought wildly.I should never have brought them to such a place.
“And what do winning and losing mean in this game of yours?” Ifanna asked softly. The hall was so deadly quiet that her voice resonated like thunder. “The terms must be clear.”
Careful, Gareth.My jaw ached with tension.
“Winning means reaching the target first and claiming it,” Gareth replied. “Losing means failing to do so, as is customary for your hunts. And,” he added, “there are twelve of us, so you must utilize only twelve of your kind. An even match.”
Ifanna’s lip curled. She had obviously been hoping he would forget this crucial detail, but now, by the magic of the accord, she was bound by it.
“And what will this target be?” she crooned.
My mind raced. I had to speak, and speaknow, before any of the fae named a target that would put us at a disadvantage.
Then an idea formed, and a carefully hidden part of me—knotted and cowering, worn thin from exhaustion—thrilled at the sheer danger of it, at how likely it was that I could die because of what I was about to propose. A warm sense of calm fell through my body.
“Me,” I said, my voice clear and hard. “The target will be me.”
The magic that had been growing between Gareth and Ifanna latched on to me as well, sending a few golden sparks flying. The impact left me reeling, and my ears rang. Only dimly did I hear everyone’s protests: Farrin’s gasp, Gemma’s little sob, angry curses from Danesh and Ryder. The rest of my attention was fixed on Gareth, who looked as if all the life had been sucked out of him at once. I hated him for looking at me like that. It was his rash decision that had forced my hand.
“Mara, gods,no,” he choked out.
Ifanna ignored all of them. She looked hard at me with her obsidian eyes. “Does that not give your friends an unfair advantage? You would run from us and seek haven with them, make it easier for them to claim you.”
“Then let us alter the terms of the accord,” I said at once. “If we have an advantage, then so should you. You may use double the number of hunters that we have: twelve of us, twenty-four of you.”
I ignored Gareth’s rough curse behind me and tensed, my legstensed to leap and my hands itching to strike. The words had been said, the fight was laid out before me, and I was ready for whatever fate awaited me. All the times I’d snuck away to the Old Country seeking violence suddenly seemed foolish and pale.Thiswas the hopeless danger I’d been craving.
“Agreed, Mara the sentinel,” Lady Ifanna said at last with a sharp crescent-moon smile. She went to her throne and withdrew from behind it a beautiful bow carved of white bone and a quiver full of arrows. “The accord has been altered and is now complete. I suggest you start running.”
Chapter 15
