He frowns, then nods. “Be quick.”
I make my way carefully, glancing behind me often until I’m out of direct sight. Brennan is talking to one of his men. Nella is crouched by the stream, splashing water onto her face. The rest of the soldiers are focused on the horses.
No one is looking at me.
I run.
I don’t know where I’m going, just that I have to go back the way we came, and hope that I see someone who can help me before Brennan catches up.
But my luck doesn’t hold. I hear his footsteps behind me almost immediately. I push harder, lungs burning, only for his hand to close around my arm and pull me to a stop.
I spin, swinging with my free hand. He catches my wrist before the blow lands. I twist and thrash against his grip, trying to break free, to get away. But he’s stronger than I am, he always has been. I fight anyway, because if I don’t, I’ll fall apart.
“Alleria, stop!”
I throw my head back, and connect with his nose. He grunts, grip loosening. Before I can break free, he’s holding tight again, his hands gripping both my arms.
He shakes me. “That was stupid.” His voice is flat.
“Better than?—”
“Better thanwhat?Returning home? Being somewhere safe?”
“There are twelve of us and one of you. You can’t run away, Alleria. I’m not your enemy. I’m trying to help you.”
“Then let me go!”
“I can’t.” He turns me to face him, both hands on my shoulders now. “Listen to me. Whatever they told you, whatever they made you believe. It’snotreal. The fae lie. It’s what they do.”
“Theycan’tlie. It’s impossible.”
He frowns. “That’s just a story. It isn’t the truth.”
“Itisthe truth.”
“They’re clever. They manipulate humans. Whatever happened to you, we can fix it. But you have to let us help you.”
I stare at him—this man I’ve known for most of my life, who taught me to shoot a bow, who was there for me when my mother died. A man I trusted completely—and realize that nothing I say is ever going to reach him.
“Fine. Take me back, then.”
He half-walks, half-drags me back to where the rest of his men and Nella are watching. Nella has her hands pressed over her mouth, her eyes wide.
“I was so worried.” She hurries over. I stiffen and turn my back on her.
“Move out.” Brennan lifts me back onto his horse, swings up behind me, and kicks his heels to the animal’s flanks. His arm is like a band of iron around my waist, and when we stop hours later to make camp, he doesn’t let me out of his sight for a single moment.
The soldiers build a small fire while Brennan stays beside me. Nella takes a pack one of the soldiers offers her, and unpacks food and water. She offers it to me first.
I take it from her, but don’t speak, and ignore the way her face falls.
The worst part, though, is the way everyone is treating me. As though they’ve rescued me from a fate worse than death, and they need to be gentle and careful around me. Brennan checks the lump on my head with gentle fingers, and tells me I should be fine. One of the soldiers offers up his bedroll for my use.
They think they’ve saved me. They genuinely believe this is a rescue.
When all but the guards on watch fall asleep, I try to reach Cairn again, pouring everything I have out into the world.
Cairn. I’m alive. Please find me.
