“You’re not giving me any choice.” He sits back and looks at me. There’s something in his eyes that might almost be regret. “Get some sleep. We have a long ride tomorrow.”
I lie down with my bound hands tucked against my chest, and try to reach out for Cairn again.
I’m here. Find me.
The second day is worse.
Brennan keeps me on his horse, my bound hands resting on the pommel of the saddle. Nella rides with another soldier, who keeps pace beside us. She keeps trying to talk to me. I ignore her, and eventually she falls silent.
Brennan tries to reason with me again, when we stop to water the horses. He crouches beside where I’m sitting, and reaches out to tilt my face up to meet his eyes.
“Tell me what happened.”
“You won’t believe me.”
“Tell me, anyway.”
So I do. Not everything. I don’t talk about Cairn’s hands on my body, or his mouth between my legs, but I tell him the rest. About how over time I learned that the fae aren’t the animals we’ve been led to believe. They have friendships, and families, and feelings.
And he listens. I watch him, looking for a moment when what I’m saying might break through.
“You were at the Dell with me. You saw the cages and the way they’re treated.”
“I saw dangerous creatures being contained.”
“You saw people being tortured. Haven’t you ever wondered if the modifications they go through hurt them? Did you ever look at their faces and see anything other than animals?”
His jaw sets. “They’re not people, Alleria.”
“How do you know that? Because someone told you?” I lean forward, willing him to hear me. “Italkedto them, Brennan. They have histories and families. Memories that go back centuries. They remember what it was like before humans put them in cages.”
He’s quiet for a long moment. I hold my breath.
“The fae slaughtered thousands of humans before the Sealing. They wiped out entire villages, stole children fromthe beds and replaced them with changelings. They saw us as nothing more than playthings. If we ever let them free, they’ll do it again.” He shakes his head. “You’ve been told stories, Alleria. Convincing stories, but they’re not the truth.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I know what they are.” His voice hardens. “They’re nothing more than monsters wearing beautiful faces. They can’t be trusted or reasoned with. The only reason we’ve had peace is because we sealed their way back home and trapped them with iron.”
“Peace?You call what happens in the preserves peace?”
“I call it survival.” He stands abruptly, and turns away. “We’re done talking about this.”
FIFTY
ALLERIA
It takesme a moment to understand that the horse I’m riding is no longer moving. It’s been three days since Nella betrayed me, and Brennan took me away. Three days of trying and failing to reach Cairn. The sound of horses hooves has become such a constant that it continues in my head even after the horse has stopped.
I blink, lifting my head to look around, and my breath freezes in my lungs. Ahead of us, the gates to the palace rise.
Home.
The word used to mean safety once. The place where I grew up, where my father rules, and I know every hallway, courtyard, and hiding spot. Now I look at those familiar walls and feel nothing but dread.
With a soft sound, Brennan spurs the horse forward again, and we head toward the gates.
I don’t know why I’m surprised that nothing has changed. The king's banners still hang from the parapets. The guards at the gate still wear the same colors, and nod as we pass through.
