“Lady Alleria. Thank the gods you’re safe!” There’s fear under the relief. Fear of what my father might do as punishment for allowing a fae to escape with his daughter. The rumor alone could ruin his business.
“Where is the creature now?” His voice hardens. “Do you know?”
I think of Cairn vanishing into nothing.
“I don’t know. I ran as soon as I could. I didn’t look back.”
It’s true and not true at the same time. I did run. I didn’t look back. I just didn’t do either of those things today.
Cowen nods grimly. “We’ll find it. Now that we know you’re safe, we can hunt it without fear of it hurting you, and put it down.” He gestures toward the lodge. “Please, my lady. Comeinside.”
Brennan’s arm is around my shoulders, tucking me into his side as he steers me toward the lodge. “She’s exhausted. Whatever questions you have can wait until she’s rested.”
They lead me inside the lodge and my attention immediately goes to the trophies on the wall. Nausea rises, burning my throat. I counted those mounted heads. Forty-three of them. I was impressed by them.Excitedand eager to gain my own. I’d thought they were beautiful, and proof of human dominance over something wild and dangerous.
The antlers. The tusks. The different types of horns—curved and straight and twisted. Each one was grown on a living creature. Each one attached to a body that could think and speak.
Because they are my people.
My stomach turns. I press my hand over my mouth, and turn away. I can’t look at them any more.
“Alleria?” Brennan’s arm tightens around my shoulder. “Are you?—”
“Please, I just want to rest. I need to …”
“Of course.” He turns to Cowen. “Is there a room my princess can use for the night?”
Cowen nods, and leads us to a room on the first floor. “Please stay as long as you wish. I’ll send word to the king that you’re safe and unharmed.”
Brennan follows me into the room. “Do you need anything? Would you like me to stay?”
“No.”
He catches my hands. “I never gave up believing we’d find you. You’re safe now. I’ll never allow anything to happen to you again.”
I press my lips together, swallowing the slightly hysterical laugh that bubbles up. As if he could stop Cairn if he wanted to do anything.
“You must be hungry. I’ll have food sent up ... And hot waterso you can bathe. You must want to get out of those clothes.” He squeezes my fingers. “Anything you need, Alleria … I’ll be in the room next door.”
The door closes behind him, and I stand in the middle of this warm, clean room with its soft bed, a fire burning in the hearth, and wait for the relief at being safe to come.
It doesn’t.
The maids arrive with steaming water, filling a copper tub. They cluck over my dirty clothes, my tangled hair, and the state of my fingernails. They help me undress, and I let them, because I don’t have the strength to protest.
When my clothes hit the floor, I turn away so they won’t see my face as I search my skin.
There’s nothing to be found. The bruises he marked me with have faded. The cuts have healed … all except the scar on my palm. It’s pale and thin, barely visible unless you know it’s there. I stare at it, remembering the way his nail opened my skin, his mouth sealing over it. The lap of his tongue, the heat of his lips, the way my body responded?—
Shutting that thought down, I step into the tub and sink down into the hot water, until it covers me to my chin.
“Is there anything else, my lady?” One of the maids hovers near the door.
“No. Thank you.”
They leave, and finally I’m alone with the thoughts I’ve been keeping at bay.
He let me go.
