“Fuck me,” Tarrin gritted out.
I reached for a blade and braced myself as I stepped forward to cut the tattered garment free, knowing there were scrap pieces of fabric that had mended deeply into tanned flesh. “No,” Tarrin said, stopping me before he dropped his bag, pulling out a small blade. “I’ll do it. Neither of you needs to see this. Go find a place close by to eat and rest for a bit while we take care of this.”
Sidrick glanced over his shoulder at his brother who’d stopped breathing. “That’s an order, soldier.”
Kaelun nodded, the movement languid, like he was caught in a trance.
“Come on,” I whispered to him and gripped his arm, turning him away from the grisly scene.
“Thank you,” I heard Sidrick say to Tarrin as we walked away.
“Don’t thank me yet.” There was a shuffling noise, then an audiblecrackof wood snapping. “Here,” Tarrin said. “You’re going to want to bite down on this. I’m not going to lie, it’s going to hurt.”
Seconds passed before Tarrin asked, “Ready?”
Knowing we’d never be able to get out of earshot, I needed to distract him, and the bushel of violet heart-shaped berries would do the trick. Letting go of him, I reached down and quickly grabbed a few, then went to pop them in my mouth.
“Lady Nyleeria!” he exclaimed, slapping the berries from my hands. “Those are death shade berries and extremely poisonous.”
A fact I was well aware of. There wasn’t a human berry’s origin, use, or toxicity level I hadn’t known. Outside of court politics and anything I could learn about the spark, I’d made it a personal mission to commit fae berries to memory just the same. I needed to be prepared in case I had to run away from the Summer Palace and live off the land. A sudden shockwave hit meas I realized I’d stopped planning to leave, though I couldn’t quite place when it’d happened. Perhaps it was when the carefree spirit looking at me now blew into my life, his unbridled optimism somehow allowed me to trust him and those he loved. Kaelun was my senior by many,manyyears. But there was an innate innocence to him that had died in me long ago, and I hoped with all my heart that this journey wouldn’t steal his light.
“Oh,” I said, chest to hand, pretending as if I were shocked. “Thank you. I just wanted something fresh, you know?” I didn’t have to pretend on that point. Sure, I’d grown up living on cured meats during the winter months, but living in the Summer Court with its vibrant life and fresh produce at every turn had spoiled me.
“Here,” Kaelun said with a soft smile. “You can eat these.” Stepping past the berries he’d justsavedme from, I followed him as he meandered through this plant and that until stopping before a massive bush that was taller than me, sporting an assortment of perfectly round berries the size of a rosebud in shades that mirrored a rainbow. I’d seen it drawn, but it was a sight to behold, and I couldn’t help but openly gape.
“The colors,” he said as he popped a red one into his mouth, “indicate their flavor. The lighter the color, the sourer it is. The middle range”—he grabbed a vibrant green one and ate it as he continued—"is sweet. And these ones"—he pointed to the indigo and violet varietals—"lend themselves to more savory spreads, like beans."
“Fascinating,” I said and plucked a red one. Tentatively, I brought it to my nose, though I could smell very little through the thin membranous skin that protected the fleshy fruit underneath. Putting it in my mouth, the berry was flavorless on my tongue as it rolled back. Squishing it between my molars, saliva flooded my mouth and my face puckered before I spat it out. “Gods, Kaelun. That’s sour. How were you able to eat that with a straight face?”
He laughed in earnest. “Oldest trick in the book,” he said, slapping his knee.
“Jerk,” I said, pushing his shoulder before reaching up for a sweeter berry to negate the overpowering flavor that lingered on my tongue. “Umm, much better,” I crooned, enjoying the sweetness of the green berry that reminded me so much of the ones that grew wild back home.
“Personally,” an unfamiliar male voice said from behind us, “I prefer the blue ones. They have just enough sweetness and make a fabulously rich spirit.”
Slowly—hand sliding out daggers—I turned to the stranger who stood with his arms crossed, shoulder resting against a massive tree like he didn’t have a care in the world, and a smug, self-satisfied smirk on his face. “Hello, little mouse,” he purred as he pushed off the tree. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
Recognition dawning, my mouth went dry as I stared at Wymond’s fourth-in-command.
Chapter 47
Divided
“Njal,” Kaelun hissed, hands at the ready as he stepped between me and the autumn fae.
“Give it a rest, kid,” the commander taunted. “You’re at the adult’s table now, and I will get what I came for.” His auburn eyes flicked to me with a smile like he’d already caught what he’d feast on.
I had no idea if Tarrin and Sidrick were okay—or knew what we faced—but I prayed to the Mother that they weren’t being ambushed like us and could sneak up on this motherfucker. According to Caius and my readings, autumn fae were intrinsically weaker than summer fae due to the nature of their court, but as Tarrin pointed out earlier; skill bests strength. Kaelun and I were centuries behind our commanding counterparts, and I wasn’t about to underestimate anyone or anything after that hellhound had come too close for comfort.
“I don’t know, Njal,” Kaelun said in a taunting tone that surprised me, “seems to me like you’re outnumbered.”
“Are you sure about that?” he retorted, eyebrow raised.
Before either of us had a chance to respond, someone valenned inbehind me. Unable to react fast enough, strong hands grabbed me by the base of my neck. Their powers surged, and I knew without a shadow of a doubt that if I didn’t break contact immediately, I’d be valenned away.
I reached over my shoulder, slamming my blade through their wrist hard enough that it slid straight through, the tip nicking my leathers.
“Bitch,” the male roared.
