I hear Sebastian’s sharp intake of breath beside me.
“You’re shadowfae,” he says, sounding confused.
My ears are rounded, so I don’t blame his confusion.
“Still not the time,” I whisper.
The guards below shout in confusion. I hear them stumbling around, unable to see through the shadows.
“We need to get down,” Sebastian whispers. “Can you—?”
“Yes.” I wrap the silk around both of us, creating a secure hold. “Hold on. Keep very quiet,” I whisper.
We rappel down the side of the building, moving through my shadows like ghosts. The silk slides through my hands in a controlled descent. Sebastian’s weight presses against me.
Our feet touch the ground. My silk flutters down.
We’re in a narrow alley between two buildings. The shadows here are thick, concealing us from view. The guards run past the mouth of the alley, their boots pounding against cobblestones.
We crouch together in the darkness, our bodies pressed close. Sebastian’s hand finds mine, his fingers warm. He squeezes once, as if to say we’re going to make it.
I squeeze back, hoping he’s right.
More guards thunder past. Torches flicker in the distance. Shouts echo off the stone walls. If they look into the alley, all they will see is darkness and undisturbed shadows.
“Search everywhere!” someone yells. “They can’t have gone far!”
I maintain my shadows, keeping them thick and impenetrable. It takes concentration, especially when my heartis racing, and my body is still humming from the adrenaline of our near escape.
We’re not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot.
Sebastian leans close, his mouth near my ear. “We need to move. Stay low and follow my lead. I know of a safe haven.”
I nod, even though he probably can’t see me do it.
We move through the alley, staying in a crouch. My legs burn from the awkward position, but I don’t complain. Sebastian keeps hold of my hand, guiding me through the darkness.
We emerge onto another narrow street. Sebastian pulls me against the wall, keeping us in the shadows. His body is pressed against mine, shielding me from view, his heart pounding against my back. Or maybe that’s my own heart. It’s hard to tell when we’re this close.
I look up when bells toll from the castle towers and trumpets blast.
Footsteps approach. Two guards round the corner, their swords drawn. They step into my shadow cloak, which means they can now see us. I start to panic. I’ve never used my magic against anyone before. I’m not sure I want to. I freeze.
Sebastian springs to action. He steps away from me, his hand already reaching for the sword at the first guard’s hip. Using the element of surprise, he grabs the weapon and yanks it free before the guard can react, then spins and slams the pommel into the man’s temple.
The guard drops like a stone.
The second guard lunges; his blade slashes toward Sebastian’s chest. Sebastian feints, ducks, and drives his shoulder into the guard’s chest. The fae’s breath is pushed out of him with an “Oomph.”
The guard stumbles backward. Sebastian follows him, punching the male square in the jaw, disarming him with a quick twist of his wrist. He grabs the sword before it can clatter to theground. The guard falls into a heap. He’s unconscious. The king must pack some punch.
The whole thing takes less than five seconds. If I’d blinked too long, I would have missed it.
One of the guards moans.
“We need to go,” Sebastian whispers.
I nod, refocusing on the shadows around us. I pour more power into them, making them thicker, being sure not to let them spread too far away from us.
