Grabbing the plush back, I throw my shoulder into it and shove the chair beside the table with all my might. My heart hammers in my skull, mind focused but body trembling. A horrible mixture that pools into my belly, and I bite back the urge to vomit.
I need more. These few things won’t stop a Dark Fae guard—or Gods above—a king.
Running to the bedroom, I dart into the entrance, slamming the door behind me. I shove the dresser, the monstrous item so heavy it barely goes a few inches, into the path to stall whoever is on the other end.
My chest heaves, shaking with each breath. I refuse to die like this but my body is stuck between running to hide, or standing my ground.Do I know enough to effectively fight?
I shake my head. Now isn’t the time to second-guess my abilities. It’ll be the only thing that keeps me breathing.
Darting to the far back corner, I hide behind the door. A charcoal vase sits on the edge, and blindly, I grab it. With it in my hands and my daggers on my hip, I hunch and wait.
The table in the sitting room moves, a horrendous screech chilling my blood as bile burns my throat. I hold my breath, willing my heart to slow. Dark Fae can hear such things and even as myfingers redden, the magic doesn’t come. It won’t defend me here, now.
A body throws itself into the bedroom door as the wood splinters. Horrible grinding of hinges breaking assaults my ears and, in my panic, I toss the vase at my would-be attacker.
He ducks, a blur of clothing before Reid’s wide eyes appear in my vision, a sword high in the air. My daggers rise above my head and we both exclaim at once.
“Max!”
“Reid!”
“Yes,me,” he huffs, shoving the sword into the sheath, eyes wide. “What the hell is going on? Fee found me and sent me here to check on you before she ran off to find Uncle.” He pushes the dresser over, easier than I did. “And there’s a dead body in the hall. You were alone for five minutes. Was that you?”
I don’t think, flinging my arms around his shoulders, hugging him tight as my eyes water. OnCella and Ger’s brow, that was close. Zelos almost had me.
“Easy, Max,” he soothes, rubbing my back. He smells like smoke and pine and I inhaling, stilling my heart. “It’s alright, I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
“He tried to take me.” Pressing my face into his shoulder, I exhale. “Zelos. That guard was sent to get me. I killed him.”
“Shit,” he curses, pulling me back. He inspects me, a critical eye taking in the cuts, the fear, the smear of blood on my clothing. It’s so similar to Kaden that my heart breaks anew. I miss him, my mate, fiercely. “Did he hurt you?”
“No.” I wave a hand over the cuts and bruise forming at my jaw. “This is all from Fee.”
He smirks at the irony, rubbing his cheek. “Well, this comes at a super bad time, but we’re expected at a dinner in a few hours.”
“Are you kidding me?” I shrug him off, stalking across the room. I trip over the edge of a tile, stubbing my toe. “I can’t go to a dinner and pretend everything is fine.Not after this.”Not without Kaden.
I’m a capable woman, but I’d feel better with him at my side. Especially here.
“You have to, Max,” he explains. “I don’t like this anymore than you do. In fact, I downright hate it. I’ve never been a fan of my father and how Kaden has the patience to wait for as long as he has?” Reid shakes his head, frowning. “But I do know what Kaden would want. He’s still gone. We’re still here.Youare here. We can’t give Zelos any reason to distrust us. And I won’t allow him any reason to hurt you. So, if playing with a bunch of royals, getting drunk, allowing my father think he’s won does it, then we’ll do it.”
Cursing, I cross my arms, fear still pulsating through me. I was almost killed in these halls, taken to a king who would use me. My mate is gone, and now, I’m expect to play like a thankful guest, as if nothing is amiss.
“Zelos is already trying to take me. And we’re expected to just act as if it hasn’t happened?”
Reid licks his lips, apologetic. “Unfortunately, yes. We’re so close to having the numbers to succeed. If we don’t continue this, innocents will die.”
“And if he tries again?”
“Don’t worry,” Reid calms, hand grabbing my shoulder, preventing me from pacing. “Zelos only tried because of one miscalculation in our schedules. From now on, we stick together.”
It’s a vow, a promise. And I hunker into it like it’s my salvation.
Sighing tiredly, I nod once. “Fine. But if I’m killed, I’ll ignoreSeti’scall and haunt all of you until you die.”
“That’s the spirt.” He laughs, clapping my back. Gliding to my closet, he riffles for a moment, coming out with a thin, black silk dress. “Now hurry up. We have a crowd to wow.”
Chapter
