“What happened?” Behrvyne studied her, as did I, searching for injury.
“No fucking idea.”
Then he leaned across and behind me, snatching something off the ground. A silver dart with blue feathers. He smelled it, his expression hardening as I took it from him.
The scent was both unfamiliar and familiar. It was of a foreign fae who didn’t belong here. The dart was made of a metal the light fae used.
“Why would they come here and poison Mishka?” Behrvyne asked.
My gut clenched. I stood and ran to my tent, because I knew why they’d come here, why they’d silence any wolf nearby.
“Jessamine!” I called as I reached our tent, flinging the flap open. My entire soul left my body.
The fire pit was cold, our furs untouched and the bed empty. A furious roar left my throat before I moved, suddenly at my weaponry, stripping my vest and then buckling my belt with a sword and scabbard at my waist.
“What is it!” Bezaliel was suddenly in my tent, Behrvyne beside him. Then Leifkyn and Dayn appeared right behind them.
“They’ve taken Jessamine.” My voice was more beast than fae.
“Who?”
“Where?”
“That fucker in Mevia.”
I strapped another scabbard across my chest.
“Wait,” said Behrvyne. “You need a plan. You can’t simply stroll into Mevia and expect to get to past all of his guards to find her.”
“Watch me. That fucking bastard took my mate.” I turned, finally fully armed, my claws itching to gouge flesh. “Today, he dies.”
Chapter 33
JESSAMINE
I wasn’tsure how long I’d been unconscious when I finally came to, but I certainly didn’t have to wonder who had abducted me. I was sitting down, my hands and legs bound to a chair.
Finding Lord Gael sitting on a silken gold chaise in front of me, smiling while sipping his wine, sent a wave of nausea over me. I bent my knees toward each other to close my legs as best I could.
“Good to see you again, my lady,” he said in that syrupy sweet voice that grated my nerves.
It was that obsequious sort of tone that my father’s ambassadors always used.
We were in some sort of parlor with no windows. A wall of books was on one side, paintings of stern-looking moon fae on the other, all depicted wearing the blue and silver colors of Lord Gael’s family. My gaze went to his two guards standing at attention near the door, both of them bearing the same color of blue wings.
“You’ve truly gone native with your beast fae, haven’t you?” His gaze wandered down my dress and boots, his lip curling in disgust.
He looked every inch the light fae lord in tailored silk and brocade with shining silver buttons. His dark hair was combed to satin perfection. He looked elegant and sophisticated, yet there was nothing noble about him other than his name. My stomach curdled.
“I thought I was getting a compliant, noble lady of Morodon.” He swirled his goblet of wine. “Instead, your father sold me a disobedient whore who’d rather spread her legs for demon fae than be the Lady of Mevia.”
“Yes.” I finally found my voice, though it trembled. “I am Lord Redvyr’s woman. It is my privilege to stand at his side. I will never stand at yours.”
“Glad to know you haven’t lost your voice. I was afraid Selwyn had used too much of the sedative. An overdose would’ve killed you. But you’re a healthy girl, aren’t you?” His sinister gaze slithered over me again. “Now, we are going to renegotiate our betrothal terms.”
“Did you not hear what I just said? There will be no wedding,” I hissed.
“Oh, that is for certain. I would not sully myself by parading you in front of my people as the Lady of Mevia. You’ve ruined any chance of remaining a part of the nobility, or of having a place in good society. But you can still be of use to me.”
