“It is an inevitability,” he said in a low voice that somehow echoed across the entire square. “Light fae who do not use their magick to aid their own kind are nothing more than witches to be burned.”
My blood chilled as I shrank further into the shadows. Tessa didn’t say a word, but she sensed my uneasiness, pulling me closer to her. I tugged on my hood and pulled it forward to be sure it covered my face.
“If light fae refuse to help us in our cause to rid this land of the menace of demonkind, then they must be put down. They cannot be used by the enemy, like the former princess of Issos, Una Harstone, has been.”
I noted he refused to call herQueenUna, the title she deserved and how everyone I came across in the Borderlands referred to her. While I hadn’t met many fae during my time there, word spread amongst the dark and light fae in the area of how she had somehow discovered a cure for the deadly plague that had spread across Lumeria.
But no one shouted or called out now. No one defended her name. Lord Gael marched along the edge of the stage, his heavy boots thumping, his regal cloak whipping behind him.
“Do you want your own children to be stolen in the night? Do you want your women to be abducted and violated and used to produce demon children?” His voice rose. “Disloyalty from those with magick means the death of more light fae. I will not allow it. Soon, we will rid this land ofalldemonkind.”
“You know him,” whispered Tessa, close to my ear.
I nodded and shrank back further. “He is the one my father betrothed me to.”
Her arm came around my waist and she pulled me tight against her. “They can’t see us. Don’t worry.”
The auburn-haired speaker stepped forward and shouted, “And then, we will have a new king!” He raised Gael’s arm into the air. “One who fights for the light fae of Lumeria!”
The crowd erupted in cheers, those few who had spoken out now silenced by the others who chanted.
“Lumeria! Lumeria! Lumeria!”
“We can’t let them burn her,” I murmured, turning to Tessa.
Her expression tense, she seemed to think for a moment before nodding. “Follow me.”
We rushed back down the lane to the central alleyway we had used to cross behind the town square. Tessa and I hurried down the full length of the narrow street, which opened out onto another lane a block from the square, where the chanting continued.
“Here,” she whispered, taking one of the torches from the sconces in the stone wall.
I took it, then she grabbed another and whisper-yelled, “Hurry.”
“What are we going to do?” I asked, following her quickly away from the townspeople down a quiet street of shops, all dark and closed.
“Fight fire with fire,” she answered, stopping at the first shop, a bakery, and throwing the torch on the thatched roof. “Throw yours!”
I did, watching the flames lick and ignite the hay roofing quickly. We dodged around the building along the backside of the stage that faced the square and crawled under the wooden platform into the shadows beneath.
Tessa cupped her hands around her mouth and in a loud voice shouted, “Fire! Fire! Get water!”
Suddenly, the mob started screaming, boots and footsteps pounding across the wooden stage above us and the pavement of the square. Others began to shout, “Fire!”
“Stay here,” said Tessa before she crawled out of our hiding space.
I obeyed, too terrified that if I showed myself, Gael would see me. Then take me.
Tessa peeked her head up and peered over the stage. Apparently, seeing no threat, she hurried up the stairs out of sight. I listened to the people dashing to put out the fire, running farther away, most likely to a well or simply to safety. Then someone came hurrying back down the steps. I froze, until I saw Tessa gesturing for me to follow.
“Let’s go!”
Right behind her was the female who had been bound on stage to be burned at the stake. She still appeared calm and serene, despite the fact she had nearly been executed in the most heinous, painful way.
I hurried after them as Tessa led us back down another alleyway and farther away from the shouting townspeople. We came out near the port, the moon sparkling on the Bluevale River, the sounds of the boats at the dock gently rocking in the water.
The moon fae pulled Tessa to a stop. We both turned to her.
“Thank you,” she said, her black hair framing her pale face, her dark blue wings sagging at her back. “If you ever need a favor from a seer, come and find me. My name is Aelwyn. I’ll be heading back to my home now.”
