Blood and ice, this man was foul. I would enjoy beating him senseless.
“Yes, yes,” I urged, layering my voice with more desperation and sobs. “Anythingyou want.” I widened my eyes so he would understand my meaning.
His foul grin widened, his arm dropping and releasing me completely. He leaned forward, and I did, too, holding my breath so I wouldn’t have to smell the nasty stench of his inebriation. In a flash, I unsheathed my dagger and raised it to his throat.
“Step away from me,” I said, dropping all pretenses. “Now.”
The man’s face slackened in shock, then turned a deep red, anger boiling in his eyes. “You little bitch.”
I cocked my head and smiled. “Go ahead and test me. Ihaven’t gotten this knife dirty in a while, and I miss the feeling.”
His eyes darted to the gleaming silver blade, and his expression faltered. It wasn’t made of iron, but it would still do some damage. “You wouldn’t. A fine lass like you?—”
I sliced hard, nicking the sleeve of his tunic. He swore loudly, cradling his arm as a drop of blood fell on the ground, leaving a large, crimson stain in the snow.
Frisk let out another loud bark.
I groaned and slammed the hilt of my dagger into the man’s skull. With a grunt, he collapsed, and I easily stepped over him, my boots crunching in the snow. I secured my glamour back in place before stepping away from the carriage and the unconscious scumbag still lying on the ground.
“You all right?” I asked Kendra.
“Yes, I’m fine!” Kendra’s voice was a bit higher pitched than normal. She was still buried in the hood of my cloak, and I could feel her trembling.
Despite her bravado, most altercations terrified her. And I couldn’t blame her. That fae lord had been a downright bastard.
From the pub emerged several other men, their shouts loud and echoing as they drew closer.
“Let’s dash, shall we?” Frisk asked.
Together, we darted off toward the woods. “I didn’t even get to toy with him,” I lamented.
Frisk chuckled as he scampered alongside me. “Next time, Princess, I’ll let you torment all the queen’s lackeys to your heart’s content.”
Once we reached the cover of the trees, we slowed ourpace, veering west toward the rendezvous point. A soft nicker told me Stella was already waiting with the horses.
“We should have brought Mauro,” Frisk said with a sniff. “He’s faster.”
“He can’t carry all of us,” I argued. “Besides, he gets grumpy if we ask for too many favors.” Mauro was a stag—a fae creature, like Frisk. The fox was right; Maurowasfaster, but he had a grouchy disposition. We had to tread carefully around him.
We edged around a particularly large pine tree, and then I caught sight of my friend, who stood next to two chestnut horses. Stella’s pale blonde hair almost blended in with the snowy forest. She was biting her lip in worry, her blue eyes scanning the woods until they locked onto me. Relief filled her face.
I grinned and held up my sack, shaking it so she could hear the jingle of coins. “Good haul this time.”
Stella laughed. “Excellent. No trouble, I presume?” She glanced over me as if to search for injuries.
I pressed a hand to my chest. “You wound me, Stella. Of course there wasn’t trouble.”
“Well, the fae lorddidnearly catch her,” Frisk said slyly.
Stella’s grin fell. “Eira…”
“I said no trouble, and I can’t lie,” I said, shooting a glare at Frisk. “I had it handled, and I barely spilled any blood.”
Stella massaged her temples. “You stabbed him?”
“Inickedhim.”
Stella’s brows knitted together. “Eira, if you’re going to continue to be reckless like this, the others will insist you stay behind. You are too valuable to risk getting captured or killed. Our entire rebellion depends onyou.”
