“We won’t harm you!” one shouts from Rhion’s back. “You’re so pretty and so kind to all forest folk. All hail Queen Lydia!”
Lydia hesitates; it’s clear she has no desire to harm these creatures, which is almost funny considering how willing she was to dump that unicorn’s body at Bram’s feet. But I understand Lydia even less than I understand Ivy.
The boys are both wearing chain mail, which helps a little, but their necks and limbs are still exposed. The creature sinks his sharp teeth into the soft skin of Rhion’s hand, and Rhion lets out a cry of pain.
Lydia’s eyes darken, and with a swift kick to the Redcap nearing her feet, she wrenches the door open. The Redcaps recoil against the light and hiss, their bloodthirst seemingly reaching a fever pitch.
Rhion tries to force his way to the bedroom, but there are simply too many of them. They cling to his arms and legs, slowing him down like quicksand.
“We must go!” Lydia shouts over the din.
“We need the knife!” Rhion retorts in a strangled voice. There’s one hanging around his neck, choking off his airway. I don’t know if faeries need to breathe the same way humans do, but his face is turning purple and that doesn’t seem good.
Marion and I keep hacking away against the endless stream of them as we make our way closer to the door. For each Redcap we fight off, another appears to take his place. The once-brown floorboards run red with blood, but the Redcaps seem delighted by it. They slip and slide and dip the tips of their caps in the mess with glee.
“You’ll never find it!” The one at Rhion’s back lets out a sharp giggle. “Never, ever, ever!”
“It’s not here?” Rhion chokes out in horror. Blood drips off his knife and onto the fabric of his breeches.
“We need to go!” Lydia shouts again. “Please, Rhion.”
And because it’s her who asked, he relents. I watch as the tension falls from his shoulders and the fire in his eyes dims to embers.
He raises his arms above his head and brings his knife down with brutal power. In three stabs, he is free.
But another yell pierces the air and the air grows thicker as I notice Emmett, still trapped deep inside the chaos. A Redcap jumps from the edge of the sofa, flying at Emmett, a blade poised to strike him right in the side of his neck. It’s as if time slows. I can’t get there fast enough. “Emmett!” I scream.
His eyes meet mine. I’m so panicked, so agonizingly sad that my friend’s life is going to end like this after all he’s endured.
But right before the knife sinks into his jugular, the Redcap is struck with a flying dagger. It lands with athwackin the center of his chest and he goes falling to the floor.
Emmett tosses the other one he’s fighting off his back and checks the small wound on his neck. “I had it!” he calls to Rhion, who rolls his eyes across the room.
Lydia stands with the door wrenched open. “Now!” she screams.
Blood-slicked and panting, we tumble onto the front porch. The bright, clear day is jarring after the chaos inside.
Lydia leaps off into the grass and Marion and I soon follow, leaving Emmett and Rhion staring up at the house together. For a moment, I’m terrified they’re about to go back inside, but Emmett whispers something to Rhion, who nods, then presses his hands together. When he pulls them apart, there’s a small ball of fire balanced between his palms. He takes a breath, then hurls it onto the thatched roof of the cottage.
The straw goes up like a match, immediately burning down to the rafters and filling the clearing with thick smoke.
The Redcaps shriek and wail, and it sets my teeth on edge.
“We need to go,now, before they come out and chase us,” Marion says.
Rhion nods, but just as he turns to leave, a Redcap sticks his little head through what’s left of the smoldering chimney and lets out a laugh that cuts straight to my bones.
“You’ll never find it, you fools! We threw it in the Isern Caves!” He laughs and laughs until the smoke is so thick, it blocks him from view completely. I think I still hear his giggle as the cottage collapses.
Emmett stomps through the clearing and runs a hand through his hair, which is now crusted with dirt and blood. Our faces don’t look much better. My heart pounding, I turn to Marion and place my hands on her face, tipping and prodding until I’m satisfied she’sunharmed. She leans down and gives me a quick peck on the cheek. “I never thought I’d long for rainy England,” she whispers in my ear, making me laugh. I love her so much it makes my chest hurt.
We follow the path out of the clearing, back to the footbridge.
“The caves—” Rhion starts, but Emmett marches ahead of him.
“I’m not discussing any of this until we find Ivy,” he says tightly.
Which leaves the rest of us trailing behind him, trying to keep up with his long legs. Emmett always walks too fast—it’s one of the most annoying things about him, and there’s plenty I still find annoying about Emmett.
