I swallow tears of frustration. What I wouldn’t give to have my old life back, to be stuck in Bound with Cally. I shake my head. No, that’s not true. That life was a lie. Hell, before this, my entire life was a lie. If I had to discover that so that I could truly live, then I would do it all over again.
The sun continues to dip below the mountains. I watch as it goes, leaving me and my thoughts in darkness for the third night.
Whoever opens the door is silent, their footsteps light as they approach me. Two different scents waft toward me—one familiar and one unfamiliar. I lean away, but there’s nowhere else to go. My hands are tied behind my back, which is literally against the wall.
There is nothing I can do.
You have weapons built on top of your head,Asmo once said.
I leap to my feet and bow my head, antlers ready to spear whoever’s come for me. The movement has my stomach and face throbbing, but I won’t go down without a fight. I’m not helpless Mae anymore. I’m the High Queen. I’m a direct descendant of Wrena. I will not be taken. Not again.
“Mae!” a familiar voice whisper-shouts. I stand on the balls of myfeet, teeth bared. “It’s me!” the voice says. A ball of light materializes in the air, bathing the cell in a soft glow.
I lift my head.
Koa.
But when I see who stands beside him, I shuffle backward and bare my teeth again.
He stands beside a fucking witch. Her eyes are golden, the color of the sun. Her raven hair is pin-straight. She watches me with curiosity, like she’s a cat and I’m the mouse.
“When did you turn?” I seethe at him.
Koa holds his hands up. “It’s not what it looks like. We’re here to get you out.”
With a sinking feeling, I realize I can’t use my magic to tell if it’s the truth. I narrow my gaze. “And do what? Take me to my death?”
“We don’t have time for this, Prince,” the witch murmurs to Koa, eyes never leaving mine.
Koa casts a glance backward, then turns back to me. “Mae, listen to me,” he says pleadingly. “We have to go. The guards are incapacitated, but they could wake up any second. Trust me. Please.”
Koa was never a liar. He was the first one to warn me about who to trust when I first became High Queen. He’s never given me a reason to be wary of him. Except, of course, for the fact that his House sided with Cora. And that he’s currently standing next to a witch.
“Koa…” the witch mutters as she glances back toward the open door. “Just knock her out and let’s go.”
He winces at the suggestion, and I back up, baring my antlers toward him once more.
“Mae, please. Levana and I are here to get you out. She’s on our side. Just trust me.”
I freeze at the name. Levana. Willa mentioned that name in my dream. I lift my head again. “You helped my mother,” I say to her.
She raises an eyebrow. “Yes,” she says.
Again, I want to pull my hair out because I can’t use my net.Mother, I’m trusting you…
I turn back to Koa. “Fine. But if you’re lying to me, I will kill you.”
He swallows. “I promise. But please, we have to hurry.”
I don’t have any other options. I close my eyes for a moment, then snap them open. “Fine. Let’s go.”
Levana turns and stalks from the room, magic already swirling in her hands. Koa motions for me to follow her. Before I can think better of it, I do. I hurry through the threshold of the door and follow the witch down the dim hallway, Koa following closely behind me. The guards lay unconscious and slumped against the walls.
Levana darts down a hallway to the left. I follow, going as fast as I can with my hands still bound behind me.
“Just a little more,” Koa whispers behind me.
We come to a dead end. Koa steps around me and presses his palm flat against the wall. It clicks underneath his touch and a hidden door opens, revealing a steep staircase. He sprints up the stairs and Levana shoves me forward. I bite back a curse as I catch myself and begin climbing the stairs. My thighs scream at the climb and every quick movement only opens my wounds further, but I force myself to keep going.
