“Rescuing Rain.”
“Who is Rain? And who iswe?” I ask.
He huffs impatiently. “We don’t have time for this. First light grows closer the longer we stand here.”
I don’t need to look outside to know he’s right. The darkness within the barn is slowly but steadily waning. But I’m not willing to risk everything without hearing more from him. I narrow my eyes at him in silent demand.
He catches the movement and says, “Rain is the next hybrid to be executed by the Crown.”
“Who iswe?” I repeat the question, more forcefully this time.
His foot taps against the dirt floor and he frowns, cutting another glance to the barn exit. “Rain is a lynx hybrid who has connections with the Lower Houses. There are several of us—yours truly included—who have been fighting the Cursed the witches have been setting loose in our forests,” he says, his words hurried. “We’ve been trying our damndest to fight back against them in the only way we can. But we need you to save Rain, Your Highness. We can’t do this without you.”
This is only bringing more questions to mind, but Basil is right about the impending first light.
He continues, “This isn’t how we anticipated asking for your help, but we already have a plan to rescue her. We just can’t do it alone. We needsomeone more powerful.”
I look at Asmo, but he’s watching Basil with a dubious expression on his face. So far, Basil has only told me the truth. I steel myself, then say, “Fine.” Holly whips her head toward me, but I hold a hand up. “He’s telling the truth.”
Asmo’s eyes are wild as he stares at me. “Are you crazy? Marik was telling the truth and look where that got us.”
Ouch. “Fuck you.”
His face softens. “Mae, I didn’t mean…I just meant it as a reminder that there are ways around the truth.”
Basil makes the sound of a clock ticking. Every second we stand here is another that we could be helping. Someone’s life hangs in the balance. This is the closest I’ve felt to helping, to actually doing something for my kingdom.
Asmo stares at me for another silent moment, then dips his head. “Okay, if you trust him…Let’s go.” He turns to Basil and stalks toward him. “If you even think about hurting her, I’ll rip out those talons and use them to gouge?—”
“Asmo!” I hiss.
Basil bows his head. “Yes, Your Highness.” He takes his right hand and places it over his heart. “I swear to the Mother that I’m here to help. My sole purpose right now is to rescue Rain, then to work with the High Queen to rescue the kingdom in any way I can.”
Truths, all of them. Whatever they mean.
“Let’s go,” I say. “Lead the way, Basil.”
He shoots one last worried glance at Asmo, then walks out the barn and into the darkness. Tall grass surrounds us as we follow Basil down a well-trodden trail. He stops in front of a thick tree, a gaping hole at the bottom of its trunk. He crouches and gestures for us to follow him. I stop, not dumb enough to follow a random owl shifter into a hollowed-out tree trunk.
He looks back at us, yellow eyes quickly darting between all of us. “Are you okay if I bring out my first-in-command?”
“What?” I ask. “Are you not the leader of your group?” I assumed as much, since he was the one who came out to speak with us.
He straightens a bit and says, “No, Your Highness. I do not lead the resistance.”
Truth. My blood chills at his choice of words. Resistance? What the fuck is he even talking about?
“Um, sure,” I say, and he disappears into the tree trunk.
“I don’t like this, princess,” Asmo whispers. He shifts on his feet as he looks around us, hands open and ready to fight, defend, or funnel us away.
Holly steps closer to me. “Me either. This feels weird.”
My ears pick up on shuffling, two pairs of footsteps coming toward us from inside the tree. We move back, hands splayed and ready.
Basil returns, a stunning female beside him. Her chestnut hair is pulled back into a braid, but her amber eyes match mine. Her build is tall and rail thin, but she bears the hallmark features of a deer hybrid.
Holly stumbles back.
