“It’s a glamour. Come on, we need to go.” He pulls my arm, and apparently my body can finally move.
Until someone comes to retrieve me.Ha. Suck on that, Mother.
The world spins, succumbing to darkness as I get to my feet and fall straight to the floor.
“Caeo? What’s wrong?” Reid catches me, helping me back up.
“He’s weak. He won’t have eaten anything for two days.” The fae woman, with umber skin and reddish-brown hair, stands at the door. She peeks into the hallway, the unconscious body of a guard at her feet.
“Any water?” I ask, my mouth sticking.
“Not on me, no.” Reid moves his face in front of mine. “We’re getting you out of here.”
“I’ve never been so happy to see you. I could kiss you right now.”
“Please don’t.”
“We need to go,” the fae woman warns again.
Reid steps toward her, tugging my arm. My head’s dizzy with questions, but they can wait until after we’ve gotten the fuck out of here. All except one.
“Is Ellie alright?”
Reid freezes, then slowly turns back to me.
“You remember?”
“It was a curse,” I explain, then swallow, trying to moisten the cracks in my tongue. My stomach’s pushing up my throat. “From my mother. Someone… broke it for me. Please tell me she’s alright.”
His face tightens, lips pressing together, and what remains of my insides twistsinto a knot.
“She’s here, Caeo, but she still doesn’t remember you.”
“She’s here?” Everything fades away as my heart breaks free, leaping and pulling my feet along with it. “Then we need to get Owena! She can break the curse!”
“Who?”
“You want us to kidnap the Ystyrian princess?” the woman asks, her voice sharp.
Reid groans as he rubs his brow. “Ancients’ shriveled acorns.”
My steps falter.That was weird, even for Reid.
Not important.“I’m sure she’ll come willingly.” Energy fires through me as I rush to the door.
“Caeo, wait!”
But I can’t.
Ellie’s here, and all that stands between us is getting out of here with Owena. I stumble down the hall, blood pounding in my veins, leaving Reid and his fae friend no choice but to follow.
* * *
Despite my surge of energy, I’m gasping for air and on the verge of passing out by the time we reach Owena’s room. So I don’t feel emasculated at all when Reid’s friend, who he called Aerona, takes out the two fae guarding the door as I lean against a nearby wall, trying not to be swallowed by dizziness.
My vision blurs as I stumble to Owena’s door, just as the last guard thuds against the floor.
Reid grabs my arm, steadying me. “Are you alright?”
