“Nope, definitely not. But I will be once we get out of here.” My throat constricts.That’s ominous.Unfortunately, there’s no time to figure out what part of that was a lie, so I swallow the jagged lump as I poke my head into Owena’s room.
She’s right in front of me, waiting.
The horrors my mind conceived in the darkness flash before me, more substantial than ever now that they include Owena’s actual attire. It’s barely a dress, with only some strips of fabric hanging from her waist in a vaguely skirt-like fashion. Otherwise, the pinkish-peach and pale-green ensemble leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination. She must be freezing. In fact, I know she is, because I can see how hard her nipples are.
My pulse hammers in my skull. I can’t fucking breathe.
“Oh, fuck.”
I crumble to the ground.
“Not quite the reaction a bride hopes for from her betrothed,” Owena says.
“Caeo!” Reid kneels beside me, hoisting me to my feet. “Shit. What’s wrong with you?”
“He’s had a rough week,” Owena offers. “Who are you?”
I manage to lift my head. We’ve used up a lot of time coming here. I need to pull it together before anyone comes looking for me. “That’s Reid.” I cough. “He’s my friend. He brought Ellie. You have to come and break her curse.”
Owena’s face softens. She turns away, moving closer to the fireplace. “I’d like to help, but—”
Aerona steps into the room. “We don’t have time for this. Is she coming or not?”
I’m trembling, despite the fireplace warming my skin as I grab Owena’s hand. “Please. I’ll find some way to make it up to you, but I need your help.”
Her dark eyes meet mine, and something flickers in those inky wells. That wistfulness I’ve glimpsed before, and something else. She lets out a slow breath, then nods, her lips pressed tight.
“Alright. I’ll go.”
“Thank you.” Relief washes over me that it didn’t take much persuasion, and I throw my arms around her in a hug.
Owena startles back. Then it hits me that she’s practically naked and I fling myself off her.
“Here, wear this.” My hands shake as I pull my ridiculous fur coat off and wrap her up in it. It’s far too big, but at least she’ll be warmer. And clothed.
Now we just need to get out of here. My nerves claw under my skin, screeching to break free.
Aerona leads us back the way we came, the hallways unnervingly empty, before directing us down the staircase to the throne room. On the landing, she pops open a door that I never noticed before—its edges blend smoothly into the surrounding wood. A narrower set of stairs descends into a section of the castle I hadn’t realized existed.
“Servants’ passage,” she whispers. “If we meet anyone, they’ll likely turn and run. We shouldn’t have to give chase.”
Reid helps me down the stairs after the first time I stumble, with Owena taking slow, cautious steps ahead of us. My pulse thunders with the scrapes of our feet against wood—are we going fast enough? Will my mother catch up? What’ll happen if she does?
We bottom out in a dark hallway, its dirt walls lit by the faint glow of wisps flickering overhead. We pass several archways leading into small rooms, and the mouthwatering scent of cooked meats mocks us from one—a kitchen. Owena and I pause as my stomach cries out, begging for food.
“Sorry, Cay, we have to hurry.”
Reid and Aerona yank us forward, forcing us to continue. It’s a struggle to lift my feet. All the energy I had is gone, completely depleted. Owena’s slightly better; she probably had access to water, at least.
We stumble along, and at one point, a servant pokes his head into the hall before skittering away toward the throne room. My blood rushes in a panic, but my feet can’t keep up.
And then we’re outside, hit by the brisk evening air. We burst into a grove of towering pines, their heavy shadows swallowing us whole. A group of fae surrounds us, but based on Aerona and Reid’s reactions, they must be friendly. Aerona says something to them, but the words blur together. Darkness creeps in at the edges of my vision.
One of the fae picks Owena up in his arms and carries her away. I stumble after her, colliding with Reid. Someone grabs my arm and pulls it behind their neck, and with a whoosh, I’m off my feet and hanging over their shoulders.
I bounce and sway uncomfortably with their steps, but I’ve gone completely limp at this point. I drift off, unable to keep myself awake any longer.
But I’m free.
