Then sunlight peeks through, burning it away.
I rub the sleep from my eyes, the cozy warmth in my chest slipping away as the last vestiges of the dream fade under the morning sun. I once again find Taran already up, tending to the horses—despite not being tied to anything, they haven’t wandered off. Reid still sleeps on his side next to me, with Emlyn curled up a few feet away.
I grip the button in my pocket.This is it. No turning back now.
Reid’s determination to go to the faelands, for reasons he can’t explain because of my curse, has reinforced that I was correct in my decision to trust Taran. Unless Reid also fell victim to fae trickery…
No. After an entire day and two nights with Taran, nothing I’ve seen supports anything I’ve ever learned about fae, other than how captivating they are. I can’t deny that truth—every time my gaze lands on either Taran or Emlyn, it’s an effort to pull free. That connection, with Taran in particular, sparks an uneasy flutter in my chest. The way his inky black hair curls near his eyes, despite being longer than feels right.
But I recognize that, so I can manage it.
I pause on my way over, watching as he speaks softly to one of the horses while brushing her golden coat.
He glances my direction. “Sleep well?”
I wince.How long have I been staring?I just told myself I could handle his charm, and I’m already failing.
“No one ever woke me to take watch,” I say, hoping to move past my awkwardness.
“I thought you could use the sleep.”
I frown. “But that’s not fair to the rest of you. I can do my share.” Even now, there’s a red tinge to the white of his eyes. I can’t let others suffer just so they can coddle me.
His mouth twitches into a hint of a smile. “Then you can help with the horses.”
Eyeing the animal, I bite my lip, uncertain if this was really the best way to assert myself. But retreating now would only confirm that I need pampering, so I step closer.
Taran’s hand lands on my shoulder, stopping me. “You need to make sure she can see you.” He gently guides me into the horse’s line of sight. “You don’t want to startle her.”
I exhale as he lets go, expecting him to move away. Instead, he gives me the brush and guides my hand in a flicking motion along the growth of the horse’s hair.
“Her name is Willow,” he says. “You’ll be riding her today.”
My nerves tighten, recalling my last experience on a horse. But he isn’t kidnapping me this time, so hopefully it’ll go better.
“Willow,” I repeat. “Isn’t she your horse?”
Taran releases my hand, leaving me to brush on my own, and the morning chill sinks into his absence. “It will be easier for you to ride her than the others. She trusts me, so she’ll carry you if I ask. The rest of them would test your control.” He moves to Willow’s head to scratch behind her ears, his fingers disappearing under her flowing, ivory mane.
“Where exactly are we headed?”
“If we don’t push the horses, it’ll take a couple days to reach the border. Ultimately, we’re going to the capital, but we’ll be sticking to paths less traveled, since I have to assume the queen still wants me dead.”
I make a couple more swift brushes. “It must be awful to have a mother who’s trying to kill you.”
Taran stiffens, his fingers pausing mid-scratch. He slowly looks at me.
Why did I say that?“I’m sorry! That was a stupid thing to say.” My cheeks burn as I turn away, staring at a slightly off-color spot on Willow’s back.
“You’re trying to be friendly. I don’t need you to be my friend.”
My shoulders slump. “Right. Of course you don’t.”
He sighs. “Go wake the others. I’ll finish getting the horses ready.”He holds out his hand, waiting for the brush. I give it to him, then scuttle away to do as he asked.
Not his friend.Despite all his efforts to reach me, to convince me to go with him willingly, I’m ultimately just a tool—something to solve a problem for him.
I’ll have to prove I have value beyond that.
