Talis’s hand went to his pocket. Then he groaned and nodded to where we’d come from. I saw it, lying in the grass between us and the two fae with crossbows.
“Lady Sarhin,” one of them called out. “We don’t want to hurt you.”
“Then lower your fucking weapons.” Lady Sarhin ordered. None of them sheathed their weapons but they did stop their advance. “We require some information that you possess. Then we’ll be on our way.”
Lady Sarhin pulled Blake behind her; he had a nasty gash in the top of his shoulder. Clearly Lady Sarhin was the only one they wanted in one piece.
She glanced my way, eyes fierce. Yeah, she knew it too.
I felt her magic surge as two small silver daggers appeared in her hands. She moved faster than I could follow. One of the daggers flew through the air and lodged in the throat of the nearest fae coming out of the trees, the other sailed past us to take out one of the crossbow shooters.
Angry shouts rang out around us.
With a flick of her wrist, the daggers dragged themselves free and reappeared back in her hands. Grabbing Blake, she dragged him around the other side of the car, crying out as a small silver throwing star caught her in the back of the thigh.
She stumbled, cursing up a storm, but hung on to the edge of the car, Blake now huddled around the other side.
If I could just get to my phone…
“I said we didn’twantto hurt you. Not that we wouldn’t. Put your daggers away, Lady Sarhin, or Molhieth gets a bolt to the heart. Even fae healing will struggle to save him from that by the time we’re done here. Then it’ll be the shifter. I can’t imagine Calder will be too thrilled to know you let one of his pack die for no reason.”
“No.” The remaining fae with the crossbow stepped forward. “We need Molhieth alive.”
He seemed oddly familiar, but I didn’t recognise him. And yet…
Hello, Axel. Remember me?The thought was loud in my head, in a voice I’d recognise anywhere.
“No.” I shook my head.
He grinned at me and gestured to his face. “Isn’t witch magic amazing?”
“Axel?” Lady Sarhin hissed. “Who the fuck is that?”
“Gren Melhak,” I whispered, clutching Talis’s hand when he growled beside me. It didn’t look like him, but I fucking knew it was.
“How is that possible?” Lady Sarhin winced as she stood up to face him. “You’re inAnyathprison. I had visual confirmation that you’d arrived.”
Melhak shrugged. “He’s wearing my face, but it’s not me. By the time it wears off, we’ll be long gone. After we’ve got what we came here for.” His attention turned to me. “And you’re going to help us with that.”
Talis growled again.
I dropped his hand when claws pricked my skin, grabbing his wrist instead when he took a step toward Melhak, fangs bared.
Melhak snapped his bow up and shot another bolt, this one hitting Talis in the stomach.
“Stop,” I yelled, trying to hang onto Talis, but he fell to the ground, a pained whine escaping through his clenched teeth. He managed to pull the bolt out intact this time, but blood seeped between his fingers where he clutched his belly, hands flexing in pain.
“That one’s tipped with poison,” Melhak said matter-of-fact as he rested the crossbow on his shoulder. “It’ll kill him if you don’t get him treated in time.”
I sank to my knees beside Talis, feeling so fucking useless as I watched the colour slowly drain from his face. “Fuck, Talis,” I whispered, blinking back tears. “Don’t you dare die on me when I’ve only just got to have you.” I looked up at Melhak, wishing with all my heart I was a fighter like Dathal. What good was mind reading magic when Talis lay dying at my feet? “What do you want?” I snarled.
Melhak’s eyes narrowed, gaze flicking between me and Talis, and I got the feeling I’d made a huge fucking error. “I want the key to unlocking the vaults in the high court. Which Lady Sarhin has.”
She sneered at him. “I’d die before I told you anything.”
“Oh, I don’t doubt it.” He pointed his crossbow at me. “But I’m willing to bet Axel doesn’t share your need to protect the high court at all costs.” His smile made my blood run cold. “And I think I’ve found his weakness.”
He pointed at Lady Sarhin, who still held her daggers. “Vanish your weapons, Lady Sarhin, and let’s get this over with before Axel’s shifter dies a very painful death. Or not. Either way, we’re not leaving here until we get the key to the vaults.”
