Why not? This isn’t Nolan’s fault.
The rest of the men in the cavern watch us through wary eyes.
“Who are these other fae?” I don’t recognize any of their faces, but they’re all Seelie. The two closest are dressed in fine trousers and white shirts smeared with blood. The third wears a shirt of sky-blue linen that matches his eyes and hair. He appears to be in the best shape of the lot, with only a few speckles of blood on his collar and a split bottom lip.
“The architects who designed the new bridge,” Nolan says. “Looks like the Unseelie aren’t happy about that either.”
They’re not the same fae, I want to scream.
“Are any of you badly wounded?”
The trio of architects exchange looks before the one in blue responds. “Just a few scratches, Miss?—?”
“Nia. Just call me Nia. Can you tell me what happened to you?”
The blue-haired man gestures toward the one with dark bronze curls. “Reese here was concerned with the design for the bridge’s braces, so Kaleb and I agreed to meet him at the site early to discuss. When I got there, someone struck me on the head.” He rubs the back of his skull with a grimace.
“Me as well,” Reese says.
“And me,” chimes the third, Kaleb. He’s younger than the others by the looks of it, with a few wisps of peach fuzz clinging to his round chin.
“We woke up in this room with no recollection of how we got here,” the blue-haired man finishes.
I knew there was something off with these women. I bloody well knew it. “Has anyone tended your wounds?”
“No. A wrinkly old woman checked us over but never brought anything to ease the pain.”
The Unseelie clearly have access to healing water—they healed Maddox right up without batting an eye. Why wouldn’t they give some to these men?
Probably because they’re afraid of being overpowered.
Not that any of these men could take down an Unseelie on their own. Together, though . . .
What were the Unseelie thinking? Why would they scale the cliffs just to attack a few architects? Are they really that unhappy about the bridge? If that was the case, they could’ve just burned it.
They also could’ve murdered these men. Instead, they kidnapped them.
I must be missing something.
Nolan’s clammy hand wraps around mine. “I still can’t believe you’re here. Gods, Nia. When I found out you died all I could think about was how terribly I treated you.” He laces our fingers together, squeezing tightly. “I’ve missed you so bloody much.”
Funny how it took my death for him to have such a revelation.
Not that it matters now.
What we had is a thing of the past. Maddox is my future—assuming I ever see him again.
No. I’ll not let my mind run away into the shadows.
Maddox and I have chosen each other, and we will find our way back.
But first, I need to find a way to get these men out of this cavern and for all of us to escape this twisted village.
I extricate my hand from Nolan’s, ignoring his frown. “You don’t have any weapons, do you?”
Nolan’s dark brown curls wobble when he shakes his head. “They took my sword and dagger before they threw me in here.”
“Took mine too,” the other guard says when I glance over at him.
