My gaze fell to the damp forest floor. “I suppose I had.”
We walked in silence for a few more minutes until we reached a small clearing. Standing by the edge, shaded by a large fir tree was another unfamiliar faery wrapped up in a blue cloak.
The moment she saw me, her lips parted and she raced towards us.
“Naria.” Her arms engulfed me in a fierce hug. “How do you feel? How’s your head?” There was genuine concern in her tone.
“I-it hurts a little. Not as much as it did before though,” I said as she pulled away.
“Good.” She nodded. “The pain shouldn’t last much longer. It’s just an unfortunate side effect, you see. After we took your memories—” She doubled over as Arenn kicked her in the shin.
“Sorry!” she squeaked. “It’s been a while since I’ve been outside. I meant to say, umm…” But I had already heard enough.
“Youtook my memories?” Anger rising, I backed away from them both.
Arenn slid the other faery a burning glare before returning his focus to me. “We had to, my darling. You went through a very traumatising event. It was for your own good!”
“For my own good?” I choked. I didn’t even know thesepeople. Didn’t know anything!
“Listen to me.” He matched my steps until my back scraped against a tree. “You begged me to do it. That brute had ruined you for me. I didn’t want it to come to this, but you left me no choice.” His voice softened as he brushed his fingers against my cheek. “I know you’re scared, but you have to trust me, human. Please.”
Wind tousled the dark waves of his hair. He was handsome, and my heartdidseem to race around him – but was this really love? Every time he touched me, all I felt was the overwhelming urge to run.
“Fine,” I said finally. Even if I did run, I wouldn’t get very far.
“There’s my clever human,” he purred, pressing a cold kiss to my forehead.
The other faery stepped towards us, burying her hands in her cloak. “How are your other memories?” she asked quietly. “Of your love?” She glanced between the two of us.
Arenn’s smile dropped. “She doesn’t remember me.”
“What?” she blurted. “But I made sure to spare you from the charm! I said specifically she would remember your love.” Her lips thinned. “Unless…”
“Say another word, Lyssandra, and I will have you thrown back in your bedchamber with your orb lights permanently off,” my fiancé growled. “You’ve already caused me enough trouble for one day. Don’t test my patience.”
A scowl settled onto her face, but before she could argue, I stepped forward and gripped Arenn’s sleeve.
“Would you just…” I sighed, battling a sudden wave of exhaustion. “Would you just take me home, please?”
Arenn’s glare softened, and he took me into his arms before I could say another word.
“Of course,” he said, his voice smooth and wrapping around me. “The willow is just beyond those trees.”
CHAPTER 39
LUKAS
“You won’t let me save her?” I glared down at the bumbling man beside me. Sweat trickled down his face, beading onto the thick rims of his glasses. The sandstone room I’d crammed my advisors into may have been stiflingly hot, but it was obvious that the constant tugging of his collar was not from the evening sun outside.
“I-I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” he stammered. “It’s just that we’ve been away from Drothmore for quite some time now, and recently you have been giving a lot of your attention to that fallen kingdom.”
“Corlixir,” I corrected, scowling. “Thatfallen kingdomis Corlixir, and its reconstruction is very important to both me and my wife,” I snarled.
“Yes, but,” he rummaged through some papers, pulling out a large sheet of figures, “if we assess the financials, Corlixir has been costing us dearly while we’re receiving little in return.” Nervous murmurs of agreement filled the small room. “Perhaps if you were to consider taking a new wife, someone born of more considerate wealth—”
If this man hadn’t been my lead advisor, I’d have launched his small body off the balcony.
“You need to stop right there, Sir James.” I jabbed a finger towards his puffy face. “Naria. Is. My.Wife.” I seethed. “And a few nights ago, I had to watch while she was ripped out of my arms. So if you’re trying to suggest that we do anything other than send our fastest rider home to Drothmore so that I may have an army by my side when I march into that damned faery kingdom and take her back myself, then I don’t want to hear it.”
