“The Spring Court has been gathering their forces this past week. According to my spy, their army plans to attack the Winter Court in three days’ time. At dawn, I believe. We’ll have no need to attack either Court ourselves. We can wait until they’ve taken each other out, and then swoop in to pick up the pieces.”
What?It took everything in my power not to make a sound in reaction to that. The Spring Court had plans to attack the Winter fae? But why? And on what basis? Sure, those two Courts weren’t great fans of each other, but the same could be said about all the seasons. Still, it shouldn’t matter. The Winter Court wasn’t the enemy right now. Autumn was.
Something must have provoked this. There could be no other explanation.
“Thank you, Tavin. That will be all.” The Queen gave a curt nod and pressed her hands down the front of her glistening dress. “Oh, and could you check in to see how our prisoner is doing? He’s a tricky one. We wouldn’t want him to find the keys when we weren’t looking, now would we?”
The Hunter gave a nod and scurried off down the hall in the direction they’d come. The Queen kept her gaze locked on the painting, an image I hoped I could forget soon enough. A part of me knew the more information I could get, the better, but I was pretty sure I’d heard enough to give the Summer fae something to do. And Rourke needed me. I was the only hope he had of getting out of here, and this moment right now might be my only chance.
With one last glance at the Queen, I hurried after the Hunter down a hallway lined with flickering sconces. Shadows danced on the walls, clusters of darkness I used to keep myself hidden from Autumn fae eyes. At the end of the hallway, we made a sharp right into a thick steel door that led to a curving staircase.
I slowed my footsteps as the Hunter ducked into the dungeon, afraid the sound of my feet on the steps would give my presence away. I waited, breath held tight in my throat as he descended further, and then I followed shortly behind.
Finally, we reached the bottom. A long row of cells stretched out before us, disappearing into nothing but a darkness thicker than night. The Hunter grabbed a torch from the wall, along with a set of keys, and then he strode to a cell five down from where we stood.
I watched and waited, taking stock of every move he made.
There was a flash of golden hair in the darkness of the cell, and the flickering fire highlighted Rourke’s perfectly-chiseled cheekbones.
“Do you know why all these other cells are so empty?” the Hunter asked, his voice as cold as steel. “It’s because the Queen has no need for prisoners. She does not understand why it is ever to her advantage to spare those who have gone against her.”
“No, of course she wouldn’t. Your Queen doesn’t understand anything other than what matters most for her own gain. She cares for no one, including you.”
“Consider yourself lucky,” the Hunter said as he stepped back from the cell. “But one day, the Queen will add your spine to her collection. And you’ll wish you were dead a long, long time before then.”
My heart throttled in my chest, and fear poured off my body in waves. I was certain the Hunter was going to hurt Rourke. Not kill him—yet. That much was clear. Harm him? Yes. Perhaps through torture, as a way to get answers about the Summer fae? Maybe.
But the Hunter merely spit on the floor of Rourke’s cell and strode back toward the entrance of the dungeons. He threw the keys on the wall and vanished back up the stairwell, leaving me alone with no one to stand in my way. Immediately, I dropped the shadows and grabbed the keys off the wall, my feet pattering against the stone passageway.
“Norah.” Rourke was across his cell in an instant, twisting his hands through the bars and into mine. Shock was written all over his face, as well as a hint of fear. “What are you doing here? How in the name of the forest did you get down to this cell?”
“I used the stone, you idiot.” But I didn’t mean my words, of course. I was too excited to see him, so overwhelmingly relieved that I’d managed to get here in time.
“Are you telling me that you got all the way here using your shadow powers?”
“That’s right. And I’m going to have to use them a hell of a lot more to get us out of here.” I shoved the key into the lock and turned. When I opened up the cell, Rourke strode forward and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Oomph,” I said, like an idiot, my eyes going as wide as saucers. Rourke…was hugging me. He actually had his arms wrapped around me, and his chest was pressed tight against mine. The scent of burning leaves drifted up my nose, and my eyes slid shut, my entire body yearning to bask in the feel of him. This was unexpected, to say the least. But very much welcome.
Verymuch welcome.
“This world has a strange way of moving its pieces around the board,” he murmured into my ear, sending sparks of electricity down my neck. “It wasn’t so long ago that things were the other way around. Me, coming to get you out of a cell. Remember?”
“How could I forget?”
Rourke pulled back, and his mask of calm indifference shuttered across his features once again. I supposed he couldn’t help himself. That was how he’d always been. I just wished he could see that he didn’t have to hide emotions, not from me.
“We won’t have time to complete the plan.” Rourke jumped right back into mission-mode. “Once they realize I’m not in my cell, they will send out patrols searching every inch of this city. We need to be as far away as we can by then, I’m afraid.”
“That’s no problem. I already heard enough from the Queen on my way down here. And to be honest, Rourke…you won’t believe it when I tell you. It’s…not great.”
His eyes flickered, and he frowned. “You can fill me in as soon as we’re safe. Do you think you’ll be able to cast your shadow net around us both?”
With a deep breath, I held out my palm and swallowed hard. “Maybe. I think it’s probably best if we’re in constant contact though…”
His warm fingers weaved through mine while his gold-flecked eyes stayed locked on my face. The vein in my neck flickered, reflecting the pattering of my heart. And then together, as one, we crept right past the Queen and all her guards, disappearing into the hazy Autumn city of Esari.
Chapter Eleven
