“I’m afraid it isn’t that simple, Norah.” Kael let out a heavy sigh. “The truth is, we can’t leave her out here like this. First of all, she’s a changeling, which means she must be protected at all costs. Second, if she’s this far along in the transformation, she’ll only end up losing control again. Most likely tonight. After sunset. Someone needs to ride ahead and take her to the Academy. She’ll be safe down in the dungeons. And she won’t be able to hurt anyoneelse.”
I winced. The dungeons. I’d spent a brief period of time down there when I’d been locked away by the Autumn fae. It wasn’t anywhere I’d like to see again, and Shai shouldn’t have to see it either. It didn’t seem like the best place in the world for a confused and angry girl who didn’t understand what was happening toher.
“She killed two people, Norah,” Liam said. “I know you want to help her, and I know you don’t want to upset Bree. But we can’t just let her roam free. Not when she’s like this. She’s not even meant to be out here. If she got herself killed, then what would we do? She wouldn’t be alive for us to return her to the human realm during Summer Solstice. The entire Tithe would go up inflames.”
He had a point, as much as I hated to admit it. The Dark Fae would lose their minds if Otherworld didn’t send the yearly quota of homegrown Redcaps back out into the streets of the humanrealm.
“Okay,” I said, glancing over my shoulder at the hut Bree had entered. “We’ll take Shai back. On one condition. You have to promise me that you won’t let Alwyn do anythingrash.”
“We won’t,” Rourke said, stepping up beside us with a grave look in his eye. “I’ve known Alwyn for years. Even if it pisses her off, she’ll at least listen to me on this. We’ll make sure nothing happens to Shai while you and the others catchup.”
I furrowed my eyebrows. “What are you talkingabout?”
Rourke and Liam exchanged a glance. “There’s no telling what will happen when twilight comes. Shai will likely change into a beast, and it’ll be impossible to control her then. We need to get her somewhere safe before dark. As it is, we’d have to ride flat out to get back in time. If we go back at the same pace we came, we won’t be able to makeit.”
I puffed up my chest and narrowed my eyes. “Then, we’llallride flat out to get back. You can’t just leave us behind likethat.”
“Bree won’t be able to keep up,” Rourke said in a low voice. “She’s not experienced on a horse. She doesn’t have the same stamina we do. Even though she still has the beast’s blood running through her veins, she’s human. I assumed you wouldn’t want to make her ride back by herself, and I don’t want the two of you out here alone without extra weapons just in case you run into some Wilde Fae. Kael and Finn will keep youcompany.”
And that was that. I didn’t have much of an argument againstit.
* * *
Kael,Liam, and I sat up beside the fire while Bree caught up on sleep. Rourke had been right. She was mentally and physically exhausted. She’d barely been able to make it halfway back to the Academy, let alone all the way. Shai’s fate and the death of the four Redcaps inside the hut—who she’d known, after all—weighed heavy on her mind and on herheart.
“Look on the bright side,” Finn said, warming his hands against the crackling fire. “You solved the mystery. Alwyn will give you the final nail in the coffin for your step-father. Your human mother will befree.”
I blew out a heavy sigh and dropped my head in my hands. If only he wasright.
“I don’t think I solved any mystery at all, Finn. As far as I can tell, Shai had nothing to do with Boyd’s death. Those kills were purposeful and targeted. The Redcaps in that hut? Well, yousaw…”
It had been messy, to say the least. And it didn’t look planned. There were no notes. Their throats hadn’t been ripped out. Nothing about the crimes was similar atall.
“Alwyn might not see it that way,” Kael said as he sharpened his blade against a large stone. “She wants someone to be guilty, and she’d happily force Shai to fit whatever mold she has inmind.”
“Not on my watch.” With that, I stood and strode away from the warmth of the fire. Right now, I needed some time away from thoughts of Shai and Redcaps and murdered instructors. Something about it all didn’t feel right to me. It was as if a small worm had wiggled its way into my neck, squirming there until I figured out where it was. There was something off. Something I couldn’t yet see. And the more we talked about it, the less clear itseemed.
I stopped my pacing when I realized that I’d strode deep into the forest. Through the thick branches, I could still see our fire flickering away, casting a luminous orange glow against Kael’sface.
Kael’s face and only Kael’s. He wasalone.
“You look like you need some cheering up.” Finn stepped out from the shadows, crossed his arms, and leaned against the nearest tree. His usual sparkle was gone from his eyes, and he didn’t even smile. Instead, he regarded me carefully, like I was a wild animal that might bolt if he made the wrongmove.
“I’ve got a lot on my mind,” I simplyreplied.
“Indeed.” He jerked his chin toward where Bree slept fitfully on the rough ground. “It’s something I’ve always liked about you since the moment I first laid eyes on your sweet face. You always try to do the right thing, even if the right thing is obscured behind a layer of thickclouds.”
A moment passed before I answered. “Don’t we all try to do the rightthing?”
He let out a low chuckle. “No, Norah. We don’t. Some are powered by greed. Some are powered by pure selfishness. And others are powered by the desire to do anything for the ones they love. The ones who are more helpless than they are. I’d say you fall into the latter category, which makes things difficult for you sometimes. What do you do when the thing that might save one loved one will hurt another? You can help Bree. Or you can help yourmother.”
“And you?” I asked as my heart began to hammer in my chest. “What drivesyou?”
“Some might say that I’m driven by nothing more than my pure enjoyment and entertainment. Some might say I’m driven by what feels best in the current moment.” He shifted closer, bringing with him the sweet scent ofspring.
I swallowed hard, dropping my gaze to where his hand hovered less than an inch from my waist. “And is that true? Are you driven only by what you think will feelgood?”
A long, silent moment passed between us before a wicked smile lit his lips. “That’s certainlyonething that drives me, yes. But it’s not the only thing, Norah. Surely you of all people can see that inme.”
