“Is it?”
“Yes, that’s choosing between two lives, two fae I care—I mean,caredabout. Past tense. My vow to your king only hurts me.”
“And whose life would you choose, if you were forced to make that decision?” Nollaig asked. “Lorcan’s? Or Eislyn’s?”
Reyna balled her hands. “That doesn’t really matter now, does it? He isn’t the fae I thought he was, so it wouldn’t even be a question. Of course I would save Eislyn.”
“You would have chosen her before, too,” Nollaig said gently. “The gods know why, but Lorcan loves Thane like a brother. But you already knew that. Besides, Bolg Rothach has a way of forcing one to do exactly what he wants, regardless of their honor, regardless of the goodness in their soul.”
Nollaig strode to the edge of the camp. Even now, she was fully decked out in black. Reyna wondered if the strange shadow fae ever let down her mask. What was it that she was so desperate to hide?
And why had her words unnerved her so? Reyna couldn’t let it get to her. She couldn’t let herself see Lorcan as anything but her enemy. Or her heart would shatter all over again.
* * *
They started off at sunrise. Reyna had found only scraps of fitful sleep. Even though Lorcan had no longer lain beside her, she still felt the remnants of his presence. The scent of him hung there like a thick, unmoving fog.
“Enjoy your rest?” she asked in a snap when he rejoined them in their trek through the forest.
“Very much,” he replied with a faux-pleasant smile. “It turns out that it’s far easier to sleep when someone isn’t throwing rocks at you.”
“How unfortunate.” Reyna leaned down and scooped up a rock. She bounced it in her hand. “Perhaps I should make up for what you missed.”
“Go on then.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “Throw it.”
She glared at him, desperately wanting to do just that. His smug smile and stupid muscled chest needed to be knocked down a peg. She hated that he’d managed to sleep while she’d flailed in the dirt and leaves, eyes puffy, mind whirring.
He certainly wouldn’t feel so smug anymore if she actually did it.
But no, this wasn’t how she wanted to battle him. Rocks were boring. Swords were much more her style. And she would not dare risk Lorcan’s father harming Eislyn because she couldn’t keep her rocks to herself for more than one measly quest.
She dropped the rock. “That would be giving you what you want, and that is the last thing I want to do.”
A flicker of a genuine smile ghosted his lips. “If that is what you say, Princess Reyna.”
She decided to ignore him. That would be the better option. For now. Later, she would figure out how to stab him in the heart.
The party fell silent as they crunched through the trees. Tarrah took the lead, Teutas by her side with his sword held high. She motioned the group forward, often stopping to cock her head and gaze through the trees. At first, tension radiated throughout Reyna’s body, reflected in the uneasy hoots of Wingallock. At any moment, wood fae could come swarming from the trees. Arrows could punch the ground at their feet. They had managed to slither into the forest unnoticed, but that would not last long. Eventually, they would be spotted.
Boredom quickly set in the longer nothing happened, and exhaustion began to take its toll. Reyna was weary. She’d had very little sleep for several nights in a row, followed by one without any at all. Tiredness tugged at her eyelids. She tried to fight it, but it proved impossible. Her eyes shut once, and then twice. It took all of her concentration to pry them open again. She stumbled onto a thin, fallen limb that snapped beneath her heavy boots.
“Reyna, stop!” Lorcan roared, grabbed her shoulders, and threw her to the ground behind him. Wingallock screeched and took to the skies. Half a heartbeat later, a string unravelled from around the branch she’d just snapped. Half a dozen arrows landed where she’d just stood.
Reyna gaped, her heart in her throat. It had been a trap, one meant to obliterate an enemy. If she had been standing there when those arrows hit, she would be dead.
And shehadbeen standing there. Until Lorcan had shoved her out of the way.
Slowly, she dragged her gaze away from the arrows. Lorcan had already turned his back on her, leaping lightly over the arrows and continuing down the path as if nothing had happened.
Nollaig loomed over her and held out a gloved hand. “Like I told you, Shieldmaiden. These woods have teeth.”
But Reyna didn’t care about the teeth. All she could think about was Lorcan. He’d saved her. Again. Once could be an accident. A mistake. Twice was something more.
She took Nollaig’s hand and climbed to her feet, smiling as Wingallock settled back onto her shoulder and gave her an annoyed hoot.
“I know, I know. Sorry, Wingallock.”
He nuzzled her neck, forgiving her for her misstep instantly.
