But she heaved in a breath and another, taking control of her bloodlust. It was always there, always present, threatening to lead her down into darkness. Rafferty had taught her to hold it deep within her chest and let it breathe out of her pores, expelling it when it became too much.
Bree’s raging heartbeat stilled. With one last glare in Dagen’s direction, she turned and raced the other way. He wasn’t worth it.
* * *
The guards at the front gates had not yet been alerted of her treachery, so they didn’t stop Bree when she raced out into the world beyond. Her Redcap paws carried her fast across the ground, toward the Forest of Fireflies. She didn’t dare slow or cast a glance over her shoulder. She focused on the trees ahead. On their thick, evergreen branches. On the shadows that lurked inside the woods.
The Forest of Fireflies was a dangerous place full of beasts and monsters that feasted on blood. But the castle was no better now. As soon as she entered the forest, she headed straight for the village Eurig and she had found during their recent journey. There, she transformed back into her fae form and found a ragged pair of trousers and a threadbare tunic to don over her dirt-caked body.
At long last, she dropped into a chair inside the warped wooden hut and breathed a sigh of relief, though her heart still beat painfully against her ribs. She wasn’t safe yet. Dagen might still send some soldiers after her. He’d have a pretty good idea where she’d hide. The Forest of Fireflies was the closest landmark to the castle, and there were plenty of small villages tucked into the dense trees.
Sighing, she pulled her knees up to her chest and tried to plot her next step. She’d acted hastily in the castle. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, the only way she knew how to prevent getting locked up in the dungeons. Now she was here, and everyone—except Rafe—was inside those stone walls. Norah. Eurig. Taveon. How could they do a damn thing if they were all so disconnected?
Maybe she could sneak back inside, hide away inside Dagen’s rooms, and wait for his return. She could leap out from the shadows and stab him in the heart. And then what? Take over the castle, the throne, the crown?
The dark fae would never stand for that, no more than they wanted Taveon to remain their king. Bree was an outsider. Taveon’s power raced through her blood. They would see her as no better than he was.
Footsteps sounded from outside the little hut. Her back went ramrod straight, her hand flying to her mouth. Someone was out there. Had Dagen’s men found her already?
“Bree?” Rafferty’s familiar voice reached toward her. “Are you here?”
She leapt to her feet and thundered outside, launching into Rafferty’s waiting arms. He let out a little oomph as their bodies collided, but then he relaxed and held her tight. Bree could feel his heart beating in his ribs. The steady thump of it chased away her worry and fear.
“What happened?” he asked as he pulled back and searched her eyes. His silver hair cascaded around his face, a tangled mess. “I was soaring overhead and saw you fleeing the castle. Tell me what’s going on.”
Quickly, she filled him in. A muscle in his jaw ticked when she’d finished her story. With a sigh, he jammed his fingers into his hair. “This isn’t good, though I’m glad you have your bond with Taveon again. What does he think about all this?”
“He doesn’t want me to kill Dagen.”
Rafe arched a brow. “Of course he doesn’t. The court would riot.”
“Well, luckily for the both of you, I’m not there, so I can’t.”
There was another thing she wanted to tell him. The answer to all their problems, at least where the demons were concerned. All they needed was sunlight. But Bree had made a promise to Taveon, and she would not break it.
Of course, it didn’t hurt to ask a few questions.
“Rafe…has Underworld always been the way it is now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’m just thinking about all these realms. There are four of them. The human realm, the light fae realm, the dark fae realm, and the demon realm.”
“That’s right,” he said with a nod.
“Tell me about the demon realm.”
“I don’t know a great deal about it, Bree,” he admitted. “It’s always been closed off to us. It’s been centuries since they were any sort of threat, and even then, they did little to bother us. The gate between our worlds has always been shut, or at least we thought it was. What I do know is that the souls of the damned live there, along with the demons who feast upon their waning life-force.”
Bree started pacing. “These demons, they feed on the human souls of the dead?”
“That’s right.” He frowned. “Where are your thoughts going, Bree? I can tell something is on your mind.”
“Dark fae have to survive by feasting on human life-force. That’s why there’s the Tithe.”
Rafferty stiffened. “We are nothing like the demons, Bree. Yes, some of us can be wicked and cruel, but that is nothing compared to the brutality of the demons.”
Bree took his hand in hers and squeezed tight. “I wasn’t suggesting you’re anything like them. But thereisa connection. Isn’t there?”
