"Here's the deal, fairies. I'll go into Meadowmist, figure out a way to slay this demon and its deadly towers. I'm bringing your Queen along with me to ensure I'm not double-crossed." I press the blade more firmly against her neck. "If I get even an inkling we are being followed, I'll kill her."
Arden jolts back against me. Glaring up over her shoulder, her eyes frost over.
"What about your wish?" she hisses.
"Make sure they don't follow, and we'll both get what we want."
The way she's looking at me makes my stomach hollow.
I hate the mistrust in her gaze, but it can’t be helped. She called my bluff. I need her alive—I'd never actually hurt her. But I can't risk my one chance at securing the wish.
I have enough dangers to face ahead of me. I don't need one jilted lover stabbing me in the back before I make it a day into my journey.
"You don't know what you are doing," Elwood snarls. "If she is killed?—"
"Then you better leave us in peace," I spit. "If you make good on your word to not follow us, I'll protect her with my life."
Elwood's hands tighten on his sword. A battle wages on his face. He wants to cut me down for threatening his Queen and for a far more obvious reason that I can't help but smirk at.
Glancing towards the stone path behind us, I renew my grip on Arden. Her heart hammers under my forearm as I do my best to ignore the pillowy softness of her breasts. I really am a bastard. I shouldn't be enjoying this as much as I am, given she'll never allow me to touch her again.
"Release her, human. I will not tell you again."
"Enough," Arden whispers. "Stand down, Elwood. I will go with Finn."
Her body against mine. My name on her tongue—I nearly double over with pleasure.
If all it takes is her words to affect me, I can hardly imagine what seeing her naked will do. Not that I'm likely to get the pleasure of such a vision. Regardless, I have an active imagination.
Our adventure into Meadowmist is going to be beautiful torture.
"Elwood, inform your father he is to lead in my absence. I will return to you all unharmed"—her eyes burn me alive—"and with answers."
"Arden, I beg you?—"
"Time to go, Queenie. Daylight's a-wasting."
Her glare slices through my soul. For once, the gnawing in my stomach has fallen silent. My beast is disgusted with my actions.
The silver at her throat glints as I pull us towards the path.
"I'd say it was a pleasure meeting you all, but it wasn't," I say.
With Elwood's parting growl echoing behind us, I drag the Queen into the forest and towards the danger that will surely kill us both.
6
THE FAIRY QUEEN
She is unsure what to make of the human.
His motives seemed singular enough. He needed a wish for reasons that were his own. The Fairy Queen had no reason to pry.
Now, after he had double-crossed her, she wondered if allowing him to keep secrets was unwise.
Finn had unhanded her shortly after they began walking along the path. She watches him stow the ornate dagger into a simple sheath along his hip. Feet pausing on the overgrown grass, he sweeps golden hair from his forehead.
A pale scar along his hairline glints in the light.
