“Are you doing this?”
“If you don’t try to leave again, I will let go,” he said.
It made no sense. He could not possibly be the force holding me against the floor. Yet the pressure on my limbs was real, and something in his gaze told me he knew it. I nodded.
His shoulder dipped, and his arm lost the illuminated veins. I pulled up my foot, and this time, it obliged. It was a relief to move.
I pivoted toward them, my heart thrumming a wild pace in my chest. “What was that?”
His mouth twitched. “That was just me playing nice. I can keep you pinned like that anytime. And trust me, I won’t hesitate to do it again if you think about running. Now, what is your name again?”
I shook my head. “That is impossible.”
“The shocked Jane Darling from the human lands,” Gwinifer said, her arms crossed again. “I don’t think she’s happy to meet us.”
“No, she is not.” The man sighed.
“We’re not lying to you,” Cerridwen said, her tone almost sympathetic.
When the tall one moved, I missed it. One moment, he was about five metres away, the next, he was in front of me, catching my elbow as I staggered back.
“Are you starting to believe us now?” His voice was slow, laced with condescension. “It would be a foolish mistake to try to leave.”
I pulled my arm free, clenching my fists to suppress the trembling that was creeping in.
Mages. That was what they said, just like they said I couldn’t leave. He wouldn’t let me.
“What do we do with her, Reagan?” someone asked.
But the older man, Barracus, answered first. “Bring her to the magisters. They will try her as an invader.”
“She’s not an invader,” Gwinifer said. “But someone needs to check the passageway.”
Cerridwen replied, “Take her to Malory. She might not even consider it a transgression.”
“Transgression?” I echoed, not bothering to hide the fraying nerves in my voice. “I was almost attacked in the woods by horrible monsters. I was led here by...”
They stared at me, and I wondered if they really didn’t know about the beasts. But the tall one, Reagan, had a knowing look.
“There are dangerous creatures in our territory,” he said. “You were lucky.”
Lucky.
“You should bring her today. If something happens now while she is here, you’ll be held responsible,” Barracus said, sounding utterly calm.
“I can’t be here,” I said under my breath. “I was supposed to be at a fair. I had business to do. Just let me go. I won’t mention a word of what I saw.”
I waited for an answer, noticing as Gwinifer rolled her eyes. It became clear to me as the others looked at Reagan that he was in charge.
“It’s not that simple,” he answered, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll bring you to Court and let Malory decide.”
The knot in my throat seemed to grow. I was starting to get lightheaded.
They exchanged more words, but I stopped listening, my thoughts drifting to Dominik, waiting for me at the fair, and to my father and sister, who were counting on me to receive theshipments we had invested in. I had to rely fully on Dominik that those goods would not remain unclaimed and possibly lost.
When I raised my eyes again, Reagan had a black cloak on and was answering someone, “...delivering her.” Then he walked towards me. “We are leaving now. Brace yourself.”
Before I could protest, he wrapped an arm around me, and darkness swallowed the room, a violent gust of wind lashing against my skin. My stomach lurched as if gravity had turned upside down. I squeezed my eyes shut, clinging to the only solid thing holding me. A sharp pain knifed through my skull for mere seconds.
