“Not you,” I say. “You tried to pair me with Raef and Meela with Daegan before.” Any other day, I would have laughed at the idea.
“Oh please,” she snorts, though the humor is missing from her face. “I was just fucking with you. Anyone with eyes can tell Daegan’s only got eyes for you.”
I risk a glance at him. He’s not really paying attention anymore. His eyes are distant.
We don’t stay long before rising again, the exhaustion setting in heavily now.
Daegan leads me by the hand as we navigate the room that’s become too crowded. I look around for the first time, and the deep-rooted dread that something isn’t right washes over me. I think I see…
“Don’t let him shift,” I hear from my left.
I snap my head that way, but someone is already grabbing me, ripping my hand from Daegan’s. They already have cuffs around him as they try to wrestle him to the ground.
“Elle,” he yells, searching for me. My eyes meet his for a moment, but I’m being pulled away with my hands behind my back.
I begin to thrash in a panic, but strong hands are around me, and I can’t… I can’t use my magic. “What the fuck did you do to me?” I scream. I scan the faces around me and feel like a fucking fool, because they’re all elven soldiers.
I can’t see Daegan. There are too many bodies blocking the way. So I look back at our table to scream for help, but there are more soldiers overtaking them too.
How many fucking soldiers have been watching us, just waiting to act?
I feel sick.
Someone throws me over their shoulder, and I thrash and scream and kick. No one in the room seems to know what to do. They stay back, watching the scene unfold, not wanting to risk getting involved.
“Let go of me!” I scream, attempting to use my magic again.
I can’t see Daegan. Or Meela. Or Raef. Or Rhydra.
They carry me outside, and I scream more.
“LET. GO. OF. ME.” Every word comes out like a roar, each breath in between more desperate than the next.
I finally pause when I see five soldiers struggling to get Daegan out. His hands are tied and he’s still fighting, but he can’t do much.
“Daegan!” I yell.
His head whips to mine.
“Shift!”
His eyes turn angry as he takes in the sight of me. So, so angry. He shakes his head.
He can’t.
They put the fucking magic blocking cuffs on both of us.
My attention turns to the barn not far away as the doors burst open and Meela, Raef, and Rhydra emerge on horses. Somehow, they fought the soldiers off and they’re getting away with the sword.
A short burst of relief takes over me, and I slump my shoulders.
But then I see the archer, lining up his shot.
He releases an arrow and narrowly misses Rhydra. She looks back with ferocity painting her face as she swerves.
The archer is already getting ready to release another, and in the blink of an eye, it hits its target. Right through the left side of her back.
Meela falls from her horse.
