Page 142 of Blood of the Fairest

"Right," another voice declares. "You two go that way, we'll go this way. And remember, she's to be delivered unharmed…but if you do have to knock her around a bit, we'll say it was the forest. Not our fault the bitch ran into this cursed shithole."

Rising to my feet, I stumble toward a massive nearby tree. With my back pressed against its cool bark, I try to keep a lid on my panic as I listen for sounds of anyone approaching.

Fear pumps through me. The scent of nearby blood taunts my empty stomach.

It smells like a berry smoothie.

Damn it, I really, really wish I hated smoothies right now.

I'm getting really fucking tired of being controlled by the queen's relentless appetite—and apparently my building irritation counts as a form of wrath, because the Thirteenth Faerie's voice surfaces in my head again.

"Merely speak my name aloud, if you bothered remembering it, and whatever irks you shall meet its end."

Fuck. Off. Forever, I try to think back. I'm never saying your name again.

I'm pretty sure this freaky telepathy thing he does isn't a two-way form of communication, because there's no reply.

Somewhere in the dark trees, a branch snaps. I hear a quiet swear. Much further away, a hissing sound fills the woods before ebbing.

I can't help remembering all the things Merrick told me lurk in these woods, any of which might kill me if I don't get out of here fast. Is the caravan still under attack, or have all the bandits followed me into the Loomdark?

Who the fuck are these guys? Why are they trying to kidnap the queen?

Just as I'm working up the courage to creep back toward the entrance of the Loomdark, Eris's worried voice calls through the woods.

"Wherever you are, Fairest, stay hidden and don't move. Twelve of these bastards are hunting you."

He must be hanging out in some kind of reflection on one of them—but immediately, someone else speaks in the raspy voice of an older man.

"She must be near, in hiding."

"How do you know, Druhn?"

"A spirit in your blade calls to her."

Shit.

Whoever Druhn is, he can see and hear Eris.

One of the bandits mutters about how fucking creepy that is before he calls out to me.

"Where are you, you bloodthirsty little cunt? Come out before a wandering troll takes a liking to that pretty red hair of yours. Anything in these woods will eat you whole—but we won't hurt you. We're just here to take you somewhere much better."

I recognize his voice. He's the same asshole who was holding the torch back there, threatening Snow White.

Hopefully, that means the attack on the caravan has ended, and the others are all safe. If so, Wulf will probably charge in any second as a giant bear and⁠—

Wait. No.

My last order to him was that he guard the caravan until I said otherwise. He can't disobey a direct order, even if I left the caravan to run into these woods.

Eris can't warn me without Druhn overhearing. I'm also not about to place a fraction of trust in these face-stabbing woods.

So… I'm on my own.

Swallowing down my fear, I scan the dark forest around the massive tree before I take a measured step away. I don't see any movement, so I take another step. Then another.

Soon, I'm running, darting through the dark trees as noiselessly as I can.