Page 52 of This Is Not True Love’s Kiss

“Footprints all around,” someone said right on the other side of the massive tree. “There was a group of people here recently.”

The other person groaned. “They’ve tromped all over the bear tracks. We’ll never find it now.”

Relief made me sag against Aoife. Not the brotherhood. Just hunters.

“Let’s just keep following these tracks, see if they lead anywhere.”

“I don’t know.”

I willed these hunters to go away. My heart still pounded, my body abuzz with thoughts of how bad this could’ve ended if they’d been the brotherhood.

“Just get moving.”

My body relaxed as the sound of their footsteps faded into the distance.

Aoife pushed me, and I stumbled back as she wiggled from the crevice we’d wedged into. “Looks like our training session is cut short,” she said.

“I’m sorry. I know you like to train out here, and I know being stuck in Fairwitch Isle feels like another set of chains. We’re doing everything we can to fix that.”

Her nostrils flared. “How? How are you going to do anything if we’re not actively pursuing the brotherhood, fighting against them? Ronan is out there right now trying to get back to them, to betray us.”

I shoved a hand through my hair. I didn’t have the energy for this fight. Not again. “Not here,” I said, keeping my voice quiet, afraid the hunters would come back and find us. They might not have been the brotherhood, but they were still a threat to our hidden city.

Aoife held out her hand, a portal appearing in front of her. “If you won’t do something about this, Lor, then I will,” she said as the portal swallowed us both.

CHAPTER 25

Castle

The moon shone over Castle, the skies overcast tonight so its glow was dim and mottled. Castle never preferred nighttime. Nighttime was when it was too quiet, too still, the hustle and bustle of activity gone as everyone slept in their beds.

Except for some of the nocturnal creatures that roamed the castle. Most nights these creatures left the castle to catch prey, to wander, to explore. But not tonight.

Tonight two of those creatures whispered in Castle’s hallways, their conversation hushed and taking place with the dying light of the sconces. Castle wondered what these two advisors were up to.

“What do you mean she’s going after the brotherhood?” Fargus asked. “Surely she realizes how dangerous that is.”

“I’m just telling you what I overheard,” Meera said, her tail lazily undulating behind her.

Castle knew most things, but Castle hadn’t known about this. Aoife the Warrior Queen was cunning, indeed, and she must have purposely kept this information from Castle, planned this in secret where Castle could not see or hear her.

Fargus’s wings flapped, and the owl’s head swiveled from side to side. “We must stop her. I’ll tell Lor.”

“That will make her furious,” Meera said as Fargus began pacing.

“We have to do something. She might be furious, but at least she’ll be alive.”

“It’s your funeral,” Meera said.

“You’re the one who told me! Why did you have to involve me in this? I don’t want to earn the queen’s wrath. I’ve seen her yell at Lor, and I have no interest in being on the receiving end of that kind of anger.”

Castle had an idea, one that wouldn’t involve either advisor. Aoife could be mad at Castle all she wanted. She was already angry with it. Angry that Castle had tricked her.

Castle hadn’t meant to trick the warrior queen. It didn’t know she’d assumed she would be ruling alone. It had just wanted to save her.

“Maybe she won’t yell at you,” Meera said. “She’s been nice to Lor lately. They’ve attended meetings together without getting into screaming matches or slamming doors.”

“Or overturning chairs,” Fargus added.