Page 39 of Into The Green

I had entirely forgotten about my face until that moment. "No. This was one of the henchmen after he caught me in the barn... with a draca."

"You must have that wrong. They don't exist," Doyle said, brows drawing together.

"Well, they do. And he tried to save me. It didn't end up working in the long run, but it was nice seeing as he was captive himself. How did you escape?"

"Jasper got in the door just as the guards closed in. I knew I wouldn't make it so I headed for the woods behind the house. Then guards were everywhere. I figured it was best to wait until things settled down, figure out what was going on, then head back in." He paused. "I was coming back for you, Cece," he said, his voice fierce and I had no doubt that he meant that.

"I knew you would if you didn't get caught yourself."

"So where's Jasp?" he asked, looking around as if he might have been hiding behind a tree.

I looked down at my feet, fighting the urge to cry again as an image of Declan's bloodstained hands flashed across my head. "They got him," I said, my voice breaking. I forced my eyes up and saw the horror in Doyle's face. "His father is torturing him," I told him, needing to share that burden. "When Declan came in to see me, he was wiping blood off his hands."

"Fuck," Doyle said, running a hand through his hair.

"We have to get him. I know it's hard... especially because I was explicitly told not to try to save him. But we have to save him. He would save us," I said, knowing it down to my marrow.

"It doesn't make sense why they let you go," Doyle said, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I dunno. I did this... thing and they kinda freaked a little."

"What thing?"

"I don't know. I was so desperate to escape and save Jasper that I kind of tried to ask the angels for help, but ended up just getting angry instead. When I opened my eyes, there was this forcefield around me. When Declan tried to touch me, it burned him."

"An angelic forcefield? I've never heard of something like that. But, even so, that's all the more reason for them to want to keep you. They are known for collecting creatures or fae with particularly useful powers."

"That's disgusting," I said, shaking my head. "But, yeah, Opal wanted to throw me into a cell next to Jasper but Declan said something about the Courts and out of respect for the Light, they would let me go. Whatever that means."

"How generous of him," he said dryly. "It doesn't make any sense though. You're not Light. You're not Dark either. You're nothing that we know of."

"Yeah, who knows. It doesn't matter now. What matters now is trying to figure out how to get Jasper out."

"I've been working on that all day. All I do know is, we can't go back yet. They'll be expecting us. It's too risky."

I sighed, my stomach rolling in a way I was sure must be audible. "This sucks."

"Yeah," he agreed before we both fell into a silence, lost in our own thoughts, schemes, and worries. "Alright," he said suddenly a while later. "We should go find some food. We can't go charging in there weak and tired from hunger," he said when I started to shake my head. "Come on, I'll show you some edible plants. It's not good for you to be out here and not know how to survive." With that sound bit of logic, I nodded, stood, and followed him. "When it doubt, avoid anything fuzzy or spiky. Always break open the roots first too. If the inside is a milky consistency or color, avoid it. And until you know more about them, avoid all berries except something you know by sight like strawberries or blueberries. Let's see. Clover is edible. Just plain ole' backyard 'lucky you' clover. And dandelions, of course. Oh, and if you're by water, kelp is good."

"Kelp? Like the stuff the sprites have as hair?"

"Yeah," he said with a boyish smile. "Just make sure it isn't attached to a sprite first. Alright," he said, suddenly lowering himself onto the ground. "I am going to rest here. Take this," he said, producing a bag he had stored food in when he came upon me and Jasper, "and get us some sustenance."

"By myself?" I asked, brows raised.

"Don't wander too far and don't eat anything before I inspect it." With that, he gave me a dismissive little wave and a confident smile, and I turned to go get us some food, both nervous and excited at the prospect.

I wandered for a while, finding not a thing before my foot crunched down on something, drawing my attention. I looked down to find a spiky ball like I had on trees in my backyard growing up. Wanting to make sure, I grabbed a stick and poked the ball until a perfect little chestnut popped out. Excited, I poked all the balls on the ground before swinging myself up into a branch to shake down some more. It was a couple minutes later when Doyle's voice reached me, loud and searching.

"Up here. I found a chestnut tree!"

"Good job, rookie," he said, giving me a sweet smile. "Now swing down so we can eat and come up with a plan."

"Catch," I said, tossing the bag down at him and he snatched it. "Now turn," I said, painfully aware I was in a dress and he was right below me.

His eyes went a little wicked, but he turned. I scrambled toward the trunk and got my tiptoes on the branch below me. I lowered down, the pain in my side from where I had fallen from the porch suddenly becoming blinding as I elongated my torso. I shrieked and lost footing, feeling myself free fall for long enough that I felt sick before I landed into Doyle's arms.

"What happened?" he asked mere seconds after his arms went around me.