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Brittle Spear pulled Iron Thorn’s face into a stern scowl. “Did she see you?”

“No, my lord. I approached from the moon side and slipped between the shadows to ensure she was safe.”

He stared out into the landscape around us for a long while as if looking for something. “And the others?”

“Fair Brow said he followed him when he left. He appears to be making his way through the forest toward the palace. I’ve instructed him to send a dragonfly if that should change.”

He nodded, and the scout pulled her horse away from us to join the line. I watched, curiosity burning in me.

“We will strike camp soon. I have an errand I do not get to attend to very often.” He turned deep bark eyes on me. “Will you accompany me? Perhaps with your companions?”

“Why with them?”

“Because if she allows it, it would be good for them to see as well. If she does not, then they will not be in harm’s way, and you will feel safer with them close.”

“Where are we going?”

“You will see. Until then, we cannot speak of it.”

“I don’t like shady shit, Iron Thorn.”

“I’m aware, my Pearl. But in this, I cannot compromise. Will you go?”

I watched him for a long, silent moment, weighing whether I trusted him. He had given me no reason not to. He, among all of my friends and all the Fae I had encountered, had been nothing but himself. He was still Fae, but that truth wasn’t a dagger behind his back. “Yes.”

A morning sun of joy burst across his borrowed face as if he were very aware of the great victory he had won without stepping onto the field. “You do me a great honor, Banfhlaith. We must speak of our lord Goose.”

Maybe I had made my decision too quickly. I cocked a single golden brow and cut my eyes between the two of them; the latter was sitting quietly licking his paw next to me.

Brittle Spear squatted down, leveling his head with Goose’s. “My lord Goose, I ask that you keep to the shadows of the camp. Do not announce your presence or show yourself; stay here with the camp. Protect them. It would be a great boon to me for you to care for my people while I am away.”

Goose licked his paw twice more before turning judgmental flashing eyes on Brittle Spear.

My brow ticked up in question. “Why exactly are you asking my boy to be scarce?”

A wan smile filled with adoration for me and a misery he would not name was my prize for questioning him. “The last time she saw a failinis, two full packs of them were set loose upon her, her family, friends, and an entire manor of innocents. She watched as they tore everyone to pieces and left the mangled hunks to rot in the sun, too spoiled from venom to even feed the carrion. She was forced to witness them circle the rotting meat that was once everyone she had ever cared about all day and all night, as they waited to see if any would recover. If they did, they were slaughtered. This carried on for two weeks, and the nightmare still haunts her.”

I shuddered, revulsion stewing in my stomach. I had seen Goose fight; I could only imagine scores of Gooses ravaging Fae as the true war dogs they are. For two whole weeks, she had been forced to watch their slaughter.

“Who would do that?” I whispered, horror stitching itself to my weak words.

“War is a heinous act, beloved Pearl; it benefits no one but the corrupt.” He rose. “Will you allow it?”

“I guess I only need one attack dog, for now.”

“Bark, bark.” The smile he gave me was cut razor-thin by the weight of a war long since burned down to ashes and embers.

True to his word, when we dismounted, he instructed the entirety of his soldiers to stay put. They listened without any need to ask questions. They, like me, trusted him. It took some convincing of my friends to agree to go with me, but when they learned their two saviors would be going, it was an easier decision.

We set out at midday, into the silent woods, all of us stripped of our weapons and, for Iron Thorn, of his armor.

By the time we reached the outskirts of what looked like an abandoned village, we were all but ready to set fire to the entire territory and burn every last horror from its hiding place. Still, the promise of a bed, or even solid walls to protect us for the night, was a balm to shredded nerves and to harrowed bodies covered in road dirt, long-dried salty sweat crystals, bug bites, and filth.

Despite Brittle Spear’s insistence that it was unnecessary, we crouched behind bushes out of sight. Without Goose, though, one of us would need to scout the buildings to be sure it wasn’t some Fae trap. I didn’t even bother to let the others volunteer or even think for more than a few seconds about who would go. The obvious answer was me. I had nothing to lose, and Iron Thorn was too conspicuous while my friends were too fragile. They had lives to lose. They were precious. I had to keep them safe, even at the cost of my own skin.

“I Don’t Know, you should think about this . . . you don’t know what’s in those cottages.” Green Man dithered when I pulled off my outer dress and stepped free of it, leaving only my chemise.

Brittle Spear stayed silent, letting me take the lead. He was not the one in power with this group. They barely listened to him on a good day, and the quiet glint of pride as I stepped up was intoxicating.