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“What is it?” I demanded.

“It’s the Mage King,” he said, his voice breaking. “He’s been murdered.”

Nine

THE WITCH

Ihad never felt more alone.

In an instant, I had been transported from a familiar sunny forest to a strange and terrifying new land. The sky was pitch-black, the trees were taller and thicker than I was accustomed to, and a foreboding castle loomed before me. Alaric was by my side, but he was one of them. And he had almost certainly murdered Gran.

I had no allies. No family. No friends. There was no one I could rely on to protect me except myself.

And there was no way back home without a Wolven to guide me through the wards.

My entire body still throbbed from the echoing pain of stepping through the portal, and my head was pounding from when Reid had knocked me out. I was in a load of trouble, and I had no idea what to do. My stomach hollowed with dread.

Gran would have known what to do. She would have already been whispering instructions in my ear if she were still alive.

A burning ache pulsed in my chest, carving deeper with each breath I took. In my mind, all I could see was Gran’s mangled body. Her wrinkled flesh flayed open. Her blood staining the wood floors.

“The Mage King has been murdered.”

The shocking words rattled through me, jarring me from my spiraling thoughts. My eyes turned to Alaric, whose face had paled.

“Murdered?” he whispered. “How? By whom?”

Suddenly alert, I glanced between him and Reid… only to discover Reid was completely naked.

I must have made a startled sound, because both Wolven turned to look at me in bewilderment. Reid’s expression was filled with suspicion and distrust. I averted my gaze quickly before it strayed to a part of him I didn’t want to see.

Storms, why is he naked? Is this normal for Wolven?

“We can discuss this privately,” Reid said to Alaric, his tone stiff. “You’ve been summoned by the chiefs.”

Alaric’s jaw went rigid. “Very well. I’ll go to them at once.”

“What of the witch?” Reid shot me a foul look like I was an insect he’d just squashed with his boot.

Alaric’s mouth formed a thin line. “I’ll escort her to the dungeons.”

“The dungeons?” I repeated in a strangled voice. “I’m not a criminal! I was taken here against my will, and now you’re going to throw me in prison?”

Alaric shot me an irritated look. “We can’t exactly let you roam free on our lands. You are suspected of a crime. It’s the law.”

“I don’t deserve to be chained up like some bloodthirsty murderer,” I seethed. “I have done nothing to you.”

“That’s not true,” Alaric snapped. “You bewitched me!”

“On accident! I was distraught!”

“We don’t have time for this!” Alaric bellowed. He shook his head, his eyes burning with anger. “Your grandmother was found with a royal amulet of our people, and now our king is dead. Until we know the truth, the safest option is to imprison you.”

I huffed a laugh that had no humor. Inside, my blood raged and roiled, my magic ready to lash out. “You told me you would take me to do a truth spell. You said nothing about locking me up.” I took a step away from the two Wolven. “I’m not going anywhere with you. I’ll—I’ll wait in the fae lands until we can do the spell.”

Reid let out a noise of frustration. Alaric reached for my arm, but I jerked it out of reach. When he lunged for me again, I summoned a flash of magic and seared his wrist. He cried out, shaking his hand, his teeth bared.

The two Wolven glared at me, golden eyes flashing. Alaric let out a low growl.