Beyond the Mountain (Fae's Captive #4) - Lily Archer Page 0,9

pay for that comment.”

“Not till later.” Gray cuts a hunk of bread.

“Then start counting interest.” Gareth’s tone is stronger, but still reedy.

“Stop getting him excited.” I take a piece of bread from Gray’s grip. “I’m eating.” I point at Gareth. “You’re staying.”

“She’s my queen, too, Leander. I am to blame for her capture. I must honor my oath to her.”

“You almost died.” I toss a crust of bread at him.

His reflexes are deadened, the bread bouncing off his tunic and proving my point. “You are no use to me like this. Stay here, recover, and wait for my return.” I swipe the crumbs off him and down the bread. “That’s the end of it.”

His cheeks redden, his eyes furious. “That is not the end of—”

“She’s here.” Ravella sits forward right as a knock sounds on the door.

5

Taylor

An undead guard leads me down a darkened corridor, the faint lights hung at intervals barely revealing the path underfoot. Shathinor hurried me out of his throne room after Cenet appeared, and the two of them engaged in a heated argument as the guard gestured for me to follow. I was too dazed to disobey, not to mention the row of additional soldiers lining the damp underground hallways discouraged me from any escape attempt.

The guard turns abruptly and swings open a worn wooden door. He doesn’t enter, but his rotting hand points the way for me. I step inside a crude bedroom, and the door closes behind me. When I turn to try the door handle, it doesn’t budge.

“You’re here.” Cecile sits in a chair next to a small bed. The other me lies there, her eyes still closed.

“Is she alive?” I hurry over.

“Yes.” Cecile holds her hand between both of her own. “She’s breathing.” Looking up at me, her red-rimmed eyes are teary. “Why won’t she wake?”

“I don’t know.” I run my hand along her forehead and try to ignore the creepy feeling that touching my own face elicits. “She’s not feverish, but that lump on her head isn’t so great.” I pull her hair back and look more closely at it. “I don’t see a dent or anything, so maybe it’s just a superficial bruise. Your head has a really good blood supply, so any injuries there tend to look worse than they are.”

“But she won’t wake.” Cecile’s defeated tone hits a sad note inside me.

“Give her more time.” I pull up the threadbare blanket and tuck it around her, doing my best to ward off the dank chill that pervades this stone prison.

“You’re mated.” Cecile stares at the mark peeking from beneath my shirt.

“Yes.” My cheeks heat.

“I guess all you needed to finally get laid was a little push from me.”

“A little push?” The pity I felt for her starts to drain away. “You call sending me to another dimension—or whatever this is—a little push?”

She shrugs. “Well, it worked, didn’t it?”

I would strangle her, but that would leave me with one fewer ally. So, maybe later when I’ve gotten out of this mess.

I rub my eyes and plop down on the hearth where a small purple fire burns. “By the way, did you know we’re sisters?”

She turns her head toward me, her now-pointy ears thrown in sharp relief. “Did you hit your head, too?”

“No.” I lean back against the stones, though they aren’t as warm as I’d hoped.

“Then why are you spouting nonsense?”

“We have the same mother. Callandra.”

Her nostrils flare at the name. “Not possible.”

“Maybe it’s escaped your notice, but none of this is possible.” I wave my hand at pretty much everything. “Shathinor is alive, I’m his daughter, I’m your sister, I have an evil brother, there’s another me right here in this room, and we are trapped in a cave where the fires are purple and the guards are dead guys!” My voice rises with, I admit, more than a hint of hysteria.

Cecile glares at me. “Things are already bad enough without you harshing my vibe.”

“I’m harshing your vibe?”

“Yes. And I need positive feels to help my girl get better. So, I’d appreciate it if you keep any and all negativity to yourself.” She turns her back on me. “And we aren’t sisters. I have a sister, and she’s right here.” She grasps the other me’s hand again.

I don’t even comment on how ridiculous she is to claim I’m not her sister, but somehow my doppelganger is? What a mess. I lean my head back against the wall and yell for Leander again. But he can’t hear me. Our