mute with fear at the very sight of us…
I can’t shake the image of my first glimpse of her eyes, the pale green of newly budded leaves but bloomed wide with terror, so striking in her sallow, sunken face.
A rat would deserve better treatment, and humans are leagues closer to fae than any rodent. I’d amassed a great deal of disgust for Aerik’s methods already, and I believe tonight has just doubled it in magnitude.
Not all of my companions would agree with me on the measure of humans compared to rodents, though. Kellan stalks behind August with his silvery gaze lingering on the slumped girl, his expression like that of a cat planning to pounce on a mouse. I’ve kept our home free of human servants to spare them from his inclinations, but clearly that’s only given him plenty of time to stockpile his antagonism toward those who turn so quickly to dust.
He notices my gaze and gives me the bitterest of wolfish grins. “So much riding on a piece of dung. No wonder Aerik kept the secret so very quiet.”
“I expect it had more to do with the fact that the blustering prick relished lording his mysterious cure over the rest of us,” Whitt remarks in his careless way. He strides along with an air of total nonchalance, but I can scent a hint of stress from him.
I doubt it’s the coming of the moon that worries him, though all of my cadre will be able to sense it as well as I can. He’s never been overly concerned about the shifting of our natures—which I suppose makes sense, considering he earned the nickname “Wild Whitt” well before that wildness became inescapable. He has no shortage of pride, though. He won’t like the idea of our raid being discovered and the disgrace that would follow any more than I do.
Even Kellan’s chuckle manages to sound bitter. “Still, imagine having to keep this stinking creature around for years, having to handle the pathetic thing before every full moon, always needing to be so careful with it so as not to lose the rotting source of their claim to glory.” His lip curls with disgust aimed in a very different direction from mine. “The only proper use for a dung-body—”
“The only proper use for your mouth right now would be to take in enough breath to pick up your pace,” I interrupt, keeping the edge in my voice firm rather than acerbic. He is a member of my cadre, and I am his lord, and I will not swat him across the head as if he were a sulking whelp, as much as I might sometimes be tempted to.
I owe him more than that, and may I never forget it. He certainly never will.
Clearly I will have to keep an eye on him when it comes to the newest—if temporary—member of our household, though. So far, Kellan hasn’t overtly disobeyed a direct order. He knows there’d be no room for leniency there. But he has appeared to enjoy finding ways to maneuver around my obvious intentions, increasingly so in the past few years.
In consideration of his circumstances and our history, I’ve allowed him all the patience I can, but there are limits. There may come a point when he’ll regret trying me.
The bloated orb of the moon will be easing its thickest span above the horizon now. We have perhaps fifteen minutes before the change comes. As long as we’re on our enchanted ride and away, it won’t matter. The secure hold I conjured with the thing to ensure we didn’t damage our bounty is large enough to hold the girl.
We must be almost upon the carriage. I’m running low on the landmarks I made note of to guide our way—
Whitt has sauntered farther ahead. He halts, his head jerking around to scan a small clearing—a clearing that’s familiar and too empty for comfort. An annoyed breath hisses through his teeth.
“Our ride appears to have conveyed itself without us.”
I curse under my breath. I know the true names of every family of tree in this wood and any other; I can talk a seed into a sapling; but while I’ve lived so far from the Heart of the Mists, my magic has dwindled. All it would take is for some other nearby fae with greater reserves calling for a vehicle, and my hold on the conjured carriage would falter.
August swings around, a shadow crossing his normally cheerful face. “How are we