The Fae Bound - Juliana Haygert Page 0,25

too weakened, shot a ray of ice into another. I killed the first one too fast and turned to another. Just then, Ariella and Kayden joined us. The fallen angel and blaze fae used their magic and in less than a minute, we had killed the five fae guards.

We heard the shouts of more guards coming.

“Let’s get out of here,” Ariella said. She wrapped an arm around Daleigh’s waist and helped him as we ran out of the prison.

Without another place to gather, we ended up at Farrah’s and Daleigh’s family manor. We knew we couldn’t stay here for too long, but it was a good location to rest for a couple of hours and get organized.

After tending for the wounded, and feeding the weak, I called Daleigh to the back porch of the house, where no one would interrupt us.

Still weak, Daleigh leaned against the cold ice wall. “How did you find out about us?”

“Farrah did,” I told him. Even with my werewolf blood, the air here was too cold for me. I crossed my arms, trying to remain warm. “She overhead some of Lark’s advisors talking about what happened to you.”

Daleigh frowned. “You talked to her? Where is she?”

“Still locked in the fortress. Lark put a bracelet on her wrist that doesn’t allow her to leave the grounds. If she does, she’ll die.”

Daleigh cursed under his breath. “What have I done?”

I nodded as the anger I felt toward him came back full throttle. “What have you done. Good question. As much as I would love to fucking punch you right now, we don’t have time to lose. We need to rescue Farrah somehow. She said you would know what to do.”

He shrugged. “The only thing I can think of is to gather as much of us we can, the ones who can still lift their weapons, and attack the Shade Fortress.”

As much of us we can … that sparked something in my mind. I inhaled deeply. “I have an idea.”

21

Farrah

As soon as Jennie left my chambers, I went around my room and grabbed a few things I might need and shoved them all inside a small bag. Thankfully, there wasn’t much I wanted from this place.

I glanced at the cat, still lying on the armchair as if life was perfect. Well, for him it probably was. I frowned, wondering what I should do with it. Leave it? Hope he followed me? Scoop him up?

Not sure what to do about him, I went to bed and tried to sleep. I barely slept a wink but willed my body to rest. I would need it.

Around five in the morning, I gave up trying to rest and got ready.

The young fae said she would be back very early morning, but soon the sun would start rising and she wasn’t here.

Then one hour passed. The sunlight was visible from behind the mountain.

Two hours. The sun was peeking above the trees.

I was starting to think something had happened. What if she was caught trying to pack? Trying to sneak in here with her bag? What if the poisoning investigation went south and they asked to interrogate her again, detaining her for longer?

Though I had never said it out loud, by now I believed she had to know I had been the one who tried to poison the prince. If they detained her, would she tell them what she knew?

Another hour passed.

In the end, I decided to wait all day, since it would be foolish to escape during the day, when it would be hard to hide. But once the sun started its descent, I was done. Jennie hadn’t shown up the entire day, not even to bring me lunch, which was delivered by one of the guards. She either had been caught or had lost her nerve. Either way, she wouldn’t be escaping with me.

I scooped the cat in my arms, inhaled a deep breath, and opened the doors to my chambers.

One of the guards turned to me. “May I help you, princess?” he asked. His words might be polite, but his tone was clipped, as if he detested talking to me.

“Yes.” I opened my door wider. “All of you, look at this.”

The other three guards turned to me.

With the Frost Pendant in my hand, I called on my magic. The immense rush flooded my veins, taking me by surprise. I wasn’t used to this much magic at once.

“Princ—“

The guard’s words died on his lips as I shot my magic onto them. The