The Lost Fae (The Twisted Crown #3) - A.K. Koonce Page 0,48

queen. Once I was able to get into her head I planted the notion to go rest... to keep this meeting a secret... very deeply. She won't be able to say a word for days.

"We need to leave." As soon as her back is turned from the room, we dart for the door. Lincoln takes my hand in his and we leave behind the still warm food on the table. We each grab a handle and pull the double doors wide open.

Wind from the force of the motion pushes my hair from my face and fans me with fresh air. With hope. An untamed smile raises my cheeks and my laugh resounds down the hallway. Two stone faces swivel toward us, watching our passing with caution.

Lincoln gives them a playful wave and we start to jog through the halls. The cream colors, the patterns of green and yellow trim pass, and I'm thankful to leave it all behind. To leave the pirates behind. The Lost Court has been too much trouble if I do say so myself.

Our exit appears at the end of the hall. I look to Lincoln, and the glow of anticipation lights up his eyes. We're going home. We're going home. We're going home.

With one wide hand, Ziko tries for the door handle, but it swings open without his touch. A Fae with jagged, scarred wings stands on the other side without a smile to return. His red hair is slicked into a tight bun on top of his head, revealing tattoos running down the length of his neck, and he turns back to the array of men standing behind him with a laugh that they echo.

"Barnabus," Lincoln breathes.

Well shit.

Eleven

Crooked

"Going somewhere?" Barnabus crosses his arms. "I thought we would catch up to you here."

Jackets are snug against him, and every man behind him, but holes allow their wings to poke out. Crystals of ice cling to the lace edges of their insect-like wings.

They must be numb from the cold. My next thought. Did they fly here?

I take a step back as Barnabus moves forward. Lincoln pushes himself between us. Standing straight, I look over Ziko's shoulder and begin counting his men. Not all of them are here. Not the one that rushed to Ellie's side. A guilty wave of nausea turns inside of me.

"I'm not happy that you found it acceptable to steal from us." He lifts his chin. One of his men behind him coughs heavily. Barnabus turns and looks at his comrade, concern etched in his features. "But..."

Lincoln's shoulders automatically relax. What does he know that I don’t?

"You can touch minds." Barnabus looks at Lincoln. Then he leans around him. "We need the girl."

Me? Why me?

And any resemblance of calm that Lincoln had just had disappears with those four little words. He leans into me. "No."

"She has power. We can feel it." He points. "You owe us."

"She doesn't know how to use it," Lincoln hisses. And everything in my body loses feeling.

"She's about to learn!" Barnabus moves with a blinding speed trying to get around Lincoln.

I blink and Lincoln moves from skillfully grabbing Barnabus's arm to having the bandit pressed against him forcing his own hand and weapon to his throat. Mirroring the exact position I'd held Captain Beatrice last night. "You'll let us pass."

The men all laugh in unison with Barnabus. All except the one who coughs and presses a bandana to his mouth. Red droplets splatter the material. Blood.

"They don't care if I live or die." Barnabus chuckles, but Lincoln starts to shift them both to the edge of the crowd and his men start to move following Lincoln's steps.

Stay behind me. He doesn't turn to me, but I try to follow on weak knees. What do I not know? What do I not know about myself? What is Lincoln hiding?

I try to push away the image of Kai holding the knife to Rowan's throat. I try to remember that Lincoln loves me. Lincoln is on my side. But the same horrid feeling of betrayal starts to poison my mind.

Lincoln's head snaps to the side, his eyes large and pleading. "Please," he says as we both realize that I haven't moved.

"Does she not know?" Barnabus teases.

Lincoln forces his hand a little closer to his throat. "Shut up." He looks back towards me. "I've had a suspicion, but I wasn't sure. I'll explain later."

We need to get to Beatrice's boat. And we need to get there now. We need to get you back to