“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied, mustering as much courage as she could to calm the trembling of her voice. A breeze swirled through her ponytail as she attempted to wiggle away from him.
His grip tightened around her. “What’s the rush? We’re just getting to get to know each other.” His nose pressed against her neck for another deep inhalation.
“Let go of me!” she muttered through clenched teeth, panic unfurling within her. She wasn’t sure if it was the sky or her vision darkening as she fought his hold.
“What the—?” the Fae asked as a strong gust of cold wind struck them, almost pulling her from his grasp. The sky above them had turned a dark, stormy grey, and his eyes narrowed on her. “Stop!” he ordered.
Her breath came in short bursts, a foreign energy simmering under her skin. It wasn’t like when she ran with Evin’s speed and felt invincible. This was something else, something wild and untamed, matching her own emotions.
“No!” she yelled, attempting to jerk away from him again, assuming he wanted her to stop fighting him.
He spun her around to face him, moving to grip her shoulders in a painful, vise like grasp. She cried out as a flash of lightning struck a nearby tree, the crack loud enough to cover her own scream. He stared at her face, his red eyes swirling like molten lava, and she felt her energy draining from her as if his hands were pulling it out at their point of contact. He breathed in deeply, his chest filling, closing his eyes. When he opened them, pure fire glared down at her. “Sleep,” he commanded, and with her limbs pouring out what was left of her energy, she collapsed into his arms, sinking into oblivion.
• • •
She awoke in a strange room. It contained minimal furniture, but the quality of the décor still suggested wealth. The bed she was laid on was the softest she’d ever felt, and unless she was mistaken—based on the authentic, Baroque furniture dominating the room—she was still in the Fae realm.
“Crapola,” she whispered, slowly standing up. Her body felt sluggish and slow to follow her commands. She tiptoed to the door, not wanting anyone to know she was awake, then heard footsteps approaching. Quickly and quietly, she dove back into the bed and feigned sleep.
The door opened. “Seriously Angus? What is this?”
“I didn’t know what to do, Maddock! I was out by one of the gateways when she came barreling through and slammed into me at an inhuman speed. When I tried to question her, she gathered a storm around us—a storm! She could have cooked me alive with that lightning, so I pulled out some of her energy. I guess I must have taken too much, because instead of just becoming compliant, she collapsed. She’s different. I’ve never come across anyone who smelled like her.”
“Smelled like her? Excuse me if I don’t fully trust your sense of smell.”
“I don’t know how else to explain it. She looked human, smelled part human, part Fae, but not like Conall or any other half-blood I’ve come across. I figured the king would want to know about her since she was on our land.”
Callie inhaled more sharply than she had intended when he mentioned the king. If he discovered who she was, it could ruin everything. She was in over her head, but she hoped Maddock might help her. They’d only met twice before, but she knew he had a soft spot for Ianthe and was willing to withhold information from his king if it meant avoiding a war. She stilled against the sudden silence filling the chamber.
“We know you’re awake over there, so you can stop pretending.” Maddock’s voice dripped with censure.
Callie rolled over and sat up, staring down the two Fae. Maddock’s eyes widened in recognition while the redhead—Angus, she assumed—glared at her like an equation that wasn’t adding up.
“Angus, get Torin,” Maddock ordered, steel lacing his words.
“What? Why? I brought her here—I should let the king know.”
“Don’t be an idiot. What if there’s nothing wrong with her? Do you want to be the one to explain to the king why you fed off an innocent girl’s energy to excess, abducted her, and brought her here?”
Angus blanched. “Fine. I’ll get Torin.” He turned and marched out the door.
“Hello, Callie. I’d like to say this is a pleasant surprise, but we both know everything that is in jeopardy with you here. Now,