Ruthless Fae - Ingrid Seymour Page 0,52

lost you…”

I put my hand on his cheek, feeling the warmth there. “I know.”

Something large crashed amid the trees to our left. Hearing it, the guards popped up. In moments, they both stalked toward the tree line, their hands on the guns at their hip, the motion lights kicking on, illuminating the area.

At the sight of the guns, my stomach clenched. Sinasre will be okay. He’s smart and fast, a warrior.

Now it was my turn.

Focusing on my small bit of magic, I glamoured my body. Once I’d gone fully invisible, I spurred my wings and took off. Even flying hurt, but I bit my lip and pushed my wings harder. Speed was the only weapon we had.

I closed the distance between me and the guard shed. Two boats loomed in the distance, bobbing in the water. Landing at the doorstep, I scanned the shack, my eyes flitting from stools to the computer monitor to the shelves of equipment. Finally, I saw them: two sets of keys. I darted in and grabbed them both.

That’s when the alarm began blaring.

I’d tripped an alarm, the exact thing Vaughn had said we shouldn’t do. Panic blaring louder than the sirens, I took off, back to the group.

“I’m sorry,” I said when I landed, thrusting the keys into Vaughn’s hand before becoming visible again.

“It’s okay, but we have to move. Let’s go.” With one look behind him, he led the group across the gravel drive and down the dock.

Our feet thundered on the planks as we tore toward the largest boat. It was larger than it had appeared from a distance. I didn’t know ships, but this one seemed substantial and likely to survive the waves to take us to safety. But, would we make it before someone came to stop us?

Vaughn jumped aboard and shot upstairs to the top level. Hoping he really knew how to drive this thing, I focused on making sure everyone got on board.

Bael was the last in line, and he stopped before entering. “Sinasre?”

“I’ll go back for him,” I said, but Bael put his hand on my arm.

“He’ll come. Just wait.”

I bit my lip but agreed, my eyes desperately scanning the area.

The boat rumbled, a loud chugging sound coming from the back. “Get the ropes!” Vaughn yelled from above.

Seeing what he meant, Bael and I worked on unwinding the ropes that tied the boat to the dock. As I untangled the last one, gunshots rang out.

My head snapped up. “Sinasre!”

I flew up, the rope still in my hand. Where was he? My heart pounded as I searched the trees.

Beneath me, the boat chugged backward in the water.

Come on, Sinasre. Come on!

Vaughn steered us away from the dock. I knew we needed to leave, but we couldn’t abandon Sinasre. His mother stood on the deck with her eyes trained toward the trees. Though she didn’t speak, I knew she must be going through the same hell she had when he’d been taken.

Just then, he burst from the trees, running at full tilt. Behind him, the guards followed, taking wild shots that boomed over the boat engines.

“Sinasre!” I called, starting to fly toward him.

His eyes found me, and he waved me back while simultaneously, flicking his magic hair and tripping both guards. They spilled into the dirt, their guns disappearing into the grass.

He tore down the dock, jumped the ten feet, and landed heavily on the boat. I flew back, alighting beside him.

Becca ran up, clapping. “We made it!”

Everyone turned to watch the dock recede, waiting for gunshots or monsters or Karen to fly out of the dark and attack. Instead, Vaughn angled the boat around and sped away, the sea salt flying.

We’d made it? I stood in stunned silence as I watched the island get smaller. Would they come after us on the smaller boat?

“I found food,” Becca shouted over the roar of the boat.

The rest of the group went inside, but I noticed Ronnie standing at the railing, his eyes on the shore. Walking up, I stood beside him. The island looked beautiful from here, demonstrating that one couldn’t judge something based on looks alone.

“I can’t believe we left them all,” he said, wiping a tear from his eyes.

I put my arm around him. “We’ll help them. We’ll find help somehow.”

“But what happens between now and then? How many of them will die?”

I went quiet. Ronnie was putting words to the feelings that had been swirling around me since this plan took shape. I’d promised myself I would not