Taken (Fae's Captive #5) - Lily Archer Page 0,21

all of Byrn Varyndr will call for our heads and—”

The mansion’s top level collapses, and a plume of dust shoots up into the night. We all back away into the hedged lane as the rest of the structure falls in on itself.

Beth is right. It’s not safe for Granthos’s slaves. I may have killed him, but the rest of the nobles will want vengeance. I step forward. “All of you make for the winter realm. Take the road through the Greenvelde and then the Red Plains. From there, take the border crossing into the winter realm. You’ll be safe there.”

“The Red Plains?” The kitchen worker with the dark hair laughs. “We wouldn’t survive there for one second.”

“The Vundi are allies of King Gladion. They will take care of you.” Beth grips the dark-haired one’s shoulder. “You can’t stay here. We’ve talked about it in hushed whispers, but this is the time. Freedom. Now, before it’s too late. All of you go. This place is about to be swarming with high fae. Don’t be here. Run.” She turns to Taura and takes her hand. “Go. I will meet you there.”

“You aren’t coming?” Taura glances at the destroyed mansion.

“Of course she is.” I think about the distance to the winter realm, the trials we’ll likely meet on the way. But I would risk the Spires if it meant getting Beth free from danger. “We’re all heading north to the border.”

“No.” She shakes her head.

“What?” I grab her elbow.

She juts her hip out and pins her hand just above it, the very picture of temper. “I’m not going to the winter realm.”

“Yes, you are.” I pick up the sounds of approaching fae, a mob already gathering on the street out front. “We have to leave. Now.”

She turns to the slaves. “All of you go.”

“What about you?” Taura rests one palm on her belly. Is she with child?

“I’m going south.” Beth pushes her shoulders back. “For Clotty.”

“What?” Taura gapes.

“You’ll die.” The dark-haired one shakes her head and grabs Beth’s hands. “You can’t get her back. No one ever returns from the mines. This is suicide.”

She shrugs. “I planned to end my life tonight. This seems like a flashier way to go.”

My heart goes as cold as the winter wind. She was truly going to kill herself? I thank the Ancestors for allowing me to find her before she did anything.

“But Clotty needs me, and I won’t abandon her. Not now. Not when I have even a small chance at saving her. I have to try. And if I die in the mines, then—”

“The mines?” I cross my arms over my chest. “You aren’t going to the mines. You are going to the winter realm where it’s safe.”

“No one asked you, bossy.” She shoots me a glare that I’ve always found more than a little distracting. But now? Now I want to jump her until the glare dissolves into pure passion. Maybe my face gives away my thoughts, because Beth swallows hard and turns back to Taura.

“I have to try.” Beth hugs the girl, then points through the hedge. “Go swiftly. Do it now while everyone is distracted. I’ll see you all in the winter realm.”

I know she’ll see them in the winter realm, because we are going to the winter realm right along with them. I open my mouth to say as much when a sharp howl cuts through the air.

The slaves take off running through the small gap in the hedge, all of them hurrying as if the master of the Spires is at their backs.

“What is that?” I turn back to Beth.

She’s gone pale, her gaze fixed down the lane toward the back of the property. Undiluted fear transmits down the bond, and I move closer to her.

“Beth?”

“The hounds. The collapse must have set them free. They’ll come straight for me.” She backs away and puts one hand to her throat.

“Then they come to their death.” I throw her over my shoulder and pull a blade from my waistband, then take off into the night.

13

Beth

“Behind you!” I slam my palm onto Gareth’s back.

He whirls and throws one of his blades, the metal nothing more than a blur as it finds its home in the bitch’s skull. She half-yelps before falling to her side, her tongue lolling out.

“Yes,” I crow to the moon. “You did it.”

“Don’t celebrate just yet. Didn’t you say there are three of them?” He takes off again, bounding through the dark streets that grow shoddier the closer we get