bad case of dry lips, but I am a pessimistic bitch and own that shit. There is no glass half full; there’s only Halathnar and his thirsty ass staring at me. Steph the blue plate special, and I’m sure I’ll taste magically delicious.
I groan as I hang my head and lightly roll it in an attempt to ease the tension.
This is going to be a long fucking night.
“Human… human,” a voice hisses, and I turn my head to the right, staring off in the direction of the whispers.
“Yeah?” I croak.
I really need a drink of water or something. This is a hundred times worse than cotton mouth—and no, I don’t smoke, but I’ve been on some wicked pain meds after a minor surgery. I sound like an eighty-year-old chain smoker.
The bushes rustle and a slight figure stepsout. As the moonlight hits her, I blink in recognition at Satharal, though I’m not particularly overjoyed to see an elf.
“Oh… It’s you,” I mumble. “Forgive me if I can’t curtsey or whatever it is elves expect lowly humans to do. You did set me up to be fairy food, so I guess that’s about it.”
She grimaces at my tone and shakes her head.
“I swear—I’m not like those of the Lorandral court. The high elves engross themselves in their court politics and their schemes. Wood elves, like me, are indentured into service with the promise of protection. It is the cost of having our woodlands invaded by them. We either enter their service or are expelled in the wilderness far beyond our homeland borders.”
“That’s really rough,” I reply. “So what made you come for me? It seems that you’ve got enough on your plate.”
A faint pink color stains her cheeks, but she thins her lips stubbornly as she approaches the side of the cage. She reaches out for the lock, but I kick the bar with enough force that she stumbles back in surprise.
“Don’t touch. They’re iron,” I hiss out in warning.
She pales visibly. “I thought it to be blackened copper. Who would have so much iron in our land?”
“Danger fairy over there and his merry band of psychopaths,” I answer with a jab of my thumb in the direction of the camp.
“Oh… Who has the key?”
I slant a surprised look at her because, damn, that’s pretty gutsy. If she’s fronting, I would be surprised because there is nothing but resolve in her expression as she looks. I point to my favorite fairy nemesis who not only assaulted me in my apartment but also took pains to show up for my capture. Bitch.
“Dehandra, the one sleeping over there wearing black. She’s the one whose been flashing around the violet-red wings of hers if you’ve been close enough to notice.”
“Ah, that one,” Satharal says grimly as she squints at the campfire. “Very well. I’ll be right back.”
“Be careful!” I whisper after her.
The little elf is off her rocker, but I have to admire her as I watch her pick her way among the sleeping fairies. She’s at least got one advantage going for her: the fairies decided to party it up and are all sleeping off some pretty heavy drinking. I lose sight of her as she ducks down close to a cluster of them where Dehandra sleeps, but when she pops back up, it’s with a victorious smile and she walks silently back toward me.
Her grin is triumphant as she approaches my cage and lifts the keys for my inspection.
“I could fucking kiss you!” I exclaim in relief.
Surprise whitens her already pale countenance and I laugh quietly and rush to reassure her. “It’s just an expression. I’m really so very grateful. Now get me out of here.”
A tiny smile twists her lips, and she nods to me as she gets to work fitting the key into the lock. With a tiny pop, the door swings open and I jump out from the confines of the cage. Satharal grips my forearm and leans in close to whisper urgently.
“Come on. We have to get you somewhere safe. I saw the goblin leave—I think to retrieve your mate—but I don’t hold much hope for him while the king has control over him.”
“I wouldn’t bet on those odds.” I laugh quietly. “My mate is stubborn as a mule and that goblin seems to get in and out of trouble effortlessly. We just need to lie low somewhere, and they’ll find me.”
“Oh, I don’t think they will,” a voice interrupts as something sharp stabs deep into my leg, making