Chapter 7

I had only tried to get to the root-river once, and sheer curiosity had driven me to it. I had been dying to know what the river looked like. I’d regretted my decision almost immediately.

It was guarded by the densest forest in the whole court, made even more difficult to pass through by a constant thick foggy mist seeping through the heavy trees. I had been rendered first disorientated, and then lost within minutes.

Soon our convoy of kidnappers were forced to pause to light torches, shadow-fae being unable to create like their gold-fae enemies. The female handed the Prince one, giving me a flash of his gruesome mask as he turned to accept it.

Large willow trees loomed over us as we resumed our trek. Hawks and falcons called in the trees, and their prey scurried in the dense undergrowth. The odd wolf howl made it through the foliage and mist to further raise my hackles.

“Reyna, why have they taken us?” Kara’s whispered voice was accompanied by an almost painful grip on my arm.

“Your charge is weak, and scared,” the female fae said to me before I could answer Kara.

My bubbling rage spiked.

“This path would be unsettling even if we weren’t being marched along by four shadow-fae, our fate apparently to be disposed of ‘at leisure’, as your murderous Prince put it.”

She gave a small shrug, then looked at Kara. “How old are you?”

“Eighteen,” Kara whispered.

The fae scoffed. “She is no child.”

I bared my teeth at her. “And she is no warrior, either. Leave her the fuck alone.”

“Silence.” The Prince’s deep voice rang though the quiet woods, and I switched from glaring at the female to glaring at his back.

* * *

We walked for another ten minutes or so, and I gave up on the notion of the gold-fae rescuing us. Gold Court guards patrolled the river, though, and I clung to the hope of them finding us. The mist got thicker the further along the path we got, and I smelled the water before I had any chance of seeing it.

The Prince stopped walking and raised his staff. His dark shadows leaped up and ahead, chasing away enough of the mist that in their wake I could see the dark end of a longboat.

When we got closer, I saw that it was a karve . A small war-boat. It was only large enough for about ten, but it was fierce looking.

Where most boats I had seen in pictures had mythical dragons carved at their front, this one had a huge serpent, head reared back and fangs ready. The small sail was black, with the faint outline of a skull on it.

I glanced at Lhoris, his jaw tight.

Where were the guards?

Soft shingle moved beneath my boots in place of the dirt path as we were pushed close to the side of the boat.

“Up you go.” There was a shriek and a tug on my arm as the huge human warrior pulled Kara away from me. I reached out, slamming my fist down on his forearm exactly where I knew the sensitive bit of muscle was, to force him let go.

“Ouch!” he said, without flinching at all. He gave me a quizzical look, then wrapped both hands around Kara’s tiny waist.

“Put her down!”

He ignored me, turning and lifting her clean over the side of the boat. The female shook her head at me, then vaulted herself over after Kara.

I stepped forward but Lhoris spoke. “Do what they ask, Reyna. Remember our lessons,” he said quietly. He cast his eyes to where the Prince was standing next to the carved serpent, his arms folded. Watching.

“Meekness is not one of my strengths,” I ground out.

Lhoris held out a hand, offering to help me into the boat. I ignored it, instead vaulting in exactly as I’d just seen the female do. I stumbled a little on the other side but recovered my footing quickly enough that I was fairly sure nobody saw.

“Nice try,” the female muttered, pushing past me as Kara rushed to my side. I angled a kick at the back of the fae’s leg, but she was out of reach, moving to the snake-head and tugging at the sail ropes as she went. The boat had wooden slats that served as benches across the middle, and large, fitted chests at either end. Oars were fixed at intervals along either side, alternating with vicious metal spikes.

I sat Kara on the middle bench, crouching in the gap in front of her. Lhoris heaved himself into the boat, batting away any help from the human warrior.

“Listen to me, Kara,” I whispered. “Just do exactly what you’re told. I’m not going to let them hurt you, okay?” She nodded. Her face was pale, but I had expected tears. “You’re doing great. Keep being strong.”

“Like you,” she said, hard resolve in her usually soft voice. Heat rushed my cheeks.

She was trying to be strong like me.

Blessed Odin, I wouldn’t let them hurt her.

* * *

I sat next to her, but the female called out. “You, up front with me while we push off. Where I can keep an eye on you.”

“Me?” I said, though I knew perfectly well who she meant.

“Yes. You. The one who just tried to kick me.”

Shit. How had she seen that? She’d had her back to me.

Scowling, I stood up. Lhoris took my place beside Kara, and I climbed over the benches to the front of the boat. I watched as she leaned forward, holding her torch up to a rag at the tip of the carved snakes forked tongue. It caught, casting an amber glow into the white mist. I could just make out the water moving gently before us.

The boat lurched and I stumbled. The female grinned at me. “I’d hold on, if I were you.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, then leaned over the edge of the boat. The human warrior had his shoulder against the side of the karve , and was trying to heave it forward, toward the water. I assumed the fae male was on the other side, doing the same.

Where was the Prince?

My heart leaped into my throat at a soft thud and a flash of black.

Did he just jump into the boat?

Standing beside me, still cloaked in black, the Prince raised his staff. The shadows poured out, whipping around the boat, lending their strength. We moved faster.No oars required.

“Sit,” he said.

“No.” I didn’t have a reason to refuse, other than to prove I was in some sort of control over myself.

“Fine. Fall.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but the boat hit the water, and the planks beneath me shifted. I was barely aware of the two warriors leaping onto the back of the boat as I tumbled forward.

A hand shot out and grabbed the back of my shirt, pulling me back before I tipped over the edge.

Adrenaline spiked through me, and I didn’t struggle when he tugged me down onto the bench. But as he let go of my shirt, I felt his fingers brush across the rune between my shoulder blades.

Instantly my gold-vision descended.

I turned, startled, and let out a gasp. Drifting out from behind the black skull mask was a single, sparkling, golden rune.