Chapter 7

SEVEN

Cassia

I need to stay focused and put one foot in front of the other, just like I've been doing all night. Even though it's hard. My feet are numb, and they barely move as I drag them along, but I can't afford to stop. If I do, I'll get caught again, because if they're smart, and the jury is out on that, those assholes will still be hunting me. So, for now, my job is to put as much distance between me and that troop of idiots as possible.

The only noise is the sound of my feet trudging along the forest floor as the sun rises and the little sounds of the animals welcoming the dawn. There's no sound of mankind, either the ones who are hunting me or ones who could help me. It's just me, alone, desperate to survive.

What's worse, my path has been lined with death. Dead animals. Bones. I've never seen so much in my life. It's like the damn things are flocking to me. Lining my path through the woods.

It's fucking eerie, bringing to memory the words of the tree elf in a way I hate .

I gasp as motion catches my eye. A bird's body hangs above me, tangled in some thin branches, moving just a little more than the wind should shift the branches.

"Creepy. So fucking creepy," I whisper, then wrap my arms around myself.

How did this end up being my life? One day I'm a maid, the next I'm the mate to four fae princes, then kidnapped, and now I've escaped into a strange forest filled with death. It's all so much that sometimes I just want to throw myself on the ground and sob, maybe even throw a tantrum like a child.

But I know it'd do no good.

It's the same circle of thoughts I've had since I was kidnapped. I'd hoped by now I'd have some clarity, but I don't. Not on anything. But I can't seem to process that I'm engaged to four princes, or that if I ever get home I have an awkward situation to figure out. All I know for certain is that I have to keep going. That I have to survive. My family needs me. And I don't want to be dead before I can even decide what to do about the princes who haunt my dreams.

I pause, thinking I heard something. Is someone following me? I whirl around wildly, but no one's there. It's just the sounds of the forest. The woods grow quieter in the morning after all the nocturnal animals go back in. Some birds call out, and a few woodland animals scurry about, but for the most part, I'm alone.

Which, for some reason, is even more unsettling.

"Keep moving," I whisper to myself as I turn around and begin walking once more.

I won't let this break me. I won't let them win. No matter what it takes .

Rubbing my arms, I try to ignore my chattering teeth. "You got this. You can do this."

I can't let myself get distracted. I have to stay focused on surviving. When the sun is higher, I can rest. Then do it again and again, until I reach the Summer Court. No matter how far away that is.

Time passes. I ignore a dead squirrel spread out on the top of a bush. I walk around the body of a rabbit that lies across my path. These things are strange. They're bad omens, but nothing beyond that.

At least, I try to tell myself that, even though the words ring hollow.

The sun rises slowly through the trees, and with the brightening of the world, anxiety courses through me. My plan was to move until I couldn't move anymore, but I forgot that the daylight, even now, brings trouble. I'm going to be spotted, and I'm too tired to run. I have to find somewhere safe to hide for the day. Preferably somewhere with a banquet of elaborate cakes and a soft bed.

If I wasn't so tired, I'd laugh at the thought. Instead, I force myself to keep going. Right now, basic food and water are the only luxuries I desperately need.

Seriously, I could even eat bugs. Anything to calm the gnawing in my belly and the dryness of my throat. I've kept walking downstream with the river to my right as I've moved, and I've stopped to drink often, but it's just not enough. I don't know why.

I just need to find a bush. A hollowed tree. A safe space where neither man nor creature can reach me. My eyes keep scanning, but I see nothing. There's no place to stop. Nothing obvious to eat. No berries. No nuts. No slow bugs. There're just trees in all directions .

Then I freeze. The forest has gone quieter. Something has changed. My heart races, and I look around me. It looks like… there's the edge of the forest ahead of me.

I stumble, barely keeping upright as I drag myself forward. Fuck. I see buildings. I think I've come to a town. A town that has to have people. People in the Summer Court… because we didn't travel long enough to leave his lands, and those people would be loyal to Prince Sulien.

Relief flows through me like a wave lapping at the shore. I calm down and find energy simultaneously. The knots in my muscles loosen and my heart beats steadily, not frantic and chaotic like it has been all night. My body is lighter, no longer carrying the weight of my fear at being in the forest or being caught again.

In a town, the people will get me back to the princes and far away from this waking nightmare.

My pace quickens. I walk into the town and search for anyone who might be awake at this hour. The few houses I walk past are dark and quiet. I could knock. I will knock if there's no one else, but I head past them.

What am I doing? No one should be up at this hour. I sure wish I wasn't. I'd much rather be in that ridiculously enormous bed in the castle. I'd even take my old bed at the house I grew up in. Anything is better than this.

I'm about to turn around and just start knocking on doors when I see a trail of smoke in the sky. Limping forward, I turn a corner and head down another street. When I reach the end of it, I freeze. It's coming from a bakery.

Of course, the local baker is up! I smile so hard my face starts to hurt. I almost break out into a run, but I don't have the energy. When I knock, a tiny baker opens the door immediately, her smile bright. She's easily in her sixties with a plump frame, gray hair in a bun at her neck, and a smile that doesn't waiver.

"Oh my, sweetheart, are you okay?" she asks, her gaze running over me.

She'll get me home.

I shake my head, swallowing around a lump in my throat. No, I'm not okay, but I will be.

"You look like you've been through hell. Come on in and let's get you resting." She puts her arm around me and guides me into the warm bakery, as if her tiny frame could keep me from falling.

My stomach growls loud enough for us both to hear, but I try not to be embarrassed. I'm hungry. I probably look like hell. Fuck, I probably smell like hell. There's nothing I can do to change that fact.

Wordlessly, she sits me down and offers me some bread. I take it greedily and tear into it. It must be yesterday's bread because it's not soft or warm, but I don't care.

After I finish the whole roll, I look up and feel some of my desperation easing as I itch my wrists beside the iron cuffs. "Thank you so much. I don't even know where I am. I'm from the Summer Court, and I was kidnapped by a group of people. I escaped and spent the night in the woods." I pause to drink the water she places in front of me.

"Oh, my, what an ordeal! You're so brave!" Her brown eyes are wide, and she wipes her hands on her apron as if wiping away my story.

Finishing the water, I catch her eye again. "I really need to get home. Can you help me?"

She looks like someone's grandmother, like she takes in all the neighborhood children and feeds them sweets and loves on them. I can't believe I stumbled upon her. I can't believe I got this lucky.

Her eyes soften. "Of course I can. A sweet thing like you shouldn't be out here. It's dangerous. I'll go notify our lord. He'll no doubt send his guards to take you back to the Summer Court. I'm sure you're missed dearly."

I nod. "And I have people there. People who will be glad to pay for my safe return and your help," I rush out.

She seems unfazed by my offer, like she only plans to help me to do the right thing, and turns to leave. "Of course. Stay here, and I'll be right back."

When she leaves, I relax into the chair, feeling renewed by the bread and the water, even if my skin is noticeably itchy. Or maybe I'm feeling more relaxed because I've reached someplace safe, and I can actually think about how uncomfortable my body is. I don't know. Ugh, I might have been poor, but I always cleaned myself in some way each night. I'm not used to being filthy.

I think of home and let myself relax into my thoughts. No doubt my father and grandmother have been worried about me. And the princes. I can't wait to be back with them, no matter how complicated things have become. There, at least, I'm safe.

My eyes are drawn to her shop. There's a small wood-burning stove in the center. Surprisingly, it doesn't look like it's big enough to make more than one loaf of bread at a time. And there's nothing in it right now. A time where she should have a loaf baking and several more done for the villagers to buy.

Which is weird.

"What kind of bakery is this?" I ask myself, standing now even though my feet are dying .

I open drawers and cabinets, starting off respectful and then getting bolder as I go. There are no baked goods. Not a single bag of flour or pinch of sugar. But there is a cache of weapons in the next room. They're hanging on the wall like a display.

Exploring more, I notice that there's iron plating around the windows. There's a whole wall of iron in a small room in the very back of the shop. This is not a bakery, but I don't know what the hell it is. Iron is forbidden in all the courts because it hurts the fae. Why would the baker have so much of it?

My stomach threatens to bring up the bread I just ate. This doesn't feel right. She's not a baker at all. What she clearly is is someone who doesn't like the fae.

My frantic heartbeat returns. Why does this sweet-looking old lady have so many weapons? Why does she have a house full of forbidden iron?

I decide not to stay and find out. There's a door in the back, and I rush to slip out of it, closing the door silently behind me. Before my sigh of relief leaves my body, I turn around and slam into a hard chest. My gaze slides to a tattooed man, one whose tattoos match one of the men from the crew from yesterday. There's no mask on his face anymore, but I know it's him.

Shit.

I turn to run, and he slams me back against the door. My exhausted body crumbles like a leaf, and I stare up at him with wide eyes as I struggle to get back on my feet. This isn't possible. How the hell is he here?

"Grif, she's not there," the not-baker says as she comes racing around the corner, followed by, "Oh, you've already found her." Her sweet smile has a sinister look to it now .

Bitch.

I grab a handful of dirt and leap to my feet, throwing it into his eyes and diving to the side, to freedom, but he slams me back against the door again. A little gentler this time. Not at all disturbed by my dirt.

"Get the fuck away from me!" I scream at the top of my lungs. Loud enough that he flinches. Loud enough to wake the occupants of the houses around me and draw their curious gazes.

Another possible route to freedom.

Without hesitation, he shoots forward. Now, his arms are wrapped around me, hoisting me into the air. I swing my legs, kicking at any and everything I possibly can, hoping to land somewhere that incapacitates him, while at the same time jerking my body around trying to get away. But he has a strong hold on me and won't let go.

The next best thing to do is to bite him, so I chomp down on his arm, and he yells. He loosens his arms just enough for me to slip out, and I take off again, not even chancing a look back. I know my energy is waning, so I need to use this chance while I can.

Then I scream and scream as loud and hard as I can. Hoping to wake the entire village. Hoping to find my savior amongst these townsfolk. But he's gaining on me. My legs–they're so tired, and they're in so much pain. I know damn well I'm not going to get away from him. I just need to buy myself enough time for people to start looking.

So, I keep screaming. I scream until my voice is raw. I scream until I'm choking on the sound, but still, I'm continuing to try. Unfortunately, I don't see a single person. Or see a single movement.

Where the hell is everyone ?

I turn, hoping to see someone emerging from the buildings. Instead, I spot my captor, so close behind me he could spit on me. He catches up to me and reaches out to grab me again. I swing my leg back and kick him in his crotch, bringing him to his knees, even though the movement leaves my entire body shaking from exhaustion. Darkness edges my vision, but I turn and keep going.

I pick a turn at random, but soon realize that I've made the wrong choice. The end of the alley is all that stands in front of me. I'm a fucking cornered animal. I whirl around, hoping to switch directions, except the man appears at the mouth of the alley.

Fuck.

The only thing I can do now is fight back. Fight back and keep screaming. So I open my mouth and start right back up with my screaming as I pace backwards from him. He's coming towards me slowly, like a predator stalking its prey.

I move into a fighter's stance. If he's going to take me, he's going to have to beat me down first because I'm not going down without a fight. I do, however, have to shut up for a minute and catch my breath. By now my screaming has to have woken the entire village.

Right?

"Just turn around and go," I pant out. "The villagers will be awake. They'll see what you're doing and you'll get caught."

His smile is cruel and unexpected. "Think so?" He laughs. "I don't, you slippery whore!"

He lunges for me. I step out of the way and he loses his footing, clearly counting on me being slower, but he quickly regains his balance and swings back around. We're face-to-face, and I throw out a punch. He ducks and comes back with a solid hit straight to my nose.

Pain explodes through my face. The world goes black, and I only see darkness and stars. I can't even be sure I'm still breathing. I can't feel my body. Somewhere deep inside, I'm fighting back toward consciousness, swimming when I don't know which way is up or down.

When I open my eyes again, I'm tied up on the back of a horse. I can't even muster the energy to try to fight again, but I twist my hands and ankles hopelessly against the ropes. I'm tied so tightly there's no way I can escape, and my face hurts so badly tears blur my vision.

We slowly gallop away, and through my tears I see the old baker woman watching. She just stands with her hands on her hips, smiling. No one else in the village even dared to see what was wrong.

"Bitch!" I yell at her, swallowing a sob. Then, "Cowards, all of you! The Fae Princes will have your heads for this! I swear it!"

But no matter my empty threats, the village fades in the distance. I'm kidnapped again. Back in the hands of my enemy. No one who cares knows where I am.

"How did you find me?" I ask, my words an accusation.

I can hear the amusement in his voice. "There's nothing out here for miles and miles. Nothing but a town full of people, loyal to us. Filled with people who hate the fae as much as we do. People who have been wronged, who have been hurt by the fae… who have even lost loved ones to the fae, just like the rest of us. It wasn't hard to guess where you'd end up, or that they'd turn you over to us. "

It's like a blow to my chest. So, the village was never anything but a trap. A trap I fell for.

Everything I've done for the past day has been for nothing.

I relax my muscles and give up, tears sliding down my face. I'm too exhausted to even pretend there might still be a happy ending for me. Not when I'm heading back to the Death House.