Chapter 10

TEN

Cassia

"Fuck on a stick," I mutter to myself as we round a bend in the road and come face-to-face with a tangled web of trees. Literally. Their branches look like a very tangled spider web. The damn things are so woven together that I can't imagine a bunny getting through no less two women on horseback.

"There's no path here," Lady Nova says.

No shit.

She leans over her horse with an easy grace I envy. Her horse seems like part of her, like her sword. Throughout the last day, not only has Lady Nova been teaching me how to fight with a sword, she's been teaching me how to use magic. And seeing how much I suck in comparison to her has led me to noticing all the little things about her that just seem fluid and easy. Like the way she leans over her horse, her long body stretched out, her blonde hair hanging in a braid over her shoulder. She looks like a fae warrioress .

How in the hell was I the one Prince Sulien made this deal with when there are fae like Lady Nova around?

"What do you think?" I prod, looking between her and the mess in front of us.

She takes a long moment to answer, and then a smile curls her lips. Not a happy smile. Kind of like the smile I'm sure she gets before she removes someone's head. "There's magic afoot."

Magic afoot? I swear, I repeat everything this woman says in my head and try to figure out how it makes any sense before I ask a stupid follow up question, but it still doesn't help. I thought with time I'd figure her out more, but that's been a big fat wrong way of thinking.

A breeze blows through the woods, and I shiver, curling deeper into my jacket. Looking overhead, I study the gray sky. Halfway through the day, everything had changed. It'd grown darker and colder, something I was hoping wasn't a sign of trouble to come.

Regardless of signs or not, we need to get moving. Lady Nova might be able to sit here all day, but I'm the one haunted by terrible nightmares and a gnawing feeling in my gut that just won't go away. I need to save the princes, as quickly as possible, and set things right.

"Lady Nova," I murmur gently, "are you sure we're on the right path? I don't see a way to the House of Death here."

She glances toward me, brow raised. "No, this is the right path."

I blink stupidly, then decide the hell with it. "Then lead on, oh brave leader."

Her brow rises higher. "Oh, we can't get through here. "

My jaw ticks. "But you just said this was the right way."

"It is, Your Majesty ." There's a glint in her eyes that I don't understand.

My patience snaps. "Damn it, Lady Nova, this isn't a game to me! We need to rescue the princes! Don't you get how much they're suffering?"

Those pale green eyes of hers lock onto mine. "You really care about them, don't you?"

She caught me off-guard. "Well, I mean, I…"

"You realize you're going to a place called the House of Death with little to no training to rescue princes you also seem to be pretending not to care about, right?"

I stare. She stares. She doesn't know I'm not their mate or that I rejected them. Does she? I hate how damn astute this woman is.

"I never said I don't care about them… I just also feel like everything's been rushed since I met them."

She cocks her head, seeming to ignore my comment. "You know, I did some digging into you."

Uh oh, that can't be good. "Yeah?"

"You've been kicked around by fae your whole life. Is it true a fae punched you in the nose and broke it for not organizing his shoes correctly?"

I stiffen, remembering that day. I was thirteen. "That's right. But so what? The fae are assholes to a lot of humans."

"And another one ripped your thigh open with a firm kick from their steel-toed boot?"

"That's just what it is to be human among the fae," I say, feeling awkward.

"Is it true a fae once made you cut your hair because she thought it was prettier than hers? "

Fuck. "Where is this going?"

She shrugs. "Me thinks you have some deep-seated distrust of fae that's completely founded."

"Deep-seated…?" I scowl. "I don't have any deep-seated issues. I have my own reasons for being cautious about the princes. I have my own reasons for not wanting to be ripped out of my life, away from my family, and be thrown to four men who will probably use me and throw me away like yesterday's garbage."

She smirks. "If that doesn't say trust issues, I don't know what does."

"Oh yeah, Miss…" I glance over her, " Sword Woman , are you saying you're like a bright pink snuggly unicorn full of hugs and kisses?"

"Unicorns aren't pink," she says.

" Unicorns aren't pink ," I mock back.

That brow goes up again. "But to answer your question, no, I wouldn't say I innately trust people, but I would trust my mates."

Boom. Okay, well, imagine Miss Sword Woman being surrounded by four men wanting to stick their dongs in her without being their mates, while lying to them about being their mate. I'm sure she'd be barking a different tune then.

Her expression gentles. "It's okay to be afraid, but it's also okay to listen to that voice inside of you that says it'll all be okay."

I bite my lip. "And what if you don't have that voice?"

She doesn't hesitate. "Then you accept that you're a little fucked up, but you're going to be okay, and trust the world anyway."

Yeah, I can do that. Not.

Turning back to the woods, she sighs. "These branches blocking the road have to be the doings of the House of Death. They sent those wolves after us and they've done this, probably thinking we're part of a huge party from the Summer Court coming for them… and knowing that while the princes might be bound to their word, the rest of us could do a hell of a lot to get them out of whatever deal they made."

I'm surprised. I've seen a lot of fae magic, but nothing like this. The House of Death really must produce the most powerful of the fae.

"Is it strange that they'd do this?"

Lady Nova looks troubled. "Not now that we know what they're doing to the princes. The question is, how do we reach them as quickly as possible?"

Well, that's easy. "How about we set everything on fire and burn our way through?"

The princes need me. As soon as possible. I'm not letting a web of trees stand in my way.

She smirks. "I like the way you think, but you have to be more strategic. Setting this mess on fire would probably set the whole forest on fire. Not only will that then make the woods too dangerous to travel through, but that's not the stealthy entrance we're going for here."

I should have thought of that. This whole forest would be engulfed in minutes, and who knows what they'd do to my guys then if they knew we were this close to reaching them. At the same time, should we even bother trying to be stealthy at this point?

"But they already know we're coming since they sent the wolves after us. Right?"

"Yes, but she likely thought we were with a huge party. Not that we were alone."

Right. Because why would two lone people decide they could rescue four princes on their own and take on the House of Death? They'd have to be crazy. Or maybe in love.

Well, one of us might just be in love, but the other? Crazy. I mentally shake myself. Focus.

My mind starts working. "So, they were expecting an army, right? Not two women on horseback. So chances are they didn't weave this web of trees this tightly everywhere. Maybe we can find a way to slip through?"

Lady Nova draws back, considering me. "You know, Lady Cassia, you might just have the mind of a warrior after all." She bucks her horse, and they head off the path and disappear into the trees, leaving me and my horse standing alone.

What the hell? Is she seriously leaving me behind?

I yank on my reins and head in the same direction she had, with a mixture of determination and annoyance. The wind blowing against my face actually feels amazing, even though it's cold. It pulls me from my thoughts, focusing me on the present. These House of Death fae might think they're big and bad with their powers, their deals, and their tangled woods, but I'm a hell of a lot badder. I mean, I learned to grow a plant a little, start a fire, and even let my fingers glow, which is really useful because, because… okay, I need to stop thinking, or I'll get in my head about how shitty I am with my newfound powers.

I keep going, but the trees tangle tighter and tighter around me until there's just enough room for my horse to get through. Horses are new to me, but even I can sense his unease. If this horse tries to get away, I have no idea how I'll stop him, or how I'll have any chance at finding Lady Nova.

"Everything's okay. It'll open up soon," I whisper as I reach down to stroke my horse. She's anxious, and I need her to keep going so we can find Lady Nova again. I carefully guide her over a fallen log and hold on tight as she has to slowly walk through a mass of creeping branches.

Am I even going the right way? I don't know anymore.

A flash of Lady Nova's white hair catches my eyes, and I breathe a sigh of relief. I'm not lost. I might not know what I'm doing, but Lady Nova does, and I'm back with her. I'm okay.

My horse struggles, snorting and huffing, but she keeps pushing forward until we catch up. Stopping behind Lady Nova, I wait for her to say something, but she doesn't. She just stares at the tangled woods, so I do too. There appears to be multiple ways to possibly make it through. But which way will get us to the House of Death?

"Do you have an idea here?" Please let her have an idea.

"Maybe." She frowns as she glances back at me. "Did your magic really just develop?"

I stiffen, unsure about what this has to do with anything. "Yeah, why?"

She takes a deep breath that shakes her whole frame. "Time for another lesson with your magic."

" Now ? Don't we have better things to do?" I ask, gesturing to the woods.

"Trust me," she says.

"But–"

"You're going to need more than the abilities you have to survive what we're up against."

I hold my breath at the thought. Survival wasn't a word I'd thought of at all. At least not my survival. I've been too worried about the princes.

"And me learning to use my magic is going to help us right now?"

"I think it might," she says.

That's all I need to hear. "I'm in."

She looks relieved for a moment, then her face is a mask once more. "Close your eyes, Lady Cassia, and envision a golden light leading us through these trees." She turns her horse around and comes as close as our horses will allow, looking painfully serious.

But I'm not convinced. "A golden light? Tell me this isn't a joke."

She glares.

"Okay, not a joke. Golden light. Got it."

She shifts her horse, somehow managing to get even closer. "Give me your wrist. It'll help you focus your magic."

Offering her my wrist, I feel awkward when she takes it. Awkward for a brief moment before her touch makes me feel oddly calm. Calm and even a little happy.

Damn fae powers.

"Now, close your eyes and focus on that golden light."

I do as she asks, clamping my eyes shut. For a second, all I see are the princes, sexy, annoying, and incredible, and then the princes in that cold, dark place. But before I lose myself in that vision, Lady Nova's touch sends that calming feeling through me again, and I refocus, picturing a radiant glow. I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to do, so I picture it bigger and smaller. I twist it, I turn it, and still, I don't feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to.

Is something going to happen?

I stay like that for what feels like an eternity during which Lady Nova doesn't say a word. She only holds onto my wrist. So, I try something new. I try picturing the light moving through the trees, lighting our path, but still, nothing happens.

"Is this what's supposed to be happening?" I ask.

Silence, and then, "No."

I huff as I open my eyes. "Well, that was useful."

"Let's try something different," Lady Nova suggests.

I nod, glancing at the woods. "I'll start the fire!"

She sighs. "No, we're not done with trying this magic yet."

The golden light? It was a bust. How did she not see that?

"This time, focus on the princes. Think about how they make you feel. Hone in on the connection you all share."

My nerves flutter. "My connection to them?"

She tilts her head, studying me. "I'm not asking you to admit anything. I'm not even asking you to admit your feelings to yourself. I just need you to think about them and the way you feel about them while focusing on the golden light."

Wow, this isn't awkward. Nope, not one bit. "Alright, I'll try."

I close my eyes again, and this time I try to think of the princes after spending days trying not to think about them. Instantly, I feel pressure on my chest. The pressure I feel every time I think about our fake marriage, the potion, the lies, and the sense that marrying them means being tied to them forever. Then I stiffen and remember that no one else is in my head. It's okay to push aside those feelings and think about what it's like to actually be with them .

Prince Cobar makes me smile. Prince Zane makes me feel safe. Prince Forrest surprises me. And Prince Sulien drives me crazy. Some deep part of me feels like they already own pieces of my heart, which is probably a big part of the reason they scare me so much, but the feeling is still there. They're important to me. They matter to me.

And for some reason, I matter to them.

"Now," Lady Nova whispers gently, letting go of my wrist, "imagine that golden light guiding us, leading the way to them."

I picture the golden light, and I sense it awakening in front of me. My eyes shoot open, and to my shock, it's there in front of me. Just a couple feet from my face. A golden light like a star, illuminating the space around it. Hovering in the air in front of me. No bigger than my hand, but radiating the kind of energy I can only imagine would come from the sun.

Lady Nova's eyes widen and her mouth falls open. She doesn't say anything, but I can feel her shock. Which surprises me. I thought she believed I could do this. Is she really that surprised it worked?

"Is this… an unusual power?" I ask, feeling uncertain.

She nods, letting the slight curve of a smile come through for just a moment. "It's more than a little unusual. There's no way you just have a fae somewhere in your distant family line."

What? I'm going to have to ask my dad more about that .

My mind is spinning. "If this is some rare thing, how did you even know to try it?"

Her smile widens. "The last person I knew with this skill developed their powers at a similar age and in a similar way, so I took a chance." Then she winks at me. " Now, we don't have time to dwell. Follow the light. It's our way to your men."

When she turns back around and starts riding forward, the golden glow leaps forward too and begins to sail through the trees, weaving in one direction and stopping, as if waiting for us. We ride forward, me behind Lady Nova, and the light continues to dart forward, but always stays near enough. A guiding light in the maze that is these tangled woods.

After a time, my mind begins to race. How can I be a powerful fae? Both of my parents were human. As far as my father has said, my grandparents were human too, and their parents before them. My father has always said our family line is as boring as boring could be. There's no logical explanation for the magic I now have.

My father must have lied to me. Or he didn't know himself. Maybe the fae was somewhere in my mother's line, so he just didn't know? I can't imagine him purposely lying to me.

Right?

Right.

Except, I remember just a few days ago when my grandmother had mentioned the healer who was working on dad, and something about magic, and he'd shushed her. Were they talking about him having magic, or something else? Have they been working together to lie to me all my life?

No. This is crazy. I trust my dad. He's always been honest with me. If I can't believe him, I can't believe anyone. All this craziness can't make me start to doubt the people I care about most.

Pushing the thoughts aside, I try to focus on the present. We work our way through the labyrinth, guided by the golden light I created, but questions continue to gnaw at me. No matter how I think about it, I shouldn't have fae powers.

But I have powers. How is that possible?

My life can't have been built on a lie. The thought hovers in my mind, a growing storm cloud. All I've known is my simple life as a human. I accepted my fate living a life of poverty and servitude, and yet, somehow, dormant inside of me has been fae magic. The list of questions piling up in my mind is long enough to lead us right to the door of the House of Death.

Lucky for me, that's right where we're heading.