Chapter 16

The lavish dining room, with its fancy furniture and elegant silverware, felt stifling. The aroma of the rich food only served to make me nauseous. Garrick had nearly cleared his plate, savoring each bite, while I hadn't even touched mine, my stomach tied in knots with worry.

Garrick wiped his mouth with a napkin and put it down, his brow furrowed in concern. "You're not even going to try your food?"

"I can't eat, knowing Justice is out there…" I couldn't finish what I wanted to say. I got up from the table, knocking my chair over in my haste.

Garrick stood, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Sawyer, sit down. You can't go out there now if that's what you're thinking. You'd never survive."

"And Justice?"

"How many times do I have to tell you this? He's a vampire and has the ability to survive the wilds. You are a human and wouldn't last thirty minutes out there."

"I'm a hunter, Garrick, and a damn good one." I headed toward the door leading out of the dining room, my footsteps echoing on the polished marble floor as I whipped out an arrow and lodged it in my bow.

The heavy wooden door slammed magically shut, the sound reverberating through the grand dining hall.

I whirled, fury pumping through me. "Open the damn doors, Garrick."

Garrick held my gaze as he moved toward me faster than I thought possible. "Are you going to shoot me, hunter? Is that your plan? You'll never find the Veil of Shadows without me."

I hesitated, knowing he spoke the truth. The Veil of Shadows, the key to saving our world, was hidden somewhere in this treacherous land, and Garrick was the only one who knew its whereabouts.

He tried to grab my wrist, but I darted out of the way and ran to the table. I dipped my arrow into the candlelight, catching the arrowhead on fire.

"Sawyer, what are you doing?" Garrick's booming voice was right behind me.

Without looking back at him, I ran to the balcony. The cool night air whipped through my hair as I shot the arrow high into the sky. It blazed like a shooting star, lighting up the blackness.

At the top of my lungs, I yelled, "Justice!"

It was probably a futile attempt to grab his attention. He could be anywhere in this vast land of horrors, but I had to do something. Justice was everything to me, and I had to do whatever it took to bring him back home to me.

Garrick laughed bitterly as he came beside me, the sound grating against my frayed nerves. "Did you really think Justice would see one arrow sizzling into the sky? This is a vast land, Sawyer. It would be a miracle if he saw it." His crushing words stomped out my hope, but I was stubborn and wouldn't give up.

I scanned the horizon, my eyes straining against the darkness, hoping to see something flying like a bat or moving across the land, but nothing twitched. It was as if everything had gone still, holding its breath in anticipation. The wind whistled through the trees, a mournful sound that echoed my despair. "Then I'll shoot another and another until he sees it," I insisted, my voice raw with determination.

"You're exhausted and not thinking straight." Garrick reached for me.

I stepped away from him and narrowed my eyes, straining to see anything in the darkness. Clouds had crowded off the moonlight, and all I could see was a suffocating blackness.

"You need to eat something. Tomorrow, we leave for the Veil of Shadows, and you must be at full strength to face the Grimoire and enter the library. Or did you forget about why you are here?" Garrick's words were a stark reminder of the daunting task, but how could I focus on that when Justice's life hung in the balance?

The cold air turned bitter, and I could see my breath as I exhaled. My teeth chattered, and I shivered. I stayed on the balcony long after Garrick returned inside. I fired two more burning arrows, desperately hoping Justice would see my signal. Yet nothing stirred, not even the wind. I hung my head as a tear slid down my cheek, and I reluctantly returned to the dining room, dragging my feet.

As I entered the dining room, Garrick looked up from refilling his glass. The corners of his mouth turned up into a sarcastic smile. "Satisfied he's not coming?" His words slurred, and his eyes were glossy.

I had no idea how much wine he had drunk. Right now, I didn't care. I slumped onto my chair, my heart heavy with disappointment and frustration. My hunger screamed in agony. I wanted to defy him, to throw his words back in his face, but I was too tired to argue.

Amusement flickered in his eyes. "Hungry, hunter?"

I refused to answer as I picked up my knife and fork and sliced into the meat. I expected it to be ice-cold, but it was warm and melted in my mouth. A twinge of guilt twisted in my stomach. What would Justice think if he saw me now, giving in to my hunger while he was still out there fighting for his life?

Garrick shrugged. "I had your plate kept warm, little human."

"Thank you," I murmured. I wouldn't have said anything, but it was the polite thing to do. My mother would have scolded me if I hadn't responded. She was a ruthless hunter, but she deplored rudeness in anyone.

I finished half my plate and drank another glass of wine Garrick offered me. The rich, velvety liquid warmed my throat and helped ease some of the tension in my shoulders. Garrick sat contentedly, watching me eat as if fascinated. His gaze followed my every movement, my every bite, to the point that I squirmed in my seat. The rough fabric of my pants suddenly felt too tight against my skin.

As if noticing my discomfort, he gave me another charming smile. "Am I making you nervous, Sawyer?" His voice was soft and husky as if he was trying to be seductive.

I put my fork and knife down, the clatter of the utensils against the plate too loud in the quiet room. "As a matter of fact, you are. Why are you staring at me?"

He waved dismissively. "There's nothing else to do but watch a beauty devour her meal."

I wanted to protest, to tell him I was more than a pretty face for him to ogle. Heat swam to my cheeks, and a flush ran down my throat. The meat was gone, and all that remained were a few vibrant vegetables. I wondered what game Garrick was playing and what it might mean for our already complicated relationship.

I pushed my plate away, ready to make Garrick put down his cards. "I'm finished. Now what are we going to do?"

"What else? Go to bed."

"I'm not sleeping with you, Garrick." I narrowed my eyes and reached for the blade hidden in my leather jacket.

He sighed and flashed me a solemn look. "I must admit my goal was to seduce you, little human, and coax you into my bed." He finished off one more glass, then gave me a sad smile. "I haven't been with any woman since Maggie left. Not a human, an Unseelie, or any other creature. Believe me, I have tried. I wanted to forget the pain of losing her in someone else's arms…" His voice trailed off.

I should have been furious with him, threatening to cut out his black heart with my blade, but the anger faded at the pain and loneliness in his eyes. He truly loved Maggie and was devastated she was gone and had turned on him.

"Garrick—"

He grabbed another bottle of wine and rose from the table. "My guard will take you to your room, human. Don't even think about leaving. He will be outside to make sure you're safe."

"Where are you going?"

"Good night, Sawyer." He opened the dining room door and left.

A guard came into the room and escorted me down a hallway filled with tapestries of battles and coronations of kings, the last being of Garrick. I stopped to look at it while the guard opened a door.

He didn't say anything as I entered my room, and I had no doubt he was standing outside my door.

I headed to the room's balcony and looked out at the vast Unseelie shadow land, wondering again where Justice was. Could he see the castle? He could be anywhere.

My worst fear was the demons had overtaken him like what happened back in Mystic Ridge. A demon had bitten him, nearly ripping out his throat, almost killing him. And breaking my heart. I didn't realize how much I cared for him until I almost lost him. Now, it was happening again.

My chest tightened, and my breath came in short, painful gasps. "Justice," I whispered, my voice barely a puff of air. "Please be alive. I need you." Memories of his warm smile and strong embrace flashed through my mind, and a fresh wave of tears threatened to overwhelm me. "You promised you'd always come back to me. Don't break that promise now."

A cool breeze brushed over me while I pleaded for him, and I wished it would carry my words to him, wherever he was. I closed my eyes, picturing his face, holding onto the hope that, somehow, he felt my love reaching out to him across the vast distance between us.