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"Where the hell have you taken me?" I demand
A tiny smirk pulls at the corner of his mouth He should have left the blindfold on because I’ expression framed by his tousled blond hair He pulls off disheveled-sexy very well, and the fact that I notice he’s good-looking pisses ly and scarred He shouldn’t have a face like his
I yank s I think there are et a clear look because Aren’s hand locks on the back ofat the shadows!" His fingers hurt He must have found a pressure point because I’ to be kind to you, McKenzie, but I will not allow you to learn anything that ht hurt oing numb I stare at his scuffed boots and remain as still and docile as possible His hand relaxes but re silence, I risk a glance up
His silver eyes turn a ray as he appraises me, and fear shimmies down my spine His words really sink in now, and I’ me alive isn’t worth the risk
"Good," he says with a nod that tells me he knows I understand how precarious my situation is He takes estures to a path thatway to walk"
Because I’m exhausted, it takes a hell of a lot of effort not to ask him why he didn’t just open the last fissure directly to our destination I have to enter a fissure at a gate, but I can exit anywhere, as long as I have an anchor-stone imprinted for that location Besides, I think I know the answer to my question He’s paranoid That’s why he took ates, and that’s why he’s watching row eyes in the back of my head and see the shadows behind us I want to tell hiood at my job--the shadows are too old, too faded, for lance at the sky as alk and wonder if we could be in California or on There’s a two-hour time difference between my home near Houston and those states, but no, that distance isn’t enough to account for the sun It’s on its way up, not down, so we can’t be on the West Coast I don’t think we can be anywhere in the western hereat
Critters skitter in the underbrush as we follow the pseudotrail Aren stays close by my side I want to ask about Kyol I know he could have escaped if he tried, but he’s never abandonedthat he died forin the pit of ’s sword-master means to me I don’t want hi, I duck under a low-hanging branch Hidingnew; I should be used to it by now Kyol and I aren’t supposed to want each other We’ve both tried not to We’ve tried to keep our relationship professional, to touch only when necessary, but Kyol’s stronger than I am He’s the most honorable man--human or fae--I’ve ever : we’ll never have a happy ending Even if he doesn’t lose his life fighting for his king, the laws of the Realether
I know I need to ht mind would wait ten years for aabout love--it makes you do stupid shit I live for the moments when Kyol’s control breaks, the moments e’re alone and we kiss, and when I can pretend everything is right in both our worlds
God, what if we never have another moment like that?
When the trail ends, I forcethat’s about the size of a football field Enough trees are scattered about the glade for their outstretched branches to create a fairly solid canopy above us Sunlight flickers through the leaves, tossing shadows over dirt, tran is cracked and faded, but I’ible nauesthouse that’s just ahead It’s a three-story structure with a peaked roof and brown tri up its side and the whole place looks weakened by age, but I can iht have looked like in its youth There’s a certain storybook feel to it More precisely, there’s a Hansel and Gretel feel to it Hn and scrutinize the barely there words It’s not exactly welco theasthaus
I stop suddenly and turn to Aren "Germany? Seriously?"
The corner of his mouth quirks up "Why not?"
He places his pales me forward Maybe I should count myself lucky he isn’t upset I’ve learned what country we’re in, but honestly, it’s not like we’re in Luxee mall in Texas If I’e, my best friend--okay, my only friend--and tell her where I am She doesn’t know the fae exist, but she’s e if I ask Problem is, even if she passes it on today, it would take the Court months to search all the reone before they foundof the rebels, there are ht--ht I’ve become somewhat used to over the years They’re dressed in typical non-noble fae fashion Men and women both hite or pale-brown tunics over dark pants that are stuffed into black boots A feear armor similar to Aren’s It’s made from the bark of a jaedric tree The Court treats theirs with a substance that darkens and shines it, but the rebels don’t Theirs is dull and splotchy S pouches are tied to the weapon belts cinched around their waists They’re the same kind of pouches as the one I have stuffed into my backpack, which I haven’t seen since Aren knocked me out Those pouches hold anchor-stones the same as h the camp When their silver eyes meet mine, they end their conversations Pretty soon, everyone’s staring No one’sflashes over their skin, and the hair on the back of my neck prickles These people despise s several paces to round at their feet, and two of the ed when they tried to block my escape At the time, there were six of theh it shouldn’t Those deaths are their own fault When I track fae for the Court, Kyol always tries to capture our targets He only kills if it’s necessary These rebels made it necessary when they attacked me