Page 125 of King of Storms and Feathers

“As you wish.” The regent smiled smugly.

I took a final long look at Leaf’s face—a passive mask of animosity. Then I flicked my gaze over her body, noting the thin line of blood oozing between her fingers and trickling into the leather pants.

Then, without a word, I inclined my head and left the hall. The Sayeeda’s soft footsteps kept pace with my boots as they thudded against the white-washed floor.

The doors slammed shut behind us.

Chapter 32

Arrow

Back in our temporary chambers, I resumed wearing tracks in the floor, power shuddering over my skin. “I can’t handle this, Ari. Did you see her up there? Trapped by that pathetic leech. What hold does he have over Leaf to keep her so silent? Fuck this! Cloak us. We’re going to find her.”

“Think for a moment. Before we make a move, we need the regent’s answer. If you sign his trade agreement, he may let you walk Leaf out of his hall, and you won’t need to resort to bloodshed.”

I laughed, flashing my fangs. “Do you think I care? I look forward to removing every drop of blood from his gold-soaked veins, then retching it into the nearest sewer for the city’s maggots to feast upon.”

“Thank you for reminding me in an unnecessarily vivid manner that you can use your fangs as highly effective weapons outside the bedroom should you wish to do so.”

Sighing, I stopped in front of Ari and lifted her chin with my finger. “I just need to find Leaf. Reassure her. Be certain she’s unharmed. Then make a plan to eliminate her brother that she finds satisfactory.”

“Listen to you, so eager to serve your human.”

Ignoring that, I pinched her chin hard, then released her. “Will you help me?”

“Of course. But again, I urge you not to act rashly. The best plan may be to leave her where we find her until we have her brother’s answer. But how do you propose we find her chamber?”

I grinned and sniffed the air.

“You can smell her?” Ari asked, her golden eyes wide.

“Yes, her sweet, spicy blood.” I breathed deeply, swaying on my feet.

“Arrow.” She clicked her fingers. “This isn’t the time to swoon like a naiad sighting water in the desert. Snap out of it.”

Opening the door, I stuck my head into the hallway, inhaling deeply. “Found her.” I seized Ari’s hand. “She’s below us. Most likely in the dungeons.”

“Don’t let go of me. The invisibility cloak will be stronger if I’m touching you.”

Following Leaf’s scent, we moved quickly through hallways and connecting stairwells, finding the palace prison in no time. We traipsed past two humans guarding the main chamber into a torch-lit passage that ran along a line of cells, all but two of them empty.

Stripped of her earlier finery and wearing only a ripped brown shift, my human dozed against the rear wall. Messy braids fell over her shoulders, and the flickering light from a sconce illuminated a patchwork of bruises on her legs. Fury filled me at the sight of her in such a ragged state.

“Leaf,” I whispered urgently. “Wake up. It’s Arrow.”

She jerked awake, scrambled toward the front of the cell, and pushed up onto her feet. “Ari! I’m so glad to see you.”

“What about me?” I asked, pressing close to the bars.

Leaf’s hand shot through the bars, and she slapped my face. Hiding a grin, I pressed my palm against my cheek. “What was that for?”

“Oh, let me think.” The corner of her mouth twisted into a wry smile. “Could it be because you just tried to buy me from my vile brother and make me your slave again?”

“That was a ploy to get you out of here. Do you really think I’d lock up a princess?”

“To be precise, I’m a queen. Or soon to be one, anyway. But yes, I do think you’d imprison me in Coridon again. In a heartbeat.”

I thudded my hand over my heart as if I’d been struck by a spear. “Your low opinion wounds me.”

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