Page 128 of The Cursed Kingdom

I can think of only one faerie strong enough to do such a thing, and I curse as I realize that likely means my mom retrieved Abby herself.

I didn’t think she would make another attempt for Abby so soon, and I especially didn’t think she’d take it upon herself to fetch the human herself. That’s a job well below her station, and my mother loves her public image too much to risk tarnishing it.

Abby lets out another loud yelp just moments before Mason shoves open the door leading outside. She sounds like she’s in pain, and I force myself to remain calm as I join Mason outside.

The faeriesexpectthe shifter to be angry. They’re accustomed to it, and it’s nothing unusual when he loses his temper. I haven’t been raised with the same luxury, though, and I must remain composed.

Mason has a faerie by the throat within milliseconds, and he tosses the queen’s guard aside before reaching for Abby. It takes her a moment to follow his movements, her reflexes slow, and Mason already has her in his clutches before she realizes what’s happening.

She flinches, her entire body shooting backward before her gaze falls to where she stabbed him earlier. The skin is already healed, which Abby seems to realize as she frowns and tries to wiggle out of Mason’s grasp.

She reeks of blood, which must’ve been what Mason was smelling earlier. It’s coming from her thigh. The fabric of her leggings is wet, and I press my lips together as I eye the trail of blood seeping down her leg and soaking into her sock.

I knew she cut herself when she attacked Mason, but I didn’t realize the wound was this bad.Stupid fucking human.

Mason grunts. “I’ll return her to her room.”

Herroom? I don’t think she’ll be pleased to hear him referring to it as that, nor is it true. Abby doesn’t have a home here, or a room. We’ve yet to figure out her living situation.

“I’ll do it,” I say.

I don’t trust Mason.

He shakes his head. “You’re not wearing a shirt, and Abby tends to flail.”

I frown, looking down. He’s not wrong.

“Fine, but remain with Abby,” I say. “We don’t need my mother making another visit to our home. I’ll stay here and speak with Lillian.”

Mason shoots me a look, then begins pulling an angry Abby away. She fights him every step of the way, creating a scene. By the end of the day, every faerie in the capital will have heard about her. They’ll want to know who she is and why we’re protecting her, and they’ll call for public punishment when they learn about her ties to Lillian.

I’m not going to let that happen. I feel protective over the human, for reasons I can’t even begin to explain. I treated her poorly inside the forest, I know that, and a small part of me is desperate to prove I’m not the monster she believes me to be.

I refused to let myself feel guilt over my actions when I thought I was giving her away, telling myself it was what needed to be done to save the kingdom, but guilt has been settling heavily in my chest since Zaha’s rejection.

I don’t particularly enjoy the feeling of it.

I turn and retreat into the building, but the moment I reach the entrance to the cells, a frail, veiny hand darts out and smashes against my exposed chest—touching my bare skin.

Chapter Fifty-Three

ABBY

MASON DOESN'T SPEAK as he brings me to Kie’s home. I’ve gathered that he must also live there, which doesn’t surprise me. Of course they share a house.

“Please, Mason,” I plead. “Let me see her.”

I need to make sure she’s okay.

Immaculately dressed faeries linger and stare just as they did when I was with Queen Gitta, but it doesn’t bother me as much when I’m with Mason. I’m too angry to care about their opinions of me right now.

I grunt, trying to pull my arm free. “You’re such a fucking asshole.”

There’s a shocked gasp from a woman standing on my right, but Mason doesn’t react to my insult. I want to make him so angry that he turns us around and drags me to the cells with Lill. I don’t understand why they keep bringing me to their home.

Mason pulls me down corridor after corridor before pushing open the front door to his home and shoving me inside. I expect him to release me, but he maintains his tight grip as he drags me down the hallway that leads to the bedroom he and Kie keep locking me inside of.

“No,” I beg. “Please, Mason, I— I just want to see— Is she okay? I need—”

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