Page 42 of The Cursed Kingdom

“P—” I try to plead, to say anything, but I can’t get the words out.

“Let her go,” Kie says.

He tightens his grip on Mason’s throat, putting the shifter in an identical situation as me. What feels like minutes—but is probably only a fraction of a second—passes before Mason angrily releases me.

I crumple, falling onto my already injured knees as I drag in precious oxygen through my burning throat.

“She’s human,” Kie says. “We can’t kill her.”

Mason grunts. “I disagree.”

A long silence stretches between the two, one filled with the sounds of my frantic panting. Tears leak from my eyes and pour down my cheeks, the reaction involuntary. Crying isn’t going to save my life.

“We don’t kill humans,” Kie says.

“Shifters do,” Mason argues. “And she’s a liability.”

If I intend to make it out of this alive, I suspect I’ll need to fight for it. Ignoring my burning throat, back, and knees, I struggle to my feet.

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” I say.I’m looking for the plant the shifters are rumored to be harvesting into a weapon. Then I’m going to bring it to a woman I’m pretty sure is a fugitive—or the daughter of one.“I swear I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m just exploring, and we happened to cross paths. It was a coincidence.”

Mason eyes me, his cold, calculating gaze traveling down my frame. He looks disgusted with what he sees, and I get the feeling he doesn’t believe a word I’m saying. I don’t know how to prove it to him. I can’t, mainly because I’m lying through my teeth. Mostly.

Some people don’t believe lying by omission counts, but I do.

“I swear it,” I insist. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”

I point to my bag, the one that Mason somehow managed to rip off my shoulders without me noticing. He also took my knife,which I spot lying on the ground several feet away. He was so fast with it. Too fast.

I clear my throat. “I’ll just grab my things and go. You’ll never see me again. I promise.”

Mason steps aside, avoiding brushing against me as I squeeze between him and the tree he pinned me against. I’m sweating, and I tuck my loose hair behind my ears as I grab my backpack and slip it up my shoulders.

“I’m sorry for bothering you,” I repeat.

Kie crosses his arms over his chest. “Zaha likes humans.”

What? I look over, pleased to see he’s speaking to Mason. I take this as my cue to leave.

Mason hasn’t moved from his original spot, and I keep a close eye on him as I pick up my knife. I clutch it in my fist, just in case. If he comes after me again, I’m going to fight.

There’s no other option. Judging by the muscular frames of both these men, they’re athletic. They can easily outrun me, even if I have a head start. Fighting is my best, and only, option.

“It won’t hurt to bring her with us,” Kie continues. He gestures wildly in my direction. “She’s pretty, and Zaha might feel generous if we bring her a gift.”

Agift? Are they talking about me? I’m not a fuckinggift.

Chapter Seventeen

ABBY

I CURL MY fists around my backpack straps, still prepared to fight.

Maybe running away is the better option, though. The odds of getting away are slim, but the odds of winning in a hand-to-hand fight against these two is even slimmer. I have a knife, but I don’t realistically think that will be much help against two large men.

I don’t even know how to use it.

I’m going to run. Yeah. That’s the better option.

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