Page 48 of The Cursed Kingdom

Mason quickly chimes in. “And we’ve concluded you have zero survival skills.”

I shrug. I think I was doing pretty fine on my own. My fingers curl around the handle of my knife, but I resist the urge to pull it out. It may have been an oversight, and I’m not going to remind them I have it until I’m ready to use it.

It’s with a heavy heart that I release the handle, and I shove a handful of nuts in my mouth as I search for my water bottle. I very quickly realize it’s not here, though.

I clear my throat. “Did either of you grab my water bottle?”

Kie and Mason pause what they’re doing, their eyes quickly meeting. Kie makes a face and Mason shrugs, their silent communication pretty easy to follow. My assumption here is that Mason was meant to grab it, and he’s shrugging because heconvenientlyforgot the one item I need most to survive.

Does he know how badly humans need water?

Kie is the first to speak. “We can make a detour to Traul River. We should be pretty close.”

Mason shakes his head, immediately shutting down the suggestion. “No. Shifters swarm the area. It’s too dangerous.” He turns toward me. “How long can you survive without water?”

“Without exercise, maybe three days.”

“Fuck!” Mason drags his fingers through his hair. “Fucking useless humans.”

Rude.

Kie pulls a thin tarp out of his bag and fastens it to the trees at waist level, creating a roof for him to sleep underneath.Despite how small it folds up, it stretches relatively wide, easily making enough room for him and Mason. Are they going to cuddle up underneath it? I can’t quite tell if they’re friends or lovers.

They both share the title ofprince, but they’re clearly not brothers. Besides their dark hair and titles, they share no physical similarities. What is a shifter prince doing with the faerie prince, though? Especially considering the animosity between the two species.

Mason rifles through his bag and pulls out a rolled-up mat. It’s glimmering, covered in magic, and he lays it on the ground underneath the makeshift roof Kie set up. All their supplies are greenish brown, blending seamlessly with the woods.

The sun continues to rise, filling the sky with bright light that filters through the gaps in the trees surrounding us. I want to know why they decided to walk through the night and sleep in the morning, but I don’t voice my thoughts. I want to draw as little attention to myself as possible.

Kie and Mason’s tarp blocks the sun, darkening their sleeping area. Lucky them.

I run a hand down my face before tugging off my sweatshirt and dropping it on the ground by my feet.

They haven’t invited me into their little fort, but even if they did, I wouldn’t accept. There are several steps and two large trees between us, and I fully intend to keep it that way. The more space separating us, the better.

Neither Mason nor Kie pay me any mind as I finish my handful of nuts and lie down, facing the sky. I’m sure they’re aware of my every movement, and they’re probably expecting me to take off at the first chance, but I’m not that dumb.

When Samuel created that map, I saw how far the portal was from Farbay. It’ll take several days to reach the portal, giving metime to plan. I’m sure I’ll only get one attempt, and I won’t ruin it by rushing.

These two don’t think much of humans, and they’ll inevitably relax in a day or two. I’ll make my escape then. I have no idea where I’ll go, but it’ll be far from these two.

I just have to ensure the shifter can’t track me, which might be challenging.

Kie lies back on the mat Mason laid out, a low groan slipping from his throat. I’m glad he’s comfortable.Asshole.I shift, acutely aware of a thick tree root underneath me.

Mason stands nearby. He looks angry, his lips pursed and eyebrows furrowed, but I’m beginning to suspect that’s his neutral expression. His green eyes flicker between Kie and me before he rolls his shoulders back and begins to strip.

My pulse ratchets, my anxiety mounting with each item of clothing he removes. Why? I gulp, swallowing back bile. Is he planning to transform into his animal form?

Mason removes his shirt first, the tight, black fabric yanked over his torso and dropped beside Kie’s head. I didn’t get a good look at his form before, and I mentally curse as I eye the thick muscles lining his chest and abdomen.

I can’t see his back, but I’m sure it’s just as muscular as his front.

No wonder they’re letting me keep my knife. I’d never stand a chance in a fight against this man, let alone one against himandKieran. I doubt I could even hit Mason hard enough to hurt him.

Kie’s still clothed, but I assume his form is just as intimidating. He’s leaner than Mason, but I don’t get the impression that it’s a disadvantage. Mason has the wholebrute strengththing going to him, like he spends a lot of time smashing rocks and splitting tree stumps, but Kie looks fast.

Mason’s gloves are the next article of clothing to go, and I stare at his bare hands. He and Kie wear black gloves, which is unusual. They stand out, drawing attention. I bet it’s intentional. They probably want women to know they aren’t open to being touched.

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