Page 61 of A Shard of Ice

“Right now,” Xander agrees.

Before we can do anything more, a voice rings out. “Stand right where you are.” I recognize Egan’s voice.

We are surrounded by the remaining bloodfae. We’re greatly outnumbered and in big trouble. My first thought is for Kyrie.

22

Kyrie

“Stand right where you are,” someone shouts from the darkness behind us.

I gasp and turn, letting go of my horse, and it runs away into the night. Xander, Thesha, and Damon react instantly by drawing their swords. They stand almost back-to-back, with me between them in the middle. Although the other two horses react by snorting and stomping, they don’t run.

My heart pounds and my hands feel clammy. This can’t be happening. I only just found Damon again. Now, I might lose him all over again. It’s one thing after another.

Kakara help us.

I know it’s probably useless, but I pull my dagger anyway, clasping it tightly in my hand.

“You may as well give up now,” Egan says. “We have you surrounded.” I recognize his voice. I’d remember it anywhere. Several horses nicker and snort around us.

“Sneaking off in the middle of the night, are we? Queen Snow will not be happy with the snub,” a bald male fae says as hesuddenly appears through the darkness. He is holding up his hand; a soft glow penetrates through the darkness, lighting his path. He is wearing breeches and a crumpled tunic. Despite his disheveled appearance, I get the distinct impression that he is someone of importance. “The queen will be hurt, Damon, but I’m sure that if you give up now, she will forgive you and still accept you as her husband.”

“What?” I frown. “Is he serious?” I whisper. How do they know each other?

“I’m very serious, young human.” He speaks with authority. He’s definitely the leader.

“So that’s why there is a bounty on his head? The queen wants to marry Damon. Why? I mean, does she know you?” I ask Damon and then quickly turn my head back to the bloodfae leader. I realize that I’m talking too much. The situation doesn’t exactly warrant it, but I can’t help it. I have a whole lot of questions rolling around in my head. Queen Snow wants to marry Damon. A nobody who used to have power.

What kind of power?

One thing is for sure: Damon used to be somebody important, and if the queen wants him so badly, he must still be someone of significant importance.

“Why, indeed?” the leader says. “Why do we love who we love? It is an age-old question.”

“Her interest is sick, Cassius. She wants this for all the wrong reasons, and you know it.”

“You sound like a petulant child, Damon. Perhaps I was wrong in my assessment of you. You need to do your duty. To do the right thing.” His tone is clipped.

Duty? What does that mean?

“I could say the same thing to you,” Damon says, his eyes haunted.

“I’m afraid that you leave me no choice, son,” Cassius says, his eyes hazy. “We will be compelled to take you by force.”

“So be it,” Damon says.

At first, there is silence. No one moves a muscle. We all just stand there. Cassius and Damon have a stare-off. Then, moments later, chaos erupts as the fae come at us.

From the sound of the horse’s hooves, they aren’t quite as close as I thought they were. I don’t have time to dwell on it because Damon hooks an arm around me. I’m not sure how he does it, but when he mounts, I am in front of him. My stomach lurches as it is left behind by the sudden movement.

It lurches again when Damon kicks the horse forward. It springs straight into an all-out gallop.

“Stick to the fallback plan,” Xander yells. I realize that he and Thesha are right next to us and pulling ahead. “Can’t outrun them,” he yells.

“What plan?” Damon growls in my ear. He’s guiding the horse around obstacles. Our smaller animals are far more agile than the big fae steeds. We are making ground, at least for now.

“Hold on!” he yells, and we jump over something. A fallen branch or a rock, perhaps. I hold back a scream.

---