Page 68 of Blood and Roses

"Enjoy your chains, Balthasar," Pearl hissed. "I'm sure the faerie are enjoying passing Rosa around." Then she was gone in a cloud of angry perfume and a slam of the door.

It wasafter midnight when Balthasar heard his door rattle again. It had been hours since Saul had visited him to give him an update on all that was happening in the Gwaed Gam world. The revolt was being investigated, and Eli had started to take out his frustrations out on the lords. Balthasar didn't bother telling him about Pearl. Eli would find out what she was and what she had done soon enough.

It wasn't Saul who was opening his door now. One whiff of the Chanel perfume and lavender soap, and he knew exactly who it was.

"Cecily? What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I had to see you. Here drink this," she said and gave him a pilfered blood bag. He took it from her and drained it. Saul was giving him enough to stay alive but not enough to leave him strong. Even with the chains, Saul and Eli didn't trust him.

"Thank you," he whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Is it true what they are all saying?" she asked, her eyes big as she stared at him. "Is it true about you and my Rosa?"

"It all depends on what they are saying," he replied, feeling remarkably bashful. "If they are saying that I love her, then yes, it's true."

"Those bastards took her!" she whispered angrily. "She never hurt a fly, and they snatched her away."

"I know. I'm sorry that I couldn't protect her, Cecily. If I could get out of here, you know I would go after her."

"Is such a thing even possible? I haven't asked Eli to help. I was going to, but then I heard what had happened to you, and well, if you can't talk any sense into him, Mr. Balthasar, I know I have no chance."

"I tried, but he won't hear me out. I would find a way to get her back. I have some idea how I could if I could find a fae," he said thoughtfully. Cecily looked guilty as she pulled out a key from the pocket of her dress. "Cecily, where did you get that?"

"I stole it when I was delivering Mr. Eli his dinner," she admitted slowly. "You know I'm a good person, and I would never, ever go against your father. He's always been very good and very kind to me, but Rosa is my only daughter. I lost her for years because he told me it was the right thing to do. I had only gotten her back, so I can't lose her again. If I let you go, do you promise that you will find her?"

"I swear it, Cecily. I'll never stop trying to find her. Let me out of here, and I will fight my way through Hell to get Rosa back to us safely."

"The funny thing is that I thought she didn't like you. Goes to show what a mother knows," Cecily said with a shake of her head. She unlocked his manacles one at a time.

"I believe liking me was a surprise to her as well," Balthasar admitted as he rubbed his chafed wrists and ankles. "Now, you had best find a way to get that back to Eli without getting caught. Saving Rosa won't do me any good if she learns I got you into trouble with Eli for your efforts."

"I'll find a way," she promised. "I've hidden a bag of clothes and some food down at the cottage for you. Use the servant's passages and go now. Eli is going to be in a meeting with Lord Southgate for another few hours. Now is your chance while he is distracted."

Balthasar hugged her quickly. "Now I can see where Rosa gets her bravery. Thank you so much, Cecily. I won't fail you."

"See that you don't," she replied primly. "If you come back empty-handed, you will have to deal with two very annoyed and disappointed parents."

Balthasar ran through the passages,his feet barely touching the ground. He made it through the kitchen and out the back doors before the servants even felt a stir in the air. Outside, the wind was blowing up an icy storm as he hurried to Rosa's cottage.

Cecily was good to her word and had brought clothes and boots from his rooms, as well as more blood and a still warm meal from the kitchen. Balthasar had a hot shower to scrub the dry blood from his skin. He tried to ignore the scent of Rosa all around him, filling him with worry and longing for her.

Don't worry, Rosa. I am coming for you. Hold on.He sent his thoughts out like a prayer, hoping that somehow, they would find her. He dressed and ate before stepping back out into the night.

Celyn's totem still hung in the holly bush, taunting him with his failure to protect the woman he loved. Taking a handkerchief from his coat pocket, Balthasar carefully wrapped it around the infernal object and broke the thin branch that it had been hanging on.

Centuries beforehand, during a time when the Seelie had plagued them incessantly, Eli had taught magic to Balthasar to protect and assist him. Balthasar needed a fae to cross over to the Aos Si, and he knew the exact neck he wanted to wrap his hands around. With extra care, he put the wrapped totem intohis pocket to keep it safe. He couldn't risk a stableman spotting his escape on Caesar, so he headed through the forest on foot.

The Winter Solstice would only last another week. He had been locked up for at least five days, which was far less than what Rosa would've been forced to endure.

Five days trapped as a despised prisoner in Faerie, my poor girl. He couldn't—wouldn't—imagine what they were doing to her. He ran for the stones, the fresh blood fueling his speed and restoring him.

The stones were humming with power as he approached them. He took Celyn's totem from out of his pocket. The spell that held it together sent pins and needles up his arm.

Balthasar had never tried to summon one of the fae from so far away. Eli had taught him that all he needed was something that was theirs—a button from a torn jacket, a drop of blood, an item left behind, saliva from a lover's lips.

He ignored the burning in his hands as he clasped the totem, whispering the Unseelie spell over and over. The part of him that was Unseelie, Bleddyn's son, vibrated and flowed through his body, growing stronger with each incantation. He whispered it more urgently, putting authority into his voice until he was shouting his commands across the lake, screaming it into the four winds.

All went still, as if he were caught in a pocket of silence, and then it popped, sending him flying backward. He managed to keep his feet, and directly where he had been standing was a confused Celyn, wearing formal attire and a mask, a drink still in his hand. He didn't have time to move before Balthasar was on him. He wrestled Celyn to the ground, resisting the urge to rip the Seelie's head off.

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