Page 17 of Fae Champion

“The queen’ll—” Ryder also urged.

Rush sliced through all their complaints and warnings. “It’s that or nothing. No matter what, I’m not putting her in the fae dungeon. End of discussion. If Her Majesty has a problem with that, she can take it out on me.”

I almost told him I didn’t need himfighting my battles for me, but that was absurd. I needed all the help I could get.

When Rush turned and stalked off in the opposite direction—toward the “human dungeon,” whatever all that distinction entailed—I followed.

5.BEHAVE, MISTRESS, OR HER MAJESTY WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD

The dungeons occupied the lowest levels of the palace. The “human” floor was immediately above the “fae” one, and there were no more beneath it.

The entire walk back to the royal palace, Hiroshi, West, and Ryder persisted in trying to convince Rush to deliver me to the bottom level designated for the punishment of the queen’s fae subjects. Despite their heated insistence, Rush ignored their advice, taking me to a room with a tiny window to the outside. While it wouldn’t open to allow in fresh air to alleviate some of the gloominess of the space, the natural light kept me from panicking.

Rush’s silver eyes welled with regret as he brought a finger to his sensuous lips—a silent reminder that now that we were within palace walls, there was no such thing as privacy. “We have to go. We all still have to fight today. As soon as they settle the situation with Braque’s potions, we’ll be up.”

“Yeah, and we’d better hurry,” West said. “You especially,” he told Rush.

He, Ryder, and Hiroshi feared the queen would discover where I was sooner rather than later and punish Rush for the disobedience. They wanted him in and out of the ring before she learned of what they were certain she’d consider a betrayal.

On the way over, after hearing their concern, I’d eventually offered to go to the fae dungeon to spare Rush from any repercussions. He wouldn’t even consider it. “Whatever you imagine of the fae dungeon,” he’d said, “it’s worse. I won’t take you there, no matter what she does or says.”

Given that the queen held some secret leverage over him that allowed her to pull his strings, his reaction was unexpected. In Embermere, her subjects were in constant survival mode, doing what they had to in order to endure.

But despite the fact that he was spying on me, the fae dungeon was apparently a line he refused to cross. I didn’t want to begin to guess at what the queen might do to the fae hidden down there if in the open she enjoyed severing heads from necks at the slightest provocation.

I examined the sparse room. It was only large enough for a slim bed, a small counter with a sink, and a bare commode. A glowing orb bobbed overhead, augmenting the sliver of natural light.

“Who does the queen keep down here?” I asked, thinking it a safe question.

The four of them exchanged loaded looks before Hiroshi finally replied, speaking slowly as he chose his words with evident care: “The palace … employs … a large staff of humans. Every one of them lives down here.”

“I’ve never seen a human.”

“They’re instructed to stay out of sight and do much of their work when the rest of us are sleeping.”

“Ah, I see. And are they here of their own free will?”

Hiroshi chuckled darkly and quietly enough that no concealed ear should hear. “They come to the mirror world of their own volition, yes.”

But I’d bet they didn’tstayhere with full awareness of what their lives were to become. That was one thing Zako had thought to mention before he passed away: humans were exceptionally susceptible to fae magic. Even the simplest glamor could fool them.

Rush’s hand took mine. I looked down at where our skin met. Blood caked my flesh and dirtied my fingernails.

He waited until I met his stare. “Don’t talk to them. Don’t interact with them in any way. You’re here because you defied Her Majesty. You’d be wise to do everything you can to show her you regret your actions and will obey and respect her from here on out.”

Respect her…Yeah, right. But I could pick up on a veiled caution with the best of them. I had an unseen audience that would relay anything of note. If Iinterfered with her slaves, she’d do her best to make me wish I hadn’t.

“Understood,” I said.

Rush’s gaze skimmed my lips before looking up again. He squeezed my fingers. “You’ll be safe here. When you’re ready to beg the queen’s forgiveness, call out and somebody’ll come to deliver the message. If you’re on your best behavior, our generous queen may show you mercy.”

My scowl was bitter.Ihad to be on my best behavior when she could treat the rest of us like chattel to do with as she pleased?

“Understood,” I repeated, as tightly as the stick up her ass.

“Come on. We gotta go,” Ryder said.

Rush nodded but didn’t release me. “I’ll see you later.” But he sounded as if he were trying to convince himself of the fact, as if he weren’t at all certain he would. “Just … be careful.”

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