Page 142 of Until the Stars Fall

Tears surfaced, and I swiped them away. I didn’t have time to cry. I needed to find Anna and let her know it was done. Honey tossed me a seemingly sad glance as I saddled her and tied my pack into place.

“Don’t look at me like that,” I whispered. “It had to be done.”

Someday he’ll understand.

And if not, at least he’d be alive.

Given the rebels’ nomadic habits, they’d likely already moved on from their last camp, so I couldn’t waste time heading there. Thankfully, I knew someone who could direct me straight to them. Pulling the hood of my cloak over my head, I rode into Engle shortly before suppertime. Although it would do little to hide my humanity from the fae locals, it at least brought me some sense of security.

Outside the tavern, the stable hand warily approached me to take Honey’s reins, darting away as soon as I’d handed them over. Inside, the tavern was virtually empty, unlike the last time I’d been here. A lone individual sat at the far end of the bar, hunched over the tankard he cradled in his hands. I strode toward the bar, debating whether to call for Mr. Marstens or simply wait for him to appear. The door to the kitchen swung open as I settled onto a stool.

Mr. Marstens jerked to a stop as soon as he saw me, and for a split second I worried he might be working with Anna as more than her courier. Would he hurt me if commanded to? My mouth went dry as I pondered the question, but when a wide grin spread across his face, I relaxed.

“Didn’t expect to see you here!” he exclaimed, pulling a tankard down from where it hung overhead. “Drink?”

I didn’t really have time for one, but I had ridden nonstop from the palace, so I nodded. “Thanks.”

After placing the ale in front of me, Mr. Marstens straightened and cocked a brow. “Now, what brings you here? I assume it’s not just to gaze upon my handsome face.”

I returned his smile. “That would be reason enough, of course, but no. I need directions.”

“Ah,” he said thoughtfully and roughed a hand over his mouth and chin before reaching into his pocket. “I was actually waiting for a courier to come fetch this to take to the palace.”

My pulse quickened as I took the envelope from him. It was obviously from the rebels, but it could contain any number of messages. They weren’t likely to send me notice they were about to follow through with their threat, but would they issue me another warning?

Before opening it, I caught Mr. Marstens’s attention. “Do you know where I can find them?” I asked in a low voice.

His friendly expression turned remorseful, and he shook his head. “All I know is they moved on. Didn’t tell me where this time, though to be honest, they don’t always.”

I huffed out a sharp sigh and glanced back down at the envelope—my last hope of finding them.

Mr. Marstens rapped a knuckle lightly on the bar in front of me. “I’ll leave you to it. If you need anything, I’ll be right over here.”

Nodding, I slid my finger under the flap and broke the wax seal, pulling a single folded page out. I recognized Raven’s handwriting immediately.

Lieke,

I don’t know what to do. My parents have done something awful, and I don’t know who to turn to. I can’t stay with them, but I don’t know where else to turn.

Please.

My mind rushed through the memories of my time with them. Had she truly not known her parents were part of the rebellion?

They had sent her out of the tent when they’d given me the knives. That didn’t prove anything though.

At the bottom of the note, she’d scrawled a location:The old farm outside of Engle.

I knew this farm. We’d often used it as a marker on our runs. I’d be a fool not to suspect a trap, but if my friend truly was in trouble, I couldn’t ignore this. Lifting my eyes to the bartender, I debated asking him to accompany me, but if he was also in the dark about their activities, I didn’t want to be responsible for dragging him into it and potentially getting him hurt. Or worse.

My stomach roiled as I recalled the gruesome sight of the fae guards on the road, pierced with arrows, their blood soaking into the dirt. Connor’s words sprang to mind:Lieke, if they did this to you, their own kin, what could they do to someone else? To an enemy? To the fae?

I knew what Anna and the rebels did to their enemies. I bore the scars from what they forced Raven to do to those she trained. If Raven had learned the truth and fled—if she had betrayed them—what might they do to her?

I needed to get Raven back to the palace where we could keep her safe.

CHAPTER 75

Connor

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