Page 156 of A Vow of Wrath and Ruin

She buttoned a wool coat up and over her mouth. Then, she pulled a hood over her head so that only her eyes could be seen. She fastened a cloak around Caiden before pulling up his hood as well.

“Can’t have anyone recognize those blond locks.” She attached another chain to Caiden’s shackles and the other end to her pack before equipping her sword, bow, and arrows. “Let’s go,” she said, dowsing the fire and tugging on his chains.

Caiden’s stomach rumbled, but he didn’t say anything. The mercenary wouldn’t be sympathetic to his plea.

No stars blanketed the sky as they made their way through a thick wooded forest. The smell of snow and pine filled the air, and only the sound of their feet on the snow echoed throughthe forest. Caiden tried to orient himself, but it was nearly impossible without the stars. He’d have to wait until sunrise.

They walked and walked through the dense forest. Snow soaked Caiden’s boots, sending a chill up his spine and through to his core. How was the merc navigating without a light? Could Rasa see in the dark?

Lost in thought, his foot caught on a root, sending him tumbling to the ground. The snow burned his face, and with his hands tied in front of him, he was utterly helpless.

The mercenary heaved him up.

“You are more trouble than you are worth, prince.”

“Then set me free.”

“Well, maybe not.”

“Keep moving, prince!” the mercenary called back at him. “We’ll be out of this soon enough.”

The hairs on the back of Caiden’s neck perked. They were not alone in this wilderness, but being attacked could be advantageous to him.

A stick cracked in the distance, and the merc’s head snapped to the left.

Another snap to the right.

Something or someone was playing with them. Night Folk stalked the woods of the Court of Whispers. Is that where they were?

The mercenary drew her blade.

Caiden swallowed hard.

Darkness surrounded them, but Caiden surveyed the woods anyway. With the iron blocking his magic, he couldn’t see anything, but he hoped he could at least make out the shape of a predator.

Something black raced across the snow in front of them. The merc stopped dead in her tracks.

“If you undo my shackles. I can help you fight.”

She scoffed.

“And have you run off? Nice try…” Before she could finish, something yanked her into the forest. Caiden watched the chain attached to her pack go taut before his head hit the snow. He could only watch as the creature dragged him through the forest.

The rough snow scraped at his skin, and rocks and twigs bruised and bloodied his face. All the while, the mercenary screamed. He’d heard stories of the Night Folk before. Half men, half monsters who moved like shadows through the woods of the Court of Whispers, so named for the maddening whispers one heard while in their sacred forest. The sylph of this court regarded the forest with great reverence. Laying sacrificial lambs at the mouth of the forest to appease these ancient creatures. Now, he and the mercenary would be their next meal.

Caiden shut his eyes tightly, hoping to stave off some of the damage. With his hands bound, he couldn’t protect his face. He tried to get a look at the creature dragging them farther and farther into the forest, but all he saw was darkness. He prayed that if Illya took him, it would be a swift death.

The mercenary’s pack slipped free, and Caiden slowly came to a halt in the snow. He just lay there, chest heaving violent breaths. Rolling over on his back, he noticed the first rays of dawn trickle through the dense canopy of pines. Silence surrounded him. Not even the mercenary’s screams could be heard. Caiden swallowed hard. He had to find the key to his shackles.

Using every ounce of will he had, he pulled his battered and bruised body out of the snow. His mouth tasted of metallic blood and dirt. With the iron blocking his magic, he could not heal quickly.

Caiden’s broken fingers shook as he undid the latch to the satchel. “C’mon. Please let it be here,” he whispered under his breath. His heart beat frantically with each second he failed tofind the key. Pain radiated through him. He needed to find the key if he wanted to survive.

He emptied the contents of the backpack onto the snow.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” He cursed the Trinity for putting him in this situation. He’d have to rescue or, more likely, recover the mercenary if he wanted to be free. Dread churned in his stomach. His eyes followed the trail of blood deeper into the forest. The pack contained the mercenary’s bow, quiver, and some basic rations—hard cheese and bread. Caiden scarfed them down before starting down the trail. The pack dragged in the snow behind him. Not an ideal situation if he wanted to be stealthy, but something told him the Night Folk did not like the light of day.

He followed the trail to the mouth of a cave. Vines crisscrossed their way over the entry, but Caiden easily pushed through them.

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