Page 42 of The Court of Thorns and Wings

Right at ten, I gave in to the temptation to enter the secret passage and see Tavish. I hadn’t planned to visit him so soon, but after feeling his worry all day, I needed to check on him.

I locked my bedroom and bathroom doors like before and quickly opened the secret door. This time, the journey didn’t feel quite as long, and I moved more quickly, taking the same path as the night before.

When I reached the door to the holding cell, I placed my ear against it to listen while linking,Tavish, is it safe for me to come in there?

Our bond expanded with relief, confirming I’d made the right decision.

Yes, the guards left a few minutes ago.

I pricked my finger, and the door slid open to reveal Tavish chained to the wall. There were cuts down his wrists and wings, proving he’d been trying to get free. No doubt because of me.

I hurried to him and threw my arms around his neck, and then we were kissing passionately. The buzz sprang to life between us, and his tongue slid greedily into my mouth. I pressed my body to his, and his hands cupped my face.

The last thing I want to do is end this, but Finnian needs your help,he linked, pulling back slowly. His stormy gray eyes swirled as he looked over my shoulder across the cell.

A lump formed in my throat as I spun around to see Finnian unconscious. His eyes were swollen shut, and he had bruises down his arms and a fat, bloodied lip.

He hasn’t said more than a few words the entire day.Tavish bit his bottom lip.Can you heal him some, but not completely? I hate to ask, but we need to be ready to escape, especially with the dragon prince here. I can’t leave Finnian behind. But I don’t want him to learn about your powers because the knowledge would put him more at risk, so…

You don’t even have to ask, and I understand.True healing was a form of magic the fae had lost a long time ago. No one knew why. Select Earth fae had taken on the task of healing since they understood plants and their properties. I wasn’t on Earth, yet I could heal people on the brink of death. People would covet that sort of magic.

I tiptoed to Finnian and squatted next to him.

My vision blurred, and my chest constricted. He seemed nothing like the charismatic fae I’d come to know. I reached out and touched his hand, and I could feel the icky sensation of jealousy flow from Tavish, but he didn’t say a word.

I yanked at the warm, magical spot I now knew was associated with healing, and I felt it respond more easily than it had before. The warmth flowed through my chest to my arm and pushed into Finnian. Unlike with Tavish, my magic entering him didn’t feel right, but I ignored the strange sensation and kept pushing more.

After a minute, his bruises began to fade, and then his lip became less swollen. Finnian groaned, and his eyes fluttered open.

“Lira?” he rasped.

I released his hand, not wanting him to know what I’d done, and lifted my finger to my lips. I mouthed,Be quiet. Guards.

He nodded and squeezed my arm gently, but his blue eyes darkened with questions.

He’ll tell you,I replied and patted his arm. Then I stood and hurried back to Tavish, who buried his face in my hair and wrapped his arms around me.

He linked,Today has been blasted hell between knowing the dragon prince was here and seeing Finnian like that.

I kissed him again, needing to taste him.I’m sorry. I think he went back tonight, though.

Thank Fate.His arms tightened around me.If he had touched you, I’d be forced to risk my life just so that I could kill him.He growled menacingly.

“Right here,” Finnian grumbled.

“Did you hear that?” a guard asked from the other side of the holding cell door.

I froze, and Tavish pulled back, placing his forehead against mine.

“It sounded like the injured one is awake.” The other male guard snickered. “I want to see how much pain he’s in. Don’t you?”

Go.Tavish pecked my lips.

I didn’t want to leave, but my heart hammered, knowing if I didn’t, they’d find me in here. I spun around and took off toward the still-open door.

I stepped inside the secret passageway and pricked my finger. When the door moved, I helped push it along, causing it to make a noise. It shut just as the cell door opened. I pressed my ear to the door to listen.

“What was that?” the first male guard asked.

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