Page 144 of Flirting with Darkness

Or could he just keep going? Did fae evengettired?

I should’ve asked these things and other, more important things before marrying him. I knew he worked for the queen. He said he couldn’t lie. He’d promised to protect me. But did that include protecting me fromhim?

I kicked off my boots and the iron knife fell out.

Its leather-wrapped handle gleamed in the silvery light.

Thatwas my only protection.

Because he wasn’t helping me just for my sake. I’d been the only one to help Ari when the other kids had bullied her. I’d been the only one to take her food and water when she and her family had the creeping death. I was the only one who’d tried to step between her and the fae lord who’d appeared in the market square.

The people of Briarbridge had seen her in need and they hadn’t helped. They knew my family struggled to keep all my brothers and sisters fed and clothed, and yet they still haggled over every loaf and cake they bought at our bakery. They’d watched their neighbours catch the creeping death and instead of helping, they’d painted warnings and wards on their doors, protecting themselves.

People didn’t go out of their way to help others unless there was some benefit to them. It was as simple as that.

Yes, I’d helped Ari with no benefit, but that was different—that was who I was. I helped. With a dozen siblings, Ihadto. If I didn’t, who else would?

Briarbridge had answered: no one.

Why would fae be any different?

What did Faolán want with me?

My heart thudded against my ribcage, its echo at my throat and temple, pounding, pounding, pounding.

He worked for the Night Queen. He could be taking me to her. The fae lord who’d taken Ariadne had said he was acting under her orders. As I’d walked back to town from the stone circle, numb with shock at the fact Ari was no longer at my side, I’d heard others talking about the Night Queen.She bathes in blood, that’s how she stays beautiful. I heard she eats human hearts—lets them watch in their final moments.

The fae capital was to the north, and we were heading that way.

My fingers closed around the knife’s hilt.

It was my only weapon against him. Convenient that he’d made me hide it out of easy reach.

Fae can’t be trusted.Ari’s ma had said it a million times, and now Ari had been stolen by one of them.

Hadn’t he gone even quieter after binding me to him in marriage? What trap had I fallen into?

A stupid nursery rhyme, one we’d sung as children, jumping out from behind corners to grab each other, but echoed in my head, setting every hair on end.

Don’t go down to the woods today, woods today, woods today.

Don’t go down to the woods today,

All day long.

They’ll tie you up with silver chains, silver chains, silver chains.

Tie you up with silver chains,

All day long.

And when night comes the wicked fae, the wicked fae, the wicked fae,

They’ll tie you up and steal you away,

All night long.

When morning comes, you’ll be long gone,

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