Page 90 of Prince of Never

He took my hand as we began to move again, and the sight of the sinking sun made me anxious.I thought I could feel something watching me, or maybe that was just my paranoia talking.I glanced around, scanning the trees behind us in the growing darkness, fighting against the urge to squeeze my eyes shut tight and pretend there was nothing there.

But something was there.I could feel it, lurking in those shadows.I stopped in my tracks as a shadow seemed to detach itself from the base of a craggy tree and dart across the ground on its own.Shadows didn’t move, not like that.It was all in my head, it was all in my head.

‘Immy?’

My body began to tremble and that cold from earlier shivered under my skin.I tried to clamp down on it, immediately afraid of it bursting out of me like it had before.‘Tell me there’s nothing out there.’

‘What?’

‘Tell me it’s just my imagination and the shadows aren’t closing in on us.’

Ethan’s head snapped around, following my gaze.‘Fuck.Shades.We’re going to run now, okay?Unless you’ve suddenly discovered an affinity for light magic to go with those pointy ears.’

‘Light?’

‘Take that as a no.Come on!’He snatched my hand and pulled me into a run.An irritable hiss sounded behind us, like a swarm of angry bees.I ran faster, the ground whipping past as I hung on to Ethan’s hand and prayed to all the gods Tarian said didn’t exist as a deep, instinctive fear rattled my bones.The hissing was getting louder.I chanced a glance back to see an unnatural mass of writhing shadow rolling across the Shadowmire towards us.My fear peaked.I felt like screaming.I whipped my head back around just as I stumbled over the uneven ground, my hand slipping from Ethan’s as I fell, hitting the dirt hard, the wind rushing from my lungs.The shadows descended on me.

‘Imogen!’Ethan bellowed, but I couldn’t see him anymore.I couldn’t see anything anymore.Everything was darkness and a cacophony of whispers.I shrieked, cringing down as if making myself smaller would repel them somehow.My skin prickled like thousands of tiny insects were scuttling over my skin, sending a shudder through me as my instincts screamed at me that this waswrong.I needed to get out of there, but how was I supposed to fight shadows?Things I’d always told myself I shouldn’t fear because there was nothing there were suddenly moving, chasing,tasting.

‘We like your fear, princess,’ a voice that sounded like a hundred whispers all at once hissed in my ear.‘It tastes delicious.’

Something sharp pierced my ankle, then my hand, and I curled in on myself, trying to hold on to that prickling cold that I’d been so afraid of using, trying to unleash it as it slipped through my awareness like smoke.Was this how I was going to die?Heartbroken and betrayed, eaten by one of the many monsters this hellscape had to offer?

Realisation suddenly hit me, and I shoved my hand into my pocket, clasping the golden charm hiding there so tight that it bit into my hand.‘Solas!’I screamed desperately, hoping like hell this was going to work.I squeezed my eyes shut, curling myself into a ball as those little pricks of pain multiplied, like I was being bitten over and over again.

There was a blinding flash of white light and an ear-splitting shriek all around me that seemed to simmer in my head, rattling my bones and making spots burst behind my eyes.Then the whispers, the pain, the sensation on my skin, were gone.All I could hear were the sounds of my own rapid panting, the thundering of my heart.

‘Hello, little rabbit,’ a familiar voice said.

I looked up and the darkness was gone.Instead, the Seelie King stood before me, tall and resplendent in all his glory, gold hair gleaming in the last of the dying light.If he’d been at all surprised or challenged by having to rescue me from a swarming mass of shadow, he didn’t show it.He held out his hand and when I took it, he pulled me to my feet.

‘What happened?Where did they go?’I asked, looking around me.

He smiled, like I’d said something cute.‘Shades don’t like light, and I happen to be proficient with that particular element,’ he said, a comforting warmth in his voice.‘I’m glad you decided to accept my offer of help.’

He sounded far too smug about that, but I didn’t have time to think about it as I spun around, searching the area.‘Where’s Ethan?’Panic began to surge.Had the shades done something to him?

‘Your halfling friend?He’s unharmed, which is more than can be said for you.’He cocked his head, taking me in.

‘What do you mean?Where is he?’I asked, but as I looked around me, I couldn’t see Ethan anywhere.

‘Seems like quite a lot had happened to you since we last spoke,’ he said, as if I hadn’t spoken at all.‘And you’re out in the middle of the Shadowmire at nightfall, even knowing how dangerous it is.What are you running from, little rabbit?’

I was rapidly scanning my surroundings, trying to catch sight of that shock of platinum hair.He was safe?Safe how?Solas sighed.‘I promise your friend is alive, Imogen.I can’t lie, remember?You are just in an illusion right now.It prevents you from seeing out and any prying eyes from seeing in.’

‘Why?’

‘So we can talk.Tarian isn’t going to let you go,’ Solas continued, and when I looked back at him, there was something like sympathy in his expression.‘Not easily.Not unless he has a very strong reason to do so.And as noble as your friend’s intentions may be, he can’t protect you from that.You’re only putting him in danger.’

‘I—’ I didn’t know what I knew anymore.Ethan had warned me that Tarian would come for me.What would he do when he did?Hand me over to the Unseelie Queen?Would I live out my life as a slave, unable to resist her orders while she had possession of my true name?Would he keep me as his prisoner, the mate he couldn’t love but also couldn’t be rid of?And what would they do to Ethan?I couldn’t let anything happen to him.Not after all we’d been through.I wouldn’t let him get hurt because of me.

‘Then what am I supposed to do?’I asked, hopelessness creeping into my voice.God, this was such a mess.What had I done?

‘I can give him a reason to let you go.’His smile turned pointed.‘I can protect you.Has anyone told you that you’re not only high fae, but Seelie?That makes you one of mine.If you let me, I can give you a home where Tarian and the Unseelie Court can never touch you.’

The queen had said as much, but I hadn’t had time to really think about it.Had Tarian known that, too?Why would he keep that from me?‘Where?Locked up in some tower?’I asked bitterly.

‘I was thinking more along the lines of free in my palace.’

---