Page 91 of Trapped to Tame
Fie, Priest and Drax bowed their heads in thanks, but it was all for show. Anything less was unthinkable in the circumstances. Though they didn't need the coin, to refuse it was an insult.
‘And who is this you bring with you?’ Gerling asked, his eyes fixed on Eve who still hung limp in Priest’s arms. Priest relaxed his arms surreptitiously, trying not to look overly protective.
‘Simply a human female we found with the children. We’ll get what we can out of her and send a report on our findings.’
Gerling’s eyes narrowed a fraction. ‘If she’s what you say, she should be taken down for interrogation in my own dungeons.’
Priest kept his calm, but only because there was no other avenue open, not here in the presence of the entire Council.
‘She’s merely a peasant girl,’ Fie said with a wave of his hand, ‘not directly involved. She simply might know a detail or two.’
Gerling straightened, his posture daring them to gainsay him. ‘All the more reason to begin soon before her feeble human mind forgets anything important. I’ll do it myself.’
The other councilors nodded their heads in agreement; all except Isbeth. She simply regarded them, her expression giving them no inkling of her thoughts.
‘This was a grievous crime against the fae,’ the other male said, ‘and the outcome could have been much different. If this human knows anything more, Lord Gerling will get it out of her.’
A fae guard came forward and it took everything in Priest not to fight. Committing treason wouldn’t help their Fourth, their mate. They’d never escape with their lives.
‘Give the human to him,’ Fie muttered and Priest realized that his grip on Eve had tightened.
Fie chuckled. ‘You can have another human if you desire one, Brother,’ he said more loudly.
Some of the fae around them chuckled.
Clenching his jaw, Priest forced himself to laugh and let Eve go as the guard stepped forward to take their female. He watched as Eve was carried away through a door over the guard’s shoulder as if she was nothing more than a sack of grain. No doubt she was being taken to the dungeons.
Fie, Drax, and Priest bowed to the Council. They’d be expected to melt into the crowd now, the children no longer their concerns.
Priest’s sister appeared by his side.
‘Thank you for coming for me.’ She took his hand and squeezed it covertly. ‘I found mother and father at the back,’ she murmured. ‘They‘re grateful to you for what you’ve done, but they … they won’t come and tell you themselves. I’m sorry.’
Priest gave her a rueful smile. ‘It’s not your fault, Muriah. I’ve made my choices and they’ve made theirs. Go before you’re seen speaking to a Dark Brother and your future is ruined.’
She snorted, but, with a final squeeze goodbye, she disappeared before her conversation with a lowly mercenary could be remarked upon.
He saw Fie speaking with one of his extended family, his little brother standing in front of him while he made arrangements for the boy to be taken care of at least until the Council decided what was to be done with the children now that the Underhill was practically impregnable.
Priest wasn’t worried about Muriah. She would have left the Underhill soon anyway. The next time he saw her she’d probably have a mate and be amongst the many fae of the court. She was safe. That was all that mattered … but their Fourth was very much not and there was little they could do.
They were led to some nondescript, luxurious chambers to rest and refresh themselves, but for once Priest didn’t truly take in the comforts around him except to ensure no one was concealed therein to spy.
As soon as they were all inside and alone, Priest spoke the words, conjuring a silence around them so that no one could hear what they were saying outside the room.
Drax began to pace. ‘What are we going to do? Fuck! She's in the Council's dungeon. How are we to get her out of there?’
‘We shouldn’t have brought her here.’
‘You’d have rather left her in the temple in the middle of nowhere?’
‘Better there than here.’
‘Enough,’ Priest hissed, silencing both his Brothers. ‘Arguing does nothing for our Fourth. In truth, the dungeon isn’t our concern. If Gerling is seeing to her personally, he’ll smell his familial ties as soon as he enters her cell.’
‘What will he do with her?’ Fie asked. ‘He hates halflings. Will he …’
Drax shook his head slightly. ‘Political alliance or debt payment. She’s worth more to him now she’s grown. He’ll have her married off to some fae lord he owes something to or wants something from.’
