Page 22 of When the Wicked Sing
He opened his mouth to reassure her that wouldn’t happen, but he knew it would mean nothing to her. She couldn’t trust him and had no idea what awaited her. Escape seemed like her only option. “Death isn’t what awaits you in Aurelia.”
Mari stilled, her eyes searching his, probing for lies. He held her gaze, steady and unyielding. He needed her to believe him, if only just enough to cooperate.
He drew a short knife from his thigh, and her eyes narrowed on the sheathed dagger there. The same one he had taken from her when he first found her.
“You want it back?” he asked softly, drawing her hateful gaze up to him. “Then earn it.” The knife sliced through her wristbonds. He knew it was a risk, but she deserved the chance to prove—
Within half a second of her being free, she snatched her dagger back and had it pointed at his throat. Moving quickly, he dropped his knife, slammed her right wrist against the door, and gripped the other, holding back the dagger.
“Let’s get one thing straight,fae,” she hissed through her teeth. “I don’t have to earn anything. This ismine!”
Dax smirked down at her, half tempted to laugh. Settling his knee between her thighs, he pushed her into the door and got close to her face.
“Your hatred for me won’t help you save your sister.” Her eyes widened, her jaw dropping slightly. “Now, give me the dagger.”
“You know where Astra is?” she breathed.
He didn’t say anything. Instead, he released her wrists and took the dagger from her weak grip to sheath it back at his thigh. He stepped back, finally breathing easier, and snatched the boots.
“Put on the damn boots. Now.” He pushed them toward her and was surprised when she took them. She shoved them onto her feet with such aggression that she nearly toppled over.
“Fit?” he asked.
“How am I supposed to know?” she snapped.
He glanced down at them. They were a bit too big, but they’d have to do.
“Tell me about Astra. Have you seen her?”
He held up the coat and motioned for her to put it on.
With a huff, she shrugged the coat on, grimacing at the faint odor of sheep.
“I’m not telling you anything else until we get to the Crossing.” He grabbed her wrists again and began gently wrapping them with the white silk.
“What is this stuff?” she asked.
“It’s spider silk. You’ve never seen it before?”
“No.”
He secured it with a tight knot. “It’s everywhere in the fae realm.”
“Well, clearly, I’ve neverbeento the fae realm.”
They glanced at each other, and Dax realized she must’ve been born after the sirens were banished.
He hardly knew anything about sirens; he had been employed by the royal family shortly after the terrible event that forced their exodus from the fae realm.
Dropping her wrists, he secured his bag around his shoulders.
“Well,siren, now’s your chance.”
Dax unlocked the door and pushed her through.
Chapter 11
“So,what’stheplanhere? Are we walking until my feet fall apart, or will we stop somewhere with running water?” Mariana stumbled over loose rocks and held back a curse as pain radiated up her feet into her knees and thighs.
