Page 10 of Royal Captive
“I’m sorry for earlier,” Ellis began the moment Anne had left and we were properly alone.
I didn’t want to do this here. In my heart, I knew it made sense that he’d been in on it with Viana. They had a trust and a bond that I wasn’t sure I’d ever manage with Ellis, even if we somehow could get back home. I wanted to rage and scream at him for lying to me—to pummel him in his chest with my fists and complain about how unfair it was to be led to the slaughter like a baby lamb.
But I couldn’t do any of that because we had to keep it together. These were his people all around us, and they were taking their cues from us, whether or not I liked it.
“Viana betrayed us. Just admit you knew about it.”
He stiffened, but met my gaze head on. “I suspected. I was prepared either way. I didn’t directly help, though, so your anger is misplaced.”
His half-confession only made me angrier. “And you didn’t think to share any of that with me? A heads up would have been nice!”
Ellis sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. The rest of his ham sat uneaten in his lap. “What difference would it have made? Would you have done anything differently?”
I almost said ‘not gone with the fae’ but stopped, realizing that wasn’t true. I’d been determined to leave anyway, convinced that the kingdom and Ellis would be better off without me because of the stupid prophecy. I’d wanted to stop his nightmares and the voices that haunted Viana and hopefully bring peace to everyone—not more chaos.
“I guess … not,” I finished lamely. I pushed my finger into his chest, accidentally toppling my pastries to the ground. “That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have appreciated a discussion. I thought we were a team, unless you don’t want to be … or, you want someone else for queen?”
I furiously wiped away the tears gathered in my eyes, horrified I was getting emotional when there were much bigger problems ahead of us.
Ellis’s lips parted, and he shifted closer, his arm twitching like he was about to put it around me.
“All right everyone! Time to go!”
I craned my head back at the fae as he clapped his hands and called out to us, still with that wide, open smile of his. Much more trusting of him now that he’d made good on his promise offood, the small group gathered eagerly around him. The humans who’d brought more food started cleaning, while one man and one woman peeled off to stand on either side of the fae.
He rubbed his hands together eagerly, his pointed ears twitching.
“Right, we need all the females to go with Rosanza, and the men to go with Hoth. Go on! Two lines!”
Everyone quickly obeyed, forming two single file lines in front of him. The fae’s eyes lingered on us, and his brow furrowed in thought. “You two come with me. I need further instructions.”
I dug my feet into the grass. “Where are you taking the others?” I asked, feeling somewhat responsible for them.
The fae waved his arm dismissively. “They’re to be bathed, dewormed, clothed properly, the whole bit. We make sure all our humans are in optimal health before receiving assignments.” He paused, making a face. “You should see the teeth we get on the new batches. Absolutely barbaric.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but had nothing to say. None of that seemed disagreeable, and many people back home didn’t have access to healers. Who was I to deny them any needed care?
Ellis and I watched them disappear into the manor under the watchful eyes of the two humans. Once they’d disappeared inside, the fae gestured for us to follow him. I tried to catch Ellis’s eye, but he ignored me on purpose, not even twitching when the guard behind me gave a rough push in the small of my back.
We stepped into the manor, and though Ellis was right in front of me, I suddenly had never felt more alone.
Three
ELLIS
Iwanted to grab Eve and tell her it would all be ok. I wanted to tell her how strong she was, and how I didn’t deserve her.
I suspected she already knew that, however.
But when the guards separated me from Eve, I lost my goddamn mind. Her eyes haunted me, never leaving mine as her guard physically picked her up and took her away.
A fae guard so large I knew I’d never have a chance in hell of fighting him without burning everyone and everything, including Eve.
“Let me go! Eve! EVE!”
I let the magick go, consequences be damned. Fire exploded across my body, black and deadly, as the surrounding fae screamed in pain and leaped away. I raced down the hall toward where the tall, bearded fae had taken Eve, but an arm reached out and grabbed my shoulder, yanking me back so hard I fell to the ground, my head banging off the marble floor.
Stars exploded behind my eyes, but I lashed out anyway, hot rage erupting as black flames shot out indiscriminately. I didn’tcare who or what I hurt; all I cared about was getting to Eve before they subjected her to the sick whims of whatever fae walked through those doors.
