Page 54 of Trapped By Claws
Think. Think, think. Think!
I grabbed the mini-crossbow from the counter and then pulled out the blue-tipped bolts. Two of them were in good enough condition to use again. The other two had been damaged in the struggles and swim. If I made my own sedative or poison, they could be useful.
I then stoked the fire and filled the stew pot almost to the brim with water so that it wouldn't burn.
I had a bad feeling about this. If Lishen and his fae came back, they would be searching for proof of my existence and who knew what else to condemn Corvin. The bookshelf was tricky to get into without Corvin there to help me, but they had missed it already.
Uncomfortable as it would be, this was where I would stay. I gathered up some supplies for myself, including one of the butcher knives, a little ball, my spoon, my flint, and a waterskin. Before I climbed inside, I fixed the bolt into the mini-crossbow. Hopefully it wouldn't be necessary. I started to climb in, then stopped.
Should I bring Tagger with me?
The otter stood by the bookshelf, staring up at me with his snout wriggling.
I couldn't risk leaving him out here.
It was just a feeling, but the last time one of the fae had tried to kick him. "Come on, sweet baby." I scooped him up as I would a toddler, his paws resting on my shoulder. I climbed up the shelf and slid inside. "You're going to have to be so quiet," I whispered. He was a smart boy. Surely he understood.
Once I was safely situated behind the hidden panel, I drew it mostly shut. There was just enough light for me to read. And this little book might now hold a way for us to get out of here together.
Tagger sniffed at me and chewed on the ball. He then nuzzled me, asking for scratches.
I obliged.
Time passed slowly. Tagger's soft, huffing breaths were almost masked by the crackling of the fire.
I pored over the pages of Mama's book, my heart hammering as I searched for answers. Her tidy handwriting, even blurred from the sea, held many secrets and theories regarding the portals and staircases. I wasn't certain what had made Mama obsess on these particular ones months ago. But—this could work.
Soon, I'd be able to ask her. I'd ask her and thank her. Yes. I could imagine hugging Mama again. I could practically imagine the arguments sure to ensue when I told Mama that I wanted to be with Corvin. And oh—they would be good arguments. Tears blurred my vision, and I forced myself to focus on the pages. I'd tell Corvin all about this when he got back. And we'd run away.
Some of the notes were hard to read, but several points confirmed what I remembered: the portals summoned at the top of the grounded staircases could be managed, unlike the wild staircases which appeared and disappeared without a trace. They were actual holes that opened up into reality. One could escape any boundary or restriction thanks to these portals.
And there was that temple close to here—the remnant from the one on the island, a temple lost in the sea or perhaps built inside a mountain in the sea—perhaps built into the same stone that this cave was in. If we got to it, we could see if the portal responded. If it had enough strength left and the staircase its magic reached was likewise prepared, then we could escape through it.
Tagger snuffled.
I stroked his head. "We're going to figure this out. We'll fix it. Together."
The door slammed open. I clenched, curling tight around Tagger. It took all my presence of mind to slide the panel fully shut once more.
Lishen strode in. "Come out! If you're hiding, human, come out, and we'll show you mercy."
Blue Ridges and Black Claws followed behind, searching the area with calculating gazes.
I closed my eyes and released a tight breath. Tagger wriggled.
The three began wrecking the place. They were even more thorough this time than before. Any place that they could see that was large enough to hold a human, they opened and tossed all the items onto the floor. Books, pottery, trinkets. One of the pale-blue orbs dropped from its iron holder and shattered, emitting an unpleasant lightning-like scent.
Blue Ridges came to the bookshelf where I hid. He raked his arm across the shelf, knocking out the pieces.
I held my breath.
Tagger pressed hard against me, miraculously staying quiet. Such a good, smart boy. He did understand.
"If he does have a human in here, he's hidden her well," Black Claws growled. "Maybe he put her outside in the cave."
"He wouldn't do that. Too dangerous. He's a shifter fae. They're primal. When it comes to their mates, even before the mate bond goes into place, they get obsessive and irrational."
I tensed. They were referring to me as his mate as if it were an obvious fact. Was it just an assumption? Or did they know something else?
