Page 22 of Madness

“Funny, you struck me as a blue sort of guy. Like a deep navy blue.” Her voice remained soft as she watched me. “That’s the first I’ve heard from you that actually felt truthful.”

“Shit.” I sat up making the room spin in wild circles. Vomit rose, like flaming acid in my throat as I steadied myself and forced it back down.

“Don't worry. Who am I going to tell at this pointthat would believe me? You obviously are not from the Twinity Court, so whatever region you hail from has certainly got to be far away.”

A whole realm away to be exact. Yet, that didn’t reassure me. Me and my big, fat, can't-keep-anything-quiet mouth. Whatever alcohol was in these drinks gave me a loose tongue.

“I’m never drinking again.” I groaned, falling back against the pillows. My eyes drifted shut, lured by an overwhelming sense of fatigue.

“Yeah, until next time.” Red giggled.

I think I love her laugh. The thought trailed through my mind. A drunken thought. Where her shoulder brushed mine was warm. It was a comforting thought, to not be alone in this world and with someone who knew a little truth about me.

Irefused to let sleep pull me under like a capsizing boat, even if it could offer me vivid dreams of Milo drowning in pink, strawberry liquid. Instead, I relaxed and simply closed my eyes. As I felt his breath slow and his body slacken, I shifted on the bed. Slowly at first, just enough to make him think maybe I was rolling over to get comfortable. I waited there to see if he would wake.

Sleep smoothed his dark rugged features. His typically furrowed brows relaxed away any wrinkles he had when angry. His full lips were parted with soft breaths and brown, near black, hair swept over his forehead. I reached with trembling fingers into his pocket. And it wasn’t his family jewels I was after. My fingers curled around the long, slender key to my shackles. Freedom was in my grasp. Milo still didn’t move.

He was an idiot for thinking I wasn’t going to take advantage of his drunkenness. Maybe he had thought I would take advantage of him another way, as I noticed how he strained against his pants. Maybe in another world, where he wasn’t him and I wasn’t me. I hated myself for the way my gaze traveled up his muscular chest and traced the planes of his always sad features.

No matter the smile he put on, no matter the anger that filled him, something about Milo was always just indespair. I tried not to wonder who had broken his heart to such a degree. His queen, perhaps?

Every move I made, I made sure it was deliberate. The lock on my ankle opened with a soft click, and I was careful to set the metal on the floor. My groan of pleasure as I rubbed my ankles was involuntary. Shifting my weight from side to side, I took a moment to shake out my legs. I felt like a different person when I wasn’t dragging that anchor around.

I left the key to the chains on the floor and Milo as he was, snoring, on the bed. Freedom awaited.

Without the chains, the only tell I had as a Nymph was the tattoo under my hair and my scent, should someone breathe in deep enough. I would need to steer clear of anyone who might recognize me as being with Milo. I thought I had the faces of the Fae at the bar ingrained in my head well enough.

Our squeaky door whined on its hinges as I pulled it open only wide enough to slip through and closed it behind me. My back pressed against cold wood and my heart thundered like a horse sprinting through the woods.Every door was closed and accented by Fae firelight that hung from several pendants overhead. The hall was empty but no matter where I looked I saw faces, Fae faces, angry and staring. King Ottack. Marcus. Keepers. Milo.

Move.

The horse and wagon were just outside. All I needed was to get there—

A door opened to my left and an arm reached out to stop me. “Excuse me, miss?” a man with short dark hair and a crooked smile said. Light green eyes looked me over. “Do you work here, pretty thing?”

Pretty thing? Is he blind?From my head to my feet I was nothing but rags and slowly healing scabs. My eyes were too squinty and my lips too thin. I’d grown so frail since the Day of Ruin that even a strong wind could have the potential to knock me over, if I allowed it.

“No, I don’t.” I tore my hand away, but stopped as he stepped in front of me. Fae were cruel and they treated women like playthings. I would not be his toy.

“Never mind what I needed. I think I just found an answer to my question right here. Why don’t you join me in my room and I can buy you a hot meal and a pretty dress, if you like?” He tugged at my stained, ill-fitting shirt. His lips smacked together waiting for my answer, though my repulsion had to be clear on my face.

“Do not touch me with your nasty hands.” I scowled, pushing myself into his personal space. How would he like it if someone entered it unwelcomed?

At first, his smile fell, but then it picked up again as he reached for my face and ran his fingers through my hair. I froze as the realization settled on his features.

The man lowered his mouth to my neck, speaking into the shallow dip between my tendon and my collarbone. “A Nymph.” He snickered. “Should have realized it by the ash markings on your chest. I just thought you may have needed a good shower.”

An exasperated breath left me. I tried to push him off, but he only came nearer, his eyes twinkling at the prospect of a fight. “Do you think your master would mind if I borrowed you for a few minutes?”

His palm was clammy as he ran his hand up my arm. I narrowed my eyes, trying to put every ounce of my anger into the movement. I jerked my knee up to hit him, but he slid back, easily grabbing my lifted leg at the thigh, and slipping back into my personal space. His hips pressed against mine. A wave of nausea hit like a punch to the gut. He might do worse to me than Marcus ever did.

“Actually,” a rough voice growled, “I do mind.”

The greasy Fae man attached to me looked up, getting a good look at Milo. I knew he had to be deciding if he was going to push the subject or not, but Milo was nearly three times the size of him, and he looked just about livid enough to kill the man right now. Ever so slowly, his hands let me go.

“Let’s go back to our room now, Red. Can't stand the thought of someone using something that belongs to me without my permission.” His attention remained trained on the other Fae as he clamped his hand around my wrist and dragged me away.

I tripped over my feet as Milo practically threw me back into the room. The door slammed shut and he darted into the bathroom. Loud retches, and the sound of the contents of his stomach meeting the toilet with a sickening splat, filled the room.

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