Page 13 of Songs of Retribution

"Why don't you sleep, and I'll stay with her."

"I can't leave her," she whispered.

"Then I'll move my chair closer, and you can rest on me. I'll wake you if anything changes."

Elisa swallowed before turning towards me. "Aren't you tired of me yet?"

"No." I smiled softly. "In fact, the more time I spend with you, the more I like you."

She blinked rapidly before smoothing the blanket around Neia's shoulders, touching the woman's cheek, then nodding. I drew my chair closer to hers and opened my arm where she could rest her head on my shoulder. Within a few minutes, her muscles loosened, and her breathing grew heavy.

Shaan walked up beside me and placed a hand on my other shoulder. I ran my fingers over it. "I'm going to stay here for a few hours and let her rest. Can you find out what’s happening with the Seelie and Lira and let me know?"

He squeezed my shoulder, and I dropped my head against his hand. "Of course," he answered.

I readjusted lower in the chair and pulled Elisa closer to me so she could stretch her legs out. I looked at Neia—this woman who'd loathed me so intensely–bowed my head, and prayed desperately for her recovery.

CHAPTERSIX

LIRA

I paced by the window,my steps snapping over the stone floor as I absentmindedly rubbed the mark on my arm. It had stopped burning, yet I couldn't leave it alone.

The storm had finally ceased, and beyond the window the world stretched still and perfect with snow-dusted trees and an ice-covered creek that trailed through the palace grounds, glimmering in the sunlight that had finally joined the pale blue sky once more.

I grazed the mark again and forced myself to pull my sleeve down, swallowing hard against the nausea the cuffs on my wrist caused when I pressed too hard into them.

That mark meant so many things. It was a sign of our success if I could get free of here. Lennox and I would have the Seelie powers. They'd shift to me now if the King died. It also marked me for what I was though—his prisoner, soon to be his puppet if I didn't get away.

I pushed into my powers as deeply as I could, reaching for them until I trembled and sweat broke out on my brow and dripped down my nose. I could just feel the magic’s edge, the crackling bite of my ice. If I could reach it maybe I could freeze these cuffs off and break the window. Even imagining the plan—having to drag myself over broken glass, make it past palace guards, and do so in the snow—seemed so hopeless that tears sprang into my eyes.

The gentle click of magic sparkled in my mind, and I opened myself up for Sai's voice.

All right, Princess,he purred, but I could feel the anxiety in his voice.It's time to tell me the truth.

I released a breath that clouded the window then spread my fingers over it, smearing the haze. I'd spent the last few days reassuring Sai I was in a precarious situation but overall fine and well cared for. He hadn't fully believed it. I could feel the doubt and concern curling through his mind, but he must have also understood I wasn't in imminent danger either and had his own troubles to face.

How's Neia?

Alive. Stop stalling. What is happening?

My shoulders dropped in defeat. I'd remained as separate from Sai's mind as possible because I hadn't wanted to add another worry when he already faced so much, but he'd made it home and the time for believing I'd easily get out of this had passed.

I'm being held prisoner.

The intensity of Sai's emotions flashed like lightning, crackled down my spine, and flooded through me like his shadows rushing out of him.You're in the jail?

I could feel his mind working over the situation, already planning how he'd break into the palace, how he'd sacrifice his life if necessary. I choked over the vehemence in his focus. He would get himself killed if he tried to storm the Seelie grounds.I'm not in the jail. I'm in my room, but the King has me in cuffs made of the magic-stealing metal.

Fuck.Another deluge of emotions passed between us—a storm that could rip this world to pieces.I knew you weren't sharing everything, but nothing you've implied made me believe the damned Seelie King was holding you as a prisoner.

I swallowed. A part of me wanted to beg him to help me, to take his team and reinforcements they could gather and meet me at the river, help me escape my father. But I wasn't the girl who tried to escape her problems by putting others in danger anymore.

Sai.

The whirl of his thoughts stilled, like I had him compelled, like I could direct his mind with a single word.

I'm trying to figure out how to get away. I need you to not do anything rash.

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