Page 23 of Fae Torn

“Can you walk?” he asked, setting me down.

“I think so, as long as we don’t have to run again.”

Than bent down and picked a handful of red berries. “Here. Have some of these. We’ll find food as we go along. It’s not much, but the sugar will help.”

The fruit exploded in my mouth, making me moan with pleasure. It was sweet, juicy, and tasted like wild raspberries in our world. Than grinned at the noises I made. I swallowed the mouthful, feeling the heat in his eyes on my skin.

“Stop it. We don’t have time.”

He shrugged. “I know. But a man can dream, can’t he?”

I followed him as he pushed through the undergrowth. He swore under his breath when thorns tore at his skin and snagged on his clothes. Picking up a stick, he eased the way for me, holding back branches and knocking down nettles.

We walked silently as I ate the rest of the berries. Despite their flavor and the sugar, they were nearly devoid of nutrients. It was so easy to forget what Bleddyn had told me about the sun in this realm. Without stolen human magic, nothing growing in Gwerin was able to sustain life.

Soon the gloom deepened until I could barely see his large outline. Shadows moved in the darkness, shivering across the forest floor. I kept my eyes on the ground—the last thing I needed was to twist my ankle on a hidden root.

When I stumbled for the third time, I had enough. “Wait. It’s getting too dark.”

The tremor in my voice betrayed my fear. Than took one look at me and picked me up again. I could get used to that, I thought as I relaxed my tired body against his broad chest. He didn’t have to walk long before finding shelter. We crawled inside a living cave, created by the twisted branches brushing the ground.

I relaxed against Than with a deep sigh, safe in his arms. On the verge of falling asleep, I mumbled, “I wonder what happened to Bleddyn and Daeary.”

He held me tighter and kissed the top of my head. “Are they your lovers?”

Had I not told him about them? I thought I had, but the time in the dungeon seemed surreal. We’d only escaped a few hours ago, but my mind refused to dwell on the details. Soon, it would feel like it had happened to another person. It was my way of disengaging from reality, a skill I’d honed after my dad’s murder.

Than was still waiting for an answer. I groaned and said, “Kinda. Daeary is an incubus, and I have no clue where he’s now. Bleddyn worked for the king.”

“For the king? Are you talking about Bleddyn the Enforcer?”

He pushed me away, so that I was forced to sit up. It was too dark to see his expression, but his voice sounded like he couldn’t believe his ears. Now I remembered why I hadn’t mentioned Bleddyn to him. I’d had the same reaction when I’d found out.

And to be honest, I’d hoped for some help from the Fae warrior when the prince had found me with the king’s body. Instead, Bleddyn had looked upset and betrayed, and that had been the last I’d seen of him. Although there had been this one time in the dungeon. Or maybe I’d imagined it.

“Yeah, that Bleddyn. I thought he might help me, but he’s clearly no longer interested.”

Something buzzed against my chest like pinpricks, growing stronger with each second. I rubbed the skin under the amulet, which felt much warmer than it should.

“Than, there’s something wrong with the artifact.”

He lifted the chain from my chest and ran his fingers over the twisted metal and gemstones.

“Damn,” he cursed under his breath. “It’s reacting to something. This can’t be good.”

“Are you sure? What is it?”

I cowered deeper, looking around frantically. All I could see were black shapes against a blacker background. If something was creeping up on us, we wouldn’t know until it was too late.

“They’ve caught up with us.”

Than didn’t specify who “they” were. He pushed aside the branches and crawled outside, helping me to my feet. Shadows twisted and writhed, forming monstrous canine shapes that lunged at us with terrifying speed.

“Run!”

I screamed, and clutching the amulet, I sprinted into the forest, away from the attackers. Than ran alongside me. The baying grew louder, closer. The dogs had our scent.

We couldn’t outrun them, although we tried. Brambles scratched my skin, and the woods came alive with the sounds of the hunt—shouts, crashing footsteps, barking hounds. The darkness lifted slowly as the night gave way to dawn.

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