Page 30 of Faerie Hunted

Barbara made a low sound of ridicule before saying, “Well, give me your hand back, and I’ll work my magic on you.”

“What's it going to cost me?” At least this time I understood how it worked.

“How about we say this one is on the house? It’s the least I can do…since you’re in here with me. Or if it makes you feel better to think I’m doing this for my grandson, since he’s moon-eyed over you, then consider it that way.”

“As much as I hate it, I’m going to take you up on your offer.” I slid my hand back along the bars until I knocked into her palm.

Her magic flowed over me and the dizziness cleared. Everything inside of me went sharp and focused, and for a moment the shock almost overwhelmed me, because I felt like my old self again.

The strong and assured self I’d been before my life took a crazy turn into terror and panic.

“Wow, I do feel better, thank you.”

Barbara released me again and I immediately missed the warmth of her callused palm. “Don’t thank me yet.”

Wind ripping through the passage echoed the ominous tone of her voice.

When would there be time to thank her, then? Because we both knew beyond a shadow of a doubt there was no getting out of this cell until the council and premier demanded our presence.

And then it would only be a matter of time until?—

The end.

We’d reached the end of the road, yet the journey felt so far from being finished I could barely put words to the sensation.

More time passed in the damp decay before the echoing thud of footsteps roused me out of half sleep. The lights popped on, blinding and dazzling, but this time I was ready.

I hid my eyes, ducking my head to avoid the flashing sensation of black dots.

Several guards strode around the corner with their shoulders squared and their attention on the bars. One of them stepped away from the others with a set of keys in his hand.

“Come with us,” he grunted. “The premier and the Elder Council will see you both now.”

Ice frosted over my heart.

Two more guards came into my cell and I didn’t need to look to know Barbara experienced the same rough treatment. They slapped a pair of magic-damping cuffs over my wrists and immediately the simmer of power always beneath my skin drained away, cut off without mercy.

I reeled at the loss, and in the adjustment period, they hauled me to my feet and out of the cell.

Barbara was dragged behind me, defenseless. Powerless in a way that neither of us had ever been before.

Except I’d been in the dungeon before, subjected to those cuffs, although the last time I’d been forced in front of a jury it had consisted only of the king. Now, the worry was no less severe and sickening.

There was no escape.

No way I’d be able to overpower any of these guards. None of them were recognizable, either, as they took us both into a separate small chamber down the hall from the massive throne room.

The door thudded closed behind us. The sound jolted me out of my skin but the guards didn’t stop pushing us forward until we stood shoulder to shoulder in front of Cosmo Foxfall.

Two members of the Elder Council sat beside him but otherwise we were alone in the room.

Alarm became a wave of fire inside of me but did nothing to thaw my heart.

“I’m sure you were both expecting a much larger crowd.” Cosmo flicked at the fabric of his trousers above his knees before he leaned forward and fixed me with a hard stare.

Barbara scoffed, but when I looked over at her, I was shocked to see a stone gag slapped across her mouth and glowing with magic to keep her silent. Regardless, she glared at the others with such ferocity I gulped.

If I were Cosmo Foxfall, no matter what kind of precautions they took I’d be scared of Barbara.

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