Page 68 of Faerie Hunted

She was a natural born leader.

Bronwen sucked in a breath, scowled, and said, “Because she’s dragged everyone into Unseelie. She’s joined forces with Dorian Jade.”

I stiffened in surprise, every part of me going taut.Selene did what? My eyes went wide and my lower jaw dropped open. “Why?”

“Some things are going down at the castle that have people up in arms. Like,concerningstuff, Tavi. The premier has taken over with the King still in a coma. There’s a massive change in the guard and it’s bad.”

I wasn’t as shocked to hear that good ol’ Cosmo took the reins in hand. And I kept my lips zipped while Bronwen continued with her story, her features growing more animated the longer she talked.

“He’s shifting shit around, changing things, and there are a lot of terrified half fae running around not knowing what to do. Selene thought they’d be safer on this side of the wall with someone who was sympathetic to our plight. But—” Bronwen stopped, worried at her inner cheek. “I don’t think so. She’s said some things, some bad things, but I’m the only one who seems to be concerned.”

“Why don’t you believe her?” I withheld my opinion for as long as possible because I wanted to hear her reasons.

“The dude is justoff. I’ve heard enough stories. I wasn’t too happy to find out where Selene wanted to take the others. Before she had a chance to force me across the wall, I ran. Tried to follow your scent and lost it after a couple of days. I was lucky enough to pick up on it again, and that’s when I came through.”

Bronwen wrapped her arms around herself, her teeth chattering.

“You’re right.” Onyx shifted into a more comfortable position and hid his wince from her. “Dorian Jade isn’t what he appears to be.”

I nodded. “He’s no better than King Tywin. Instead of wanting equality, he’s chosen to enslave pure-bloods.” I gave Bronwen a quick recap of what had happened to us and what we’d discovered.

Her moon-pale face took on a distinctive pink quality through the story, with Onyx interjecting occasionally with pertinent information. By the time we finished, Bronwen was flushed and her eyes even darker with rage.

“I knew it,” she seethed. “Iknewthere was something wrong with Dorian Jade. No one isthatgood. He’s got a hero complex and a villain persona.”

Which was usually my favorite thing to read about, but seeing it in real life felt like a different beast.

“I saw a spring a little bit away.” Bronwen pushed to her feet and brushed pine needles off the bottom of her pants. “I need to freshen up because I am worked up and it’s not a good look for me.”

She flashed her teeth in the gloom. Her canines had sharpened. She might not feel like her wolf was close by but I saw it just there beneath the surface.

Rather than waiting, Onyx and I joined her. The sting of fresh water felt horrible against my skin but soothed the ache in my throat from talking. Despite the late hour, none of us were prepared for sleep, too energized to stay still.

“Have you eaten?” Bronwen asked, shaking out her wet hair. “Because I’ll go catch something if you haven’t. You two look ready to drop. I wouldn't blame you for going hungry.”

“Noren brought us a squirrel—” I started to tell her.

But Bronwen was mid-shift, and with a pulse of energy, her form melted and in her place stood a crow with midnight-black wings. Her beady eyes met mine before she took flight.

She returned with a rabbit, dropping it at our feet, before she took off to scavenge more. Another trip and she brought back nuts and berries, the blue sheen of the skin looking fresh even in the night.

She made a good point.

Keeping a full stomach would make this trip much easier for all of us. Except we weren’t content to wait to get this journey started. We ate quickly, breaking off pieces of rabbit and eating it raw before tossing the berries down our throats.

Onyx was the first to attempt the shift, mostly because we had no clue how long it would take him or if his failing body could even complete the transformation.

I stood back and watched him struggle through the process, the small bit of food not helping against the constant pain. It took him longer than Bronwen’s effortless change to work through the shift but he finally stood in the clearing as a raven, a much larger form than Bronwen and her crow, with a distinctive white feather at the top of his head.

Birds weren’t my favorite shape to assume, but in this case they were the easiest form for long periods of travel. They tired less easily than animals with four legs.

I closed my eyes, breathing in slowly through the nose and exhaling through pursed lips.

The magic waited for my use far down within my body. It nestled in a ball at my core and I tapped into it now, willing my limbs to change.

A warm wave of power pulsed out from my core, forcing my muscles and limbs to contract. Smaller and smaller into an unrecognizable form. A twinge of pain accompanied the change but nothing I hadn’t felt too many times already.

Countless moments over the years where I let the wolf lurking inside my blood free. Except this time, she and I were something else, in accord with each other and both of us desperate for our freedom.

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