Page 10 of Hunted By the Fae Warden

“Why did you attack the castle’s outbuildings, Marlow?” The prince asks.

“I tried to set the castle on fire, but the powder disappeared every time I sprinkled it along the castle walls, so I decided the outbuildings were better than nothing.” Tears fill the man’s eyes. “You took my daughter. You filthy fae took my only daughter. I want to kill all of you. I want all of you to die…” His voice trails off and then he stares blankly at the floor.

“Well, Mr. Marlow, since I am staying in the castle and so are many other highborn fae,” the prince says in an amused tone, “naturally, wards have been placed around the castle. That’s why your powder disappeared. What a pity you don’t have a second daughter we can take. That would be a fitting punishment for you, would it not?”

Though the human man’s expression remains blank, tears run down his face. But I don’t feel pity for the male. He meant to harm my people. He’s no better than King John’s soldiers who attacked our settlement near Allostus, the soldiers who attacked regular faefolk who aren’t usually capable of maintaining protective wards around their lands.

“Fae magic is no longer constrained to our courts and the lands surrounding our courts,” Prince Lucas says. “It’s the will of the gods that our magic is spreading far across the realm. You humans must learn to adapt to our presence or face certain slaughter.” The royal’s gaze flicks to mine. “Warden Valloc. I commend you for capturing this criminal, and I will leave his punishment in your capable hands.”

Ah, yes. Though Prince Lucas hasn’t departed the Kingdom of Trevos yet, I am the newly appointed warden. Dispensing justice is now my responsibility, and it would appear my duties are about to commence.

“Was anyone hurt or killed during the explosion?” I glance from face to face in the receiving hall.

A soldier steps forward. “After putting out the fire, we searched the rubble and found the bodies of two human servants, Warden. It was a storage building that contained grain, mostly, but unfortunately there were servants inside at the time. A few humans and soldiers in the courtyard also sustained minor injuries from flying debris.”

“Hm.” I regard the trembling human male. Knowing I’m being watched by the prince and other highborn fae, as well asour soldiers, I summon a theatrical air as I prepare to speak. I must put on a good show. “You’re in a lot of trouble, Mr. Marlow. You killed two of your own people while hoping to kill many of mine, and you also destroyed a perfectly good outbuilding and a much-needed store of grain. Tsk tsk. Had there not been wards around the castle, the loss of fae life might’ve been catastrophic. You must be punished. Swiftly and severely.”

Though the human male’s expression doesn’t change, a whimper leaves him, and he trembles harder. He also grows more pale. Surely he must realize I’m about to sentence him to death. I draw in a deep breath as I contemplate his fate. Finally, it comes to me.

“Robert Marlow, I sentence you to deathby fire. A public notice will be posted outside the castle, informing the residents of Trevos of your crimes. You’ll burn at midday tomorrow.” A fitting punishment, I decide. Not only did he kill two fellow humans in a fiery explosion, but he’d hoped to burn the castle while the prince and many highborn fae were inside.

Prince Lucas grins. “Death by fire. That’s very just of you, Warden Valloc. Very just and wise.”

I glance at the assembled soldiers. “Erect an elevated burning platform near the gallows. I want the citizens of Trevos to be able to watch this criminal’s death from afar. Until then, keep him locked in the dungeon.”

After a pair of soldiers takes the human male away, I make my excuses to depart the castle, claiming I want to better familiarize myself with the city and its residents. I exchange a look with General Dalgaard just before I step outside. He gives me a slight nod, and I exhale with relief because I feel as though I just passed a test.

I summon wings and bolt into the sky, heading straight for Mira’s house, eager to see her again, wanting to pick up where we’d left off. I’d been preparing to kiss her just before theexplosion. Another reason the human male deserves to burn. How dare he interrupt my time with my mate?

Never mind that I will probably never claim her as my mate…

As the cold wind pelts my face, I release a deep growl. Damn the gods for placing a human female in my path. Damn them for creating a tether between us that I have difficulty ignoring. It’s the sweetest torment I’ve ever known, and I’m not certain I’ll be able to resist the urge to claim Mira.

I land in front of her house, hurry up the steps, and knock on the door. Yes, I could flash into her living room as I did last week, but I don’t wish to catch her unawares, or worse—frighten her. It would seem she’s called up a gentle side I never knew I possessed.

When a few moments pass and she doesn’t answer the door, a sickening feeling comes over me. I search my heart for the warmth I always experience in her presence and it’s not there. This close to her, I should feel something. I pound on the door again, but she still doesn’t answer.

I curse. She’s not here.

I’d ordered her to stay inside her home, but she didn’t listen.

Where the fuck is she?

Despite not being able to detect her presence, I flash into her home and quickly conduct a room-by-room search, just to verify her absence. Fucking fires, why isn’t she here? No one could’ve taken her away because her home is still warded against anyone she doesn’t invite inside. And if she invited someone inside who later decided to do her harm, the second she no longer wanted that individual in her residence, the wards would’ve expelled them outside the fence surrounding her property.

This means, of course, that Mira left of her own free will. It means she deliberately defied my orders to shelter in her home until my return.

I flash outside into the middle of the street. Then I summon my wings and bolt skyward. I fly in slow circles over the city, searching for my errant human mate. But she’s nowhere to be found. I don’t hear her voice or detect her familiar floral scent anywhere, not even in the market square. It’s as though she’s vanished from the city of Trevos entirely.

Perhaps she ran away.

The thought makes my gut twist. I peer at the endless forest that surrounds the kingdom of Trevos, wondering in which direction she might’ve gone. There are still fae soldiers patrolling the nearest areas of the forest, searching for any additional runners. My people can’t abide any unsanctioned departures from the city just yet, as we must guarantee the humans don’t try to send word to other human settlements asking for help.

When I spy movement in the forest below and catch a glimpse of what I think is auburn hair, relief fills me. But in the wake of relief, I experience a wave of anger toward my mate. How dare she put herself in danger? Not only did she leave her home before I could verify the safety of the city, but she illegally escaped the walls of Trevos.

I descend into the forest and land directly behind the wayward female. To my surprise, she’s swinging an ax at a small, fallen tree, and there’s a stack of freshly chopped wood next to her. She pauses and wipes sweat from her brow, and I decide it’s time I make my presence known.

“You disobeyed my orders, little nymph.”

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