Page 121 of Mistaken Magic

"Jack!" he cawed loudly.

"Hawke," the guy replied. "It'sa pleasure, sir."

"RainJack."

"Really?"Torianasked.

Ijust gestured to them. "Whatare they doing?"

"TalkingtoJack," she said as if that should've been obvious.

"Abird?"

"Avery special bird,"Toriancorrected. "Areyou the king?" he asked.

Jackshook his beak violently.

"Prince?"

ThatmadeJackblink.

"Duke?"Torianoffered.

Anotherno.

"So, maybe you're an unrecognized prince of theCrowKing?"Torianasked.

"Jack!" the bird replied.

"Thenit is my honor to meet you,PrinceJack."AndToriansaid something in his native language.

Thewords were lyrical and fluid on his tongue, a bit different thanI'dheard before.NotthatIknew what any of it meant, but whenToriansaid it, it sounded like diamonds instead of glitter.Justa little more crisp and defined, a bit more flair.Inall honesty, it sounded like the most amazing thingI'dever heard.

"Hewas born speakingFaeril,"Aspenexplained. "There'sa good chanceJackunderstands it as much asEnglish.I'mgetting the impression your friend is the son of a fae bird, or a line of fae birds trapped here."

"Whichis why he's so big?"Iasked.

"Probably," she agreed, moving to sit beside me, and then shifting to wrap her arms around me. "Youok, sweetie?"

"Ihonestly don't know yet,"Iadmitted, turning to her while the guys continued to talk toJackin wordsIdidn't know.ThenItold her about what had happened at the door.

Aspenjust reached up to smooth back my hair. "Once, theHuntlooked like us and rode between worlds as they needed.Nowthat they're locked here, the magic isn't fueling them, so they're all decaying.TheHuntdoesn't stop, you see.Theyride, and they always ride until they catch their target."

"Whichis all the fae onEarth,"Toriansaid, proving he was listening in. "TheMadQueensent them here to collect the defectors.Thegates were closed, andIdon't think she did it.Shehas her guards watching them, though.That'show most of us slip through, often by bribing a guard to not notice.Afew gates can open partway, and the one on the far side of the property is howIgot here."

"So, doesn't that mean theHuntcan go back?"Iasked.Becauseif they could open a bit, then wouldn't theHuntuse that?

"Can'topen them at all from this side," he explained. "FromtheFaerieside, with enough magic, they can be wedged open for a few seconds.Peoplehave died because they didn't get through fast enough, though.Thequestion is if the risk of staying is worth the risk of leaving."

"Ok..."Iwas pretty sureIwas following along, but my head felt full, andIknew there was somethingIwas missing. "IftheHuntis supposed to catch fae and take them back, but they can'tget back, then why kill them?Whydon't they justgive upwhen the door doesn't open?"

"Well,"Aspensaid. "We'recriminals, remember?Webroke theQueen'slaw about not leaving, so we must be punished.Ifwe can't be brought back for theQueento execute, then theHuntsmenwill do it in her name.Theyget to the gate,Rain, and when they can't get through, they kill us."

Yeah, that was the pieceIcouldn't wrap my mind around. "Thenhow do you stop them?Imean, this has been going on for how long?"

"Can'tbe killed,"Hawkepointed out. "Partof the enchantment, and why they need so much magic.Noaging, no death, no stopping because they need to rest.It'stheWildHunt,Rain."

"AndIwas never a huge fan of fairy tales,"Itold him. "Notreally in my daily dose of human upbringing.Iwill probably forget half of what you tell me a few times because, guys...Thisis a lot."

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