Page 67 of Whispers of the Elderoak

She shrugged and glared at him, sick of being treated like a prisoner. She didn’t want to condemn herself by giving him any information. Remembering what her mother had said in Deidamia’s camp, she used her anger, channeled it. She didn’t want these fae to see her as weak.

Casimir turned away and stalked back toward his tent. “Start packing. We leave in an hour. The king will know what to do with her.”

Assuming the king was in the capital, they must be taking her to Mosshaven. Could she be so lucky to run into a group who wanted to take her to the place she was supposed to go? She couldn’t blurt out she was some long lost fae. They’d never buy it. She would remain quiet, observe their dynamics and hope they didn’t want to kill her.

Raine told her to sit down and not to move as the other three packed up camp. They had one horse with them, a stocky gray mare who was being used to carry the rolled-up tents and other supplies. Looking at the horse, she was relieved she didn’t have to ride it. Her nervousness around horses was something she didn’t want them to see. She sat on one of the logs next to the embers, watching the group with suspicion and a slight bit of fear.

The woman caught her staring and smirked at her. “Are you scared, darling? You should be.” She winked, before turning back to the horse, securing the last of their supplies.

“Stop taunting her, Quinn,” said Jorrar, who seemed to have a hint of warmth in his eyes.

She had now learned all their names. The woman was Quinn, the older one Jorrar and the brute was Casimir, their leader and the one they called The Bear, though she saw no signs of his ursine companion. Raine was the gorgeous blonde one she had stabbed in her panic to get away.

Once the packing was complete, Casimir said, “Keep her in the middle, Raine. Quinn and Jorrar you flank the sides and I’ll lead. Let’s get going.”

Casimir led the way of their small party, heading toward the expansive green mountains in the distance, Raine walking next to him. Ava followed a few feet behind them flanked by Quinn who was still carrying her weapons and satchel, and Jorrar who had the lead for their horse.

She was still gagged and though she had dozens of questions stirring in her mind, she said nothing. At least no one was torturing her.

25

Casimir could sense her presence behind him as they walked toward Mosshaven. The fear and anger emanated from her as he felt her eyes boring into his back, likely unhappy about being a prisoner yet again. But they couldn’t be too careful. Not when they didn’t know her.

He was surprised to come across the human they had been hearing about, assuming she was still a prisoner of the daemon army. But when Percy had spotted her close by in the woods, he’d told Jorrar and the three of them had brought her back immediately.

He tried to recall what the ancient texts had said about humans and other realms. He had hated his history lessons as a boy, much preferring the thrill of fighting and learning the art of the sword. His tutor would chastise him for getting distracted as he sword-fought with his pencil instead of completing his assignments.

Now at over one hundred years old, he barely remembered any of his lessons. All he knew was despite the lingering armies of the daemon queen and her lover, his kingdom had remainedsafe. Protected by the surrounding mountains, massive trees, rivers and their powerful earth magic.

He was a boy during the first wars when Deidamia had rallied her army and entered their world through the portal created by a power-hungry king. Those wars had taken his family from him, leaving him alone in the world and fighting for the freedom they had so longed for. That ancient king was long dead, but not forgotten, as Casimir’s kingdom had cursed his name and warned all who lived there about the dangers of craving power, using the old king as an example to stay away from portal magic.

A dangerous, risky magic that was rare and hadn’t been seen in decades.

Now some human woman had somehow led them back from wherever they had been banished to, single-handedly responsible for the potential demise of their whole world and he was furious.

He still didn’t know how she fit in the picture. Her role in this war.

Perhaps she was a spy.

A part of him had wanted to kill her on the spot, if only to protect his kingdom, but not before talking to his king. He knew Thorne would want to interrogate her and seek answers on how to defeat Deidamia once and for all.

Had she opened the portal herself? Or had they somehow figured out how to do it and dragged her along? It was impossible. Humans didn’t have magic. Weak, mortal beings with little strength and short lifespans, but he had to admit her presence unnerved him. Made him wary.

He looked over to Raine, walking next to him, holding the woman’s rope. “What do you think about this?”

Raine whispered back quietly so the human couldn’t hear. “Something doesn’t feel right,” he said. “I sense there is more tothe story than a naive woman suddenly appearing here with Deidamia.”

Casimir nodded his agreement. “Do you think she is in league with them?”

“No. I could sense her fear when she fought against me. There was no ill-intent, just terror. She kept screaming about not going back. She thought we were part of Deidamia’s army.”

“She stabbed you in the leg.”

“It’s already basically healed.” Raine shrugged. “Besides, she isn’t that strong. The dagger didn’t go deep.”

Casimir sighed. He had noticed her injuries, painful even for an immortal. The way her eyes darted around and how her hands trembled though she tried to hide it. How she regarded him with suspicion, attempting to stifle her flinch at his approach. Her limp and the bruises on her body.

They continued their trek throughout the day, briefly stopping for food and water which Casimir allowed Jorrar to give their prisoner. Even though his benevolence often frustrated Casimir, he respected and even loved him for it. Raine was also that way; always laughing and up for new friendships. It was up to Casimir to remain wary and watch the woman, though something in him whispered that she wouldn’t hurt them. That his world was about to be transformed by her sudden arrival.

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