Page 194 of The Fae Girl 1

I fell to my knees. My pain and my heartbreak forcing me down.

“Alice.” Nela murmured.

“Don’t.” I gasped.

She put her hand on my shoulder and I threw it off, hanging my head in shame. I guess I deserved this didn’t I? If I’d been smarter, if I’d been paying attention I would have seen it but I’d been too stupid, too gullible. Too typically me.

I sobbed harder. I was a fool. A stupid, stupid fool.

“He wouldn’t have done that.” She said.

I snarled getting to my feet. “Don’t you dare try to defend him.” I clenched my fists so tightly I cut my palms with my nails.

“I’m not defending him Alice but he’d never have done that.”

I screwed my face up. She was denying it? Denying what we’d heard? The High King had all but gloated as he admitted his part.

A shadow moved. Then another. I paused glancing around.

Where the hell even were we?The stonework alone told me I wasn’t in the Royal Quarters, the lighting told me I was deep in the bowels of the castle. The Lower Castle at that.

Nela stiffened pulling her sword.

“What…?” I began and she shook her head.

“Run.” She hissed.

They pounced as she spoke. There were too many to count and they swarmed us like vultures. I pulled my magic, throwing it out and as the light blasted Nela swung her blade.

But someone behind her was ready.

I screamed as I saw the flash of metal. As I saw the red stain of her blood.

“Nela.”

“Run.” She yelled.

I shook my head pulling more magic, throwing it out like missiles.

Something collided with me. I fell sprawling in the dirt. A hand yanked my arm behind my back. I snarled fighting, kicking out but as they slapped something cold around my wrist I screamed in horror.

My magic was gone.

It was like someone had taken a knife and cut into me. It was like someone had suddenly dimmed all the lights. Turned the world to grey.

“Filthy fucking Fae.” A man spat.

I kicked out trying to get free but more hands grabbed me. My wrists were tied so tightly behind my back I could barely feel my fingers.

I was yanked back up and my eyes fell on the body lying on the ground.

“Nela.” I screamed.

She stared back at me just as someone knelt down and drove another sword into her.

“No.” I kicked out, I jerked, I tried to pull my magic but all I was met with was a hollow emptiness so much worse than all the other times.

Some dirty rag was stuffed into my mouth. I was dragged away kicking and fighting as Nela was left to bleed out on the floor.

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