Page 195 of The Fae Girl 1

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I was thrownonto the back of a horse, just like so many times before.

Only this time my fear spiked more.

I tried over and over to pull my magic. I tried to reach out to Fain too. Not because I wanted to but because in that moment I knew they’d come, that I was worth too much to them and that they’d rescue their precious Fae.

But just like with my magic there was no answer. No reply.

Maybe he’d left me to my demise. A part of me expected that. He hated Fae after all. Surely it would be more convenient for me to die like this. But I was worth too much to his brother to allow that, and had he not already proven his loyalty, proven he was willing to go to any lengths to ensure the High King always got what he wanted.

My stomach twisted. In that moment I truly hated them both.

But I guess it didn’t matter really. My hate, my loyalty, any of it. I was beyond their reach now. All but lost to them.

I stared about me as they smuggled me out. There were so many of them they’d need a damn army to fight them.

I whimpered, I tried to come up with any sort of plan but there was nothing. No escape from this.

They were Agnai and they were going to kill me.

My only confusion was why they hadn’t simply slit my neck back at the castle and be done with it.

The horses raced on. The dirt from their hooves kicked up spraying into my face from how I was hanging.

We climbed higher and higher and I knew from the maps I’d seen in Fain’s rooms that we were north of the city. Taking the mountain pass.

When we came to a stop my panic rose.

The ropes binding me were cut and I was thrown to the earth like trash. I groaned as I made contact with the ground. As small stones stuck into my flesh, stabbing me.

They rolled me over and I lay on my back staring wide eyed up at them.

One of them kicked me with their boot.

Another spat on me.

“Filthy fucking Fae.” The same man as before repeated, like that was the only vocabulary he had.

Someone yanked me to my feet by my hair. I screamed kicking out but my ankles were tied and all it did was make me lose my balance and force him to grab me around the waist to keep me up.

“She is pretty.” The man who’d kicked me said brushing my hair back from my face.

I shouted out an insult but the fabric in my mouth turned it to nonsense.

He laughed before striking me hard across the face and only the man gripping my body stopped me from falling again.

“They’re always pretty.” A new voice said loudly as the crowd around me separated.

I looked up meeting the gaze of man in blood red robes. Everyone bowed their head like he was some sort of saint. Some sort of holy man.

His face was so gaunt he looked like he was half dead. His hair was shaven off completely. As were his eyebrows. And under each eye he had small black symbols tattooed. One under another.

Something about this man sent the fear of god into me. I fought harder, I kicked but the man holding me just tightened his grip.

The robed man stepped right into my space pulling a dagger that he held tauntingly before he began cutting away at my clothes.

I screamed. I tried to headbutt him but my head was yanked back and all I could do was shut my eyes as I was stripped naked before them all.

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