Page 23 of The Fae Girl 1

Ridley once again gave me some food. It looked like porridge but not quite. I guess this is what people meant when they talked about gruel. It didn’t taste bad. It didn’t really taste of anything. But it was hot. And it filled the sickening emptiness of my stomach so at least that was something.

I was led, tethered like an animal, away from the group, and given the privacy of a bush to piss behind. I didn’t complain. I was surrounded by men, and that Ghosh arsehole had made it more than clear that the danger to me wasn’t just from a sword in my belly.

I squatted as soon as he was out of view. Pissing as quickly as I could, my legs shaking from the effort and my head screaming that at any moment the soldier would come back, would step right around and I’d be there. Exposed.

Once I was done he led me back to where the Prince was waiting.

He picked me up, deposited me back in the saddle and began tying me up once more.

I glared at him as he did it, as he made each loop, but he simply stared back, tightening them further as if I weren’t a human at all. As if I weren’t capable of feeling.

I still had his cloak on and I realised he must have slept all night without it. I felt a flash of gratitude at that, because I would have frozen even more with just my thin one.

But I didn’t want to be grateful.

I didn’t want to feel anything positive towards him.

I wanted to hate him as much as he clearly hated me.

As he took my reins and mounted his own horse I gritted my teeth ready for another agonising day in the saddle. My thighs were already screaming out in protest, my muscles were starting to cramp and my head hurt worse than ever.

But worse than that, much worse was the realisation that the further we travelled, the further we rode, the harder it was going to be to find my way back.

* * *

The citadel loomed aheadlike a mirage of white stone as we crossed the marshy valley beneath it.

We were walking now, the horses too spent to move any faster.

I stared up, blinking rapidly, but it felt like my eyes were playing tricks. Like the entire world was now invested in this charade.

A city like that couldn’t be real. A city like that I’d have heard about. A huge castle sat on the top of the hill, around it, descending down were hundreds of rows of buildings all safe behind the fortified walls. Even in the fading light it glowed, as if it really were illuminated by magic.

Something told me that as soon as I entered the place, if I allowed them to take me there, that I’d never escape. That this was it.

This mirage in front of me was a prison cell. A dungeon.

My fear spiked. I could feel my body shaking. My head screamed to do something. Anything.

That I had to get away. That I had to fight now.

Fight or I would never see daylight again.

I gripped the saddle harder. I tried to get my legs to move despite how well tied down I was.

If the Prince noticed, if any of them did. they didn’t say anything. They just let me squirm. Let me silently fight in the only way I could.

Until the last of my energy left me.

Until the hours of riding we still had, wore me down, and once again I gave in.

My head hurt so badly I could barely think, could barely process. My entire body felt like it was wracked with pain but it was dulling I realised.

All my senses were dulling.

I gulped, trying to focus. Trying to force myself back to consciousness because I was aware of what was happening. I was too weak, to pathetic now to even keep my eyes open.

All I could do was sit limply in my saddle as the horse plodded on.

---