Page 40 of Owned By the Fae
I hate that he can go to her wherever he wants, and I can’t, but I nod.
‘Yes,’ I say. ‘I have a bad feeling that something isn’t right.’
Kal huffs out a long breath, seeming to deflate slightly. ‘What are we going to do?’
He doesn’t mean about the healer. I let out a small sigh of relief, glad we seem to be on the same page once more when it comes to Lia.
‘It's a fucking mess is what it is,’ I mutter.
‘At least you got Grith.’
My lips curl up into a small, satisfied smile. ‘Aye. At least I got that cunt. Are you in practice today?’
Kal shakes his head. ‘I don't do any of that now.’
‘What do you do?’
He tilts his head at me. ‘I mostly skulk around the fold. Wander around the keep, test to see if anyone can hear me. Smell me. Feel me.’
‘And?’
‘They don't seem to be able to when I’m focused. No one's caught me yet.’
‘Good. Perhaps we can use it to our advantage.’
‘You have a plan?
‘Not yet. But soon. It's only a matter of time before he makes use of the Harbinger.’
Kal nods. ‘I agree. She's too important to waste. He wanted her returned for a reason. She's still the strongest of the Skilled when she's not bound.’
I grit my teeth and look away. ‘She doesn’t need to be bound to use her Skill,’ I say very quietly.
‘What?’
‘Kallum, she killed over fifty orcs in that forest,’ I whisper, and Kal’s eyes widen. ‘It took but a moment.’
I watch him carefully, hoping that I’m doing the right thing by telling him this. He cares about her. He won’t tell Varrik, though I can’t say the same for Dane if he finds out.
‘Don’t tell anyone.'
Kal looks affronted that I even feel the need to say the words, but he nods.
‘We were caught. I was stuck in my beast form. I couldn't think straight, and they were going to slay me. She killed themall. Even bound. She told me later that it didn't work on her anymore.’
‘That doesn't make any sense,’ Kal murmurs. ‘If she could escape this place, she would have already. She'd have killedsomeoneby now. Something’s wrong. There’s more to this. Perhaps that healer was telling the truth. Things aren’t as they seem.’
I shake my head, more to clear it than anything else.
‘None of it makes sense,’ I mutter. ‘If she can't be bound, and she could leave, but she hasn't, then … perhaps she is truly glad to be out of the Wilds. They’re even more dangerous for a human these days. After Rondorai, perhaps she … re-evaluated.’
Kallum shakes his head. ‘No. She told me she would never want to come back here. We need to come up with a plan. She seemed fine when I saw her, but I'll check on her again as soon as I can as I said, and I'll let you know how she fares. Then we can decide what to do and when.’
I nod. ‘But even if we can get her out of there, where would we go?’ I ask quietly.
‘I don't know. Somewhere far from here. Somewhere safe.’
I snort. ‘There's no such place in the Dark Realms.’
