Page 80 of Wrath of the Fae

‘I’m doing this for your own good,’ he insists, pinning me down as I struggle.

What is he doing? Why? I look up at my friend. The man I trusted more than anything, but I hardly recognise him.

Even Tessa launches herself at him but gets grabbed by a Valker Warrior. More of them land around us, weapons drawn and ready.

‘The Queen has been compromised by the enemy and isn’t in her right mind,’ he tells them, never looking away from me. ‘Until she has returned to her senses, she’s to be kept contained.’ He leans down and whispers. ‘I’m sorry, Pup. I am. You know I am. But you can’t just run back to them. Not after everything.’

I have no choice but to swallow. Once I do, he frees my nose and lets me breathe.

‘They don’t deserve another chance with you. One day, you’ll see that.’

His forehead slamming into mine is the last thing I see before everything goes black.

fifteen

MyheadthrobsasI sit alone in my room. Lucca has had the doors locked and two guards placed outside. I’ve banged against it several times, but they refuse to acknowledge me.

I’m lightheaded and sleepy. Every time I try to stand, I fall. Somewhere along the line, I’ve been washed and dressed. A deep teal silk dress has been put on me. One cut low at the front and back with slits up either side to my hips. The ideal for a queen and not something I could easily sneak away in unnoticed.

That’s probably the idea.

As I stagger and sway around the room, I notice all my clothes are much the same. All my trousers have been taken. All my weapons. Even my dagger.

Food has been left on the table, along with some water and wine. I refuse to touch it. I feel drugged and Lucca has clearly lost what little mind he fucking had.

He’ll pay for this. For locking me up. For telling everyone I’ve gone mad. I had no intention of running off to the First Kingdom. I would have made a plan. Gone in smart.

I attempt to open the windows, but they’re sealed shut too.

I spin to face the door when I hear a key turn in the lock.

‘Let me the fuck out, Lucca,’ I warn, clinging to the table as I watch him walk in.

He carefully locks the door behind him before walking over to pour some water into a glass.

‘You need to drink,’ he insists, offering it to me. ‘You’ll get dehydrated.’

‘So you can keep me drugged up? I don’t think so.’

He takes a sip and walks towards me.

‘It’s not drugged,’ he replies, holding it out to me.

I knock it from his hand.

‘I want to speak to Wolf.’

‘He is beyond the shield, scouting for survivors and watching the crack,’ he tells me. ‘As you instructed.’

‘Why are you doing this? Let me out!’

‘And then what?’ he asks. ‘You go running off again, back to them. The King catches you. He’ll make an example of you, Pup.’

‘Don’t“Pup”me. I had no intention of going in without a plan. I said that.’

‘They don’t deserve you.’ He reaches out and takes my hand in his. ‘They made their choices. They deserve the consequences. Suppose they are suffering, then good. They had it coming.’

‘Rhea doesn’t have it coming. She’s innocent.’

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