Page 91 of Wrath of the Fae

His ideal. His and his demented followers.

‘That woman used to stand. The king had it knocked down after he took the throne and remade it to better represent the woman’s place.’

We return to the ground, and his wings fade as he strides through the trees to get a clearer view.

‘The palace is big. How do we get to it without being seen?’ I ask.

Something hot and sharp pierces my neck. My gasp has Lucca turning. His eyes stare at whatever it is before I yank it out. It’s a dart.

‘Iron,’ I groan, feeling my legs give way. I hit the ground. Lucca goes to run for me but stops when he hears another.

‘I GOT HER!’ calls a voice from the trees. ‘East of the Orchard! I hit her with a dart.’

‘Grab her and get her back in her room,’ calls another voice a little further away. ‘I don’t have time to fuck about with her today.’

‘Yes, Sir.’

A First Kingdom soldier emerges from the tree line and stops. He looks at me and smirks.

‘Hello there, sweetheart. Sneaking out again? Silly little princess. Whatever shall I do with…’

His smug look soon fades when Lucca steps out from beyond the trees. He has his hood up, and his face is hidden from view. The soldier squints, trying to see who is beneath it.

The soldier pulls out a weapon similar to a gun and fires. Lucca narrowly misses the dart that embeds in the husk of a tree. Another shot forces Lucca backwards.

A second man lands between us. His wings spread wide, and his pristine white uniform blowing in the gentle breeze. He withdraws a sword and slams his foot into Lucca’s gut before raising it.

Lucca rolls out of its path.

Run!I scream in my head as he gets to his feet and faces the soldier.RUN!

I’m not leaving you!

You have to. Go!

Lucca turns and makes for the trees.

The soldier turns to face me and rests the tip of his sword at my throat.

‘Out here again, are we, little princess?’ he drawls, a vile grin smirking at me from beneath his helmet. ‘You know you’re not supposed to be out here. Remember what happened last time?’

He takes the sword and trails it down my stomach, resting it between my legs.

‘Fancy another reminder?’

‘Fuck you,’ I manage as the liquid iron courses through me.

He laughs and returns his sword to its sheath before slamming his boot into my face. Blood explodes from my nose, and another voice calls out as he lifts his foot again.

‘Don’t mark her up!’ calls a woman. ‘She’s to be at the party this evening. The King won’t want her all bruised and bloody. Besides, that dart will have her immobile and pliable for a while.’

With a snarl, the soldier lowers his foot. I lie there as a woman stands on my other side. She’s also dressed in the soldier uniform and looks at me with disinterest.

‘Why are you out here again?’ she sighs with irritation. ‘You have been told not to leave your room.’

I have no idea what to say, so I flutter my eyes as if fighting for consciousness. The female soldier tuts and rolls her eyes.

‘Get her back to her room,’ she orders with a vague hand gesture. ‘I’ll check the woods for whoever she was talking to. Probably another beggar that slipped through.’

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