by Allie Santos
Her words stunned me. Although not completely true, I couldn’t deny I hadn’t been intimate with the enemy.
The sniffles from Karen had died down. Her head was bent awkwardly, and by the steady rhythm of her breathing, I could tell she was asleep. The other girls tried to evade my gaze, all except Thea. She had pure sympathy on her face. I curled my feet under me and fiddled with my metal cuff as I watched her. I was glad the initial pain I’d felt from the metal had dulled.
“Where is he now, Rae? Probably screwing that crazy bitch of his. He used you. How do you not realize that?” Jasmine’s voice cracked at the end, and it must have been the point she decided to stop talking because she turned back to face the wall and stoically stared at it.
“He’ll come. He’ll help us,” I said in a small voice, looking down.
“That’s what I thought of Bran,” Thea said quietly from her spot.
I bit my lip. Had I been used? But no, Roark wouldn’t do that. I saw a different part of him. A good part of him.
“Roark? The stoic raven-haired one with the blank expression?” Camilla questioned. My stomach dipped with nerves as all the girls except Karen and Jasmine exchanged glances.
“He’s the leader, along with Sabine,” Eliza said. “He’s supposedly the rightful Fae King according to all the crazies here.”
He’d told me about his family being killed and working for years to get revenge. I squeezed my eyes shut. His entire life. But no, I trusted my gut and it said Roark was good in all of this. I knew I couldn’t convince them. And I refused to be enemies with the very girls I was being held captive with. So, I evaded.
“What are they going to do to us?” I said and glanced away.
“Bran never answered that question. As much as I tried to get it out of him. What’s concerning is hearing them talk about not making their move until two more girls were retrieved.” Thea paused. “Jasmine was brought in, now you.”
I understood her unspoken words. I was the second. What would happen to us now that all the girls had been collected?
“I think something big is going to happen now,” Thea continued. “I was the first captured, and I’m not exactly positive about how long I’ve been here. Whatever is going down… it’s happening soon.”
Foreboding coursed through me. The shadow of bad things lay just at the edge of my peripheral.
The locks on the big gates clanked, and the screech sent a shiver through my body.
“They’re coming guys. Rae, don’t say anything to them. No matter what he says,” Rosalind said from my side. She then closed her eyes and acted like she was asleep. All the other girls did the same. Some put their heads down, and others straight out laid down and curled into a ball.
I tilted my head back and let a little slit of vision in as two tall Fae strode in. One held a bucket, and the other held what looked like clay bowls in his hands.
“The little mice are feigning sleep again.” The darker haired one laughed, sending a chill down my back. I wanted to scoot back from the overt cruelty in it. The lighter-haired guy smirked, and I watched as he set bowls in front of us. One in front of each girl. Dark hair reached into the bucket and pulled a paddle out full of… oatmeal? The squishy brown substance slapped as it hit the bowls.
When he got to Selina, he nudged the bottom of her foot. “What now, human whore? You’re not going to try to entice one of us again?” he said snidely. “You weren’t a bad cocksucker for a human rat.”
A sharp inhale sounded but not from Selina. It was from her little sister. Karen’s breath hitched and quickened. Selina twitched. Before she could do anything, I sat up, bringing their attention to me.
My brain connected the dots from Selina’s earlier comment to what this Fae asshole was saying. She had pleasured him, or at least came on to him. I couldn’t see how anyone could be attracted to the dark-haired monster in front of me. Not because he wasn’t good-looking in a general sense, but because of the cruel edges to his face. But I guess they could say the same thing about Roark.
“You need to back off,” I said sharply, unable to hide the slight tremble to my voice. From my peripheral vision, I saw the rest of the girls sit up. I wasn’t able to turn their way because he approached me in two quick steps.
“And the new girl speaks,” he said, standing in front of me. I looked up at his frame. He was almost as tall as Roark. His gaze flicked over me coldly, without an ounce of feeling. “Not awful looking. You up to sucking me off in a sad attempt to free yourself? Perhaps you’ll actually manage to get me off.”
“Kean,” the Fae behind him intoned in a warning. “I hear someone approaching. Be done with this.”
Kean sighed and looked down at me. “Maybe next time. My killjoy brother has a point.”
The nicer one shot Kean a look. “My idiot brother never has a point.”
The tone was so bland it came off as funny. But I managed to keep my burst of laughter in because I had an inkling that a guy like Kean wasn’t too keen on being laughed at. I squeezed my lips tight to a painful degree.
I realized I wasn’t the only one with the issue as a laugh broke out from the side. Turning, I saw Selina not even trying to hold in hers. Her head was thrown back, and her face was tilted upward as laughter invaded the space. Kean narrowed his eyes on her, rage on his face. His hand clenched, and he took a step forward.
“Stop,” rang out in a trembling voice. I looked at Rosalind in shock. She held her head up but stared down at Kean’s feet, not meeting his burning gaze.
He paused mid-step as he stared at her, head tilted, almost seeming transfixed for a second, but he shook himself out of it, changed directions, and stormed over to Rosalind. Trembling, Rosalind didn’t meet his gaze.
He bent down and reached to grasp her face. “Little mouse—”
His harsh words were cut off as the door was flung open to reveal a shape outlined by the darkness. Snowflakes fell from the sky. From my position, I couldn’t tell who it was. The lighting barely offered enough for me to make anything out. The hay underfoot crunched as the figure stepped in.
Roark.
I nibbled my lip at the warm feeling in me as he approached, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Out,” was all he said.
Kean and his brother nodded once and strode out. I took a moment to glare at Kean, but his gaze was riveted on Rosalind with an angry look that she didn’t meet. Turning back to Roark, I noticed the lack of fatigue on his face. His strength pulsated in his stature and direct gaze… that he hadn’t moved off me.
I searched for caution within me as he stepped in front of me. He reached down for my hand. I grasped it and was pulled up. My legs tingled as the blood rushed back to them. The hand not in his grasp landed on Roark’s chest for balance. In danger of losing myself in his lavender gaze, I snatched them back and finally found my indignance.
“What is this?” I asked and waved around me. He looked down at me, not comprehending what I was getting at. I raised my arm and tugged sharply at the cuff on my wrists.
“That is for humans not to escape,” he said, deadpan, as if answering what the weather was like.
I stared up at him, stupefied. “You really don’t see what’s wrong with this?” I said. He looked confused. “We’re here against our will. And chained up to a damn post. We’re hostages, captives, however you want to see it. It is not okay. What do you want with all of us?”
He seemed to be grasping that I wasn’t about to fall at his feet. His gaze flicked away. “There is a greater purpose for all of you that I am trying to find a way around. I’ve discussed it with Hag and Sabine, but we are still… deliberating.” His hand caressed my arm distractedly as if trying to calm my distress. “I will bring you to my tent.”
I rubbed my forehead as the ache began spreading. “Where are you going to put me, on the floor next to the bed you and Sabine sleep in? Uh, no, thank you.”
I knew I sounded childish, but all of this… it was all so damn twist
ed. As much as I want to throw myself into Roark’s arms, I needed answers first. I needed to know what was going on here.
More importantly, I needed to know what he was going to do about it.
His teeth clenched with a snap. “No, I have my own tent,” he bit out.
“Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll stay here.” He looked around as if just now taking in the surroundings and realizing what a shithole it was. “Plus, what would your mate think about you bringing another woman into your tent?” My tone was snide and edged with jealous anger.
“I have told you that is a nonissue.” His voice rose with every word.
Yeah freaking right. Sabine would probably wait for him to pass out before she snuck in and slaughtered me. I stared at him without a word, my lips pressed together stubbornly. The anger left me with my next exhale, and my shoulders slumped.
His eyes softened after a second and he blinked at me, his expression almost lost. I stopped fighting what I wanted to do and took a step toward him. Sliding my hands over his waist, I wrapped my arms around him. The tenseness released from both our bodies.
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I said and pulled back, my hands sliding over his soft leather clothing. “But I’m staying here. With them.”
Multiple emotions crossed his face before settling on exasperation. “Fine, but I will return expecting a different answer,” he said between his teeth. Before he turned, his eyes traced my face. “When Hag healed me, I was imbued with a bit of magic,” he said, and a peach manifested in his hand. With a quick movement, he handed it to me.
My mouth watered. There were inhales as the girls saw it. They probably deserved it more than me. I really needed to find out how long they’d been here. With only a twinge of sadness, I tossed the peach into Karen’s lap.
Roark saw as he was turning away, and his back tensed. He narrowed his eyes at me when he turned back around and manifested another one and reached it out to me.
I did the same, tossing it to Thea this time. She smiled. Roark let a growl out and manifested six more and handed them to me looking exhausted. He left, slamming the doors. From the outside, the lock slid closed with finality. The longing I felt for him probably seeped through my pores.
I could hear the girls bite into the peaches as I palmed mine. Their delight was evident in their joyful slurping.
“By the way, he’s probably right with the whole thing that Sabine doesn’t care. The population is low on women, so the whole concept of monogamy is foreign,” Thea said as she licked some peach juice off her lips. “Bran,” she said sadly in answer to the question in my eyes.
“Not much else is secret around here except for why we’re here,” Rosalind said from my side.
“Yeah,” Eliza said. “They talk around us like we don’t matter. It works out for us because at least we get some information.”
“How long have you guys been here?” I asked.
“I’ve been here the longest. Going on six months now?” Thea paused. “I think. Camilla, Rosalind, and Eliza came in about three and a half months ago. Selina and Karen two months ago at the same time, obviously. You and Jasmine were the latest.”
No pattern at all except for it was all within six months. “How old is everyone?” I asked.
“Karen is the youngest at sixteen. Camilla and I are twenty-one.”
“Same birthday, too.” Camilla whooped, interrupting Rosalind, who grinned.
“The rest of them are twenty-two,” Rosalind continued. “I don’t know how old you or Jasmine are.”
“Twenty,” Jasmine said from her corner.
“I’m twenty-three,” I answered. It added stress to my already stressed out body. There was a certain responsibility I felt being the oldest.
“What do you guys do in the real world?”
“A couple of us go to the university and the other half work. Except for Karen, who still goes to high school,” Rosalind finished.
“There’s no pattern? I mean, we’re around the same age but not exact, but what does age have to do with anything?” I mused out loud. I sighed and tilted my head back. “Maybe they want us to be like broodmares or something. Considering their lack of women.”
“That’s a no. We’re worthless humans,” Selina said with a bite to her words. “Too low for anything other than a quick screw.”
I felt helpless. “Why are there fewer women? Do we at least know that?”
“Nope, just that it happened two hundred or so years ago? I guess there haven’t been any births for all that time,” Camilla said. “Although they talk about it like it was ten years ago.” She muttered the last part.
That was around the time the Queen bound magic. I wanted to fill them in, but my bladder made a showing after days.
“Where do you guys go… you know.” I waved down at my lady bits.
They all looked behind them, toward the small space between the pole and a wall. “The chain stretches just enough for you to get behind. As long as Rosalind stands and holds her arms over the edges, so you could use her chain length, too,” Selina said.
“At least the bucket is spelled, so as soon as you do your business, it disappears,” Thea said sheepishly with a smile.
“Yeah, and at least we have toilet paper. But that was Thea makin’ magic. She managed to convince Bran to get it somehow. Let go of the shame, girlie. We’ve all gotten real close here,” Camilla said, and her thick accent cajoled a smile out of me.
I met her eyes and there was such kindness in them that a knot formed in my throat. I swallowed hard and went to do my business.
17
Everyone had fallen asleep in awkward positions, some of us leaning on each other, others curled against the fence.
I had woken to find my neck bent at an odd angle with my head on Rosalind’s shoulder. At that moment, I would have done anything to have the alarm clock with the big red numbers honking annoyingly at me, anything other than what had woken me up.
Which was Sabine throwing the doors open dramatically and letting the cold morning air swoosh in. “Hello, vermin,” she chirped cheerfully as she strode in and stopped a few feet away from the group, hands balled at her waist.
I hated her so much.
Turning to the side, I looked at the girls and found them all glaring. Of course, they’d had a sample of Sabine and were just as disgusted by her. It made me feel better about the hate coursing through me.
Although some held their hate more intensely than others. Jasmine, because of her cut face. Selina, probably because of her sister. Me, because of my ankle. Oh, and that pesky little jealousy I couldn’t seem to shake. Then there was Thea. Her hate bled into her every pore as she stared Sabine down.
“Well, we need to fix this. Tell him to remain hidden near the fortress. We will join him shortly,” a lilting soft female voice said. The owner of the voice came into view and revealed a beautiful pale brunette with delicate features who wore a thin teal dress that fell to her ankles. Beside her was a Fae who nodded at her orders and took off. The woman approached Sabine, and she had to stare up at her to meet her gaze.
“Bran reported back from the fortress. It had indeed been searched by the Fae Guards. They have vacated the premises, so we can return, but I sent orders for him to remain and remove any others that may arrive before us,” the pretty girl said.
“They must be looking for me after I poisoned their precious Queen. We need to move to the fortress. Since they have searched it already, it should be safe for our return,” Sabine said with a gleeful smile. “Dear Emily, you will adore it. You could have the whole thing if you’d like after we get rid of that self-righteous bitch Queen and reclaim Roark’s castle. I’m sure that would be payment enough for all you have done.”
“It would be amazing to have my own fortress.” Emily clapped excitedly.
As I stared at her, I realized she had none of the features I’d seen of the Fae. She seemed… human?
“Do you think these are enough to fulfi
ll the spell, or must you scry for another?” Sabine said, nodding in our direction.
Emily refocused and turned to take us in as we straightened against the fence. She hummed and approached us, hovering her hand above our general direction. She only paused once, and that was when she got to Karen, but then she continued.
She returned to Sabine and lowered her voice as if they were having a private conversation and weren’t being stared at by all of us. This must be what they were talking about when the girls said the Fae talked in front of them without a filter.
“Do you still require the masking around the fortress?” Emily asked. As Sabine’s nod, she hummed again. “That will require more magic than I can muster from a general sacrifice. The prophecy is not specific on how many we need. We can drain one source.”
“The prophecy is not specific on much.” Sabine stared right at me.
So, they were thinking of draining us, but for what and, more importantly, how? And what prophecy were they talking about?
Feeling a heavy gaze on me, I tilted my chin up in the face of Sabine’s evil.
“I already know which one it will be. The one with the least magic. That one has the most so she must be preserved for the great sacrifice,” Emily said sagely, motioning to me.
There was a flash of disappointment on Sabine’s face. My brain powered through their words. Great sacrifice? What the hell did that mean? Whatever it was, the words made the hair on my arms raise.
“I must send Roark off before anything is done. He has grown conflicted of what their role is here, and I would rather not have to fight with him,” Sabine said, sighing.
“We must be near the location to aim a masking spell,” Emily said.
Sabine tilted her head and then pinned us with a look. “None of you speak. I will break each and every one of your ankles, so you live with a permanent ache.” It was damn near what she’d done to me.
She turned in time to seem innocent as Roark walked in. His eyes went directly to me and scanned me from head to toe. I gave him a weak smile. He turned and nodded to Emily.
