He bowed and held it out. “The king commanded that I deliver this to you, Your Majesty.”
Hesitatingly, I took the cloak. “He doesn’t want me to be cold before he sacrifices me?”
“He would never want you to be cold, Your Majesty.”
He didn’t acknowledge the killing bit, I couldn’t help but notice. “You keep calling me Your Majesty.” I eyed the door behind him, hoping I could distract him enough to get out.
“You will save us, Your Majesty. Of course I know who you are.”
“Save you with my eventual death?”
He shrugged.
This was some seriously weird shit, that was for sure. And I was definitely not interested in playing my role. It was going to take some quick thinking to get out of it, though.
But first things first. “Where’s my brother?”
“Somewhere safe.” His tone and eyes gave nothing away.
He moved toward the door.
Damn it, this was my last chance. I charged him.
His eyes widened, and he threw out his hand. His magic flared briefly, then stopped. As if he were about to throw something dangerous at me, but thought better of it.
Of course he wouldn’t kill me. I needed to be sacrificed to save their people.
I plowed into his middle, driving him back against the wall. He shouted before I could knock him in the face with a punch. My fist collided with his jaw, and his head snapped back, crashing against the wood.
He slumped, unconscious, and I lunged for the door. Three slender Fae appeared in the doorway, each dressed in the uniform of the palace guard. One raised his hand and threw a blast of magic at me.
I dropped low, narrowly avoiding the sparkling magic. It crashed against the wall and dissipated. I scrambled upright, but the guards were quicker. They grabbed the unconscious body of the one I’d attacked and dragged him from the room.
I raced for the door, but it slammed in my face right as I reached it.
“Damn it!” I staggered backward, panting.
This would not do. No way I was waiting around here to play some weird sacrifice role.
I found the cloak on the ground and swung it over my shoulders for warmth. Fates, it was cold in here. The cloak was large, but well-made and warm.
I moved around the room, inspecting each of the frozen walls. The ice was thicker in some places, but there was no secret exit or weakness I could see.
My mind raced with ideas, but none of them worked.
Still trapped?
The voice sounded from above, and I looked up to see the white fox sitting on the windowsill.
“Puka! You came back!”
The fox arched a brow. Of course I did. You have the beef in your bag. I like you.
“I will buy your love with beef jerky every time, my friend.” I held up my hand so it was right below his feet.
He dropped the little leather pouch into it, then leapt onto my head and onto the ground.
I flinched. “Did you just use me as stairs?”
Maybe. I ate all your beef.
“Consider it yours.” I emptied the little pins in the bag into my hand and knelt at the door.
It only took a few seconds of wiggling them in the lock to get it to open. Slowly, I moved the latch and looked down at Puka. “If you can fight, I’d appreciate the backup.”
Puka’s eyes gleamed. Love a good fight.
“Good.” I opened the door and peeked out.
Right into the eyes of a guard.
I launched myself at him, darting out of the room and smashing my fist into his jaw. He moved at the last second, and my blow glanced off of him, slowing him but not taking him out.
I kneed him in the stomach and grabbed the knife from his belt, flipping it around and slamming the hilt into his skull.
He collapsed onto the cold stone floor.
Next to me, Puka leapt onto the chest of another Fae guard, avoiding the blast of water that the guard tried to shoot at him. The fox went for the throat, tearing viciously.
“Try not to kill, Puka!”
For one, I felt guilty killing when I didn’t have to. And from a more practical standpoint, if I were caught, I didn’t want to be in even more trouble than I was.
Killjoy. Puka leapt off the man’s chest and let him fall.
I spun around, searching for other guards. There was one at the end of the hall, the indecision on his face making it clear that he wasn’t sure if he should attack or run for help.
He spun to face the other direction.
A runner.
I gripped the blade I was holding by the point and hurled it at him, aiming for the leg. The blade sank into his thigh, and he shouted, going down.
I sprinted for him, using my unnatural speed, and leapt on his back. I yanked the blade from the back of his thigh and slammed the hilt into the back of his head. He slumped, unconscious.
I turned back to Puka, who had become my sidekick whether he wanted to claim the title or not. “Tear off their belts.”
Ew.
“Just do it.”
He moved to the waist of one of the fallen guards while I yanked the belt off of the one I’d just taken out. Quickly, I bound his hands and feet as I had the other guard, then tore a strip off his uniform to gag him. For good measure, I shoved him in a cell and shut the door.
Puka had pulled the belts off the other two, and I quickly bound them and stashed the bodies.
I looked at the little white fox who was red around the muzzle. His black eyes were bright with the thrill of the hunt.
“Do you know where my brother is?”
How do I know a person is your brother?
“He’s a tall, dark-haired man. Nice guy. He’ll give you food if you help me save him.”
If Puka had eyebrows, they would have raised in interest. I think there’s a man down the hall a bit.
“Let’s go.”
I’ve got places to be. But good luck. He turned and trotted off down the hall.
“Thanks, then,” I said to his retreating back.
He ignored me and turned at the hall.
I hurried down the passage, moving past closed cell doors that appeared to be empty. I could feel Connor’s presence as soon as I neared him—a brother-sister thing, maybe. Or perhaps just wishful thinking.
But a moment later, his pale face appeared at the small window in the door. He looked pissed. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Saving your ass.”
“You’re supposed to save your own ass, remember? The Court depends on you.”
“Screw the Court. You’re my brother.”
“The Court is a lot of people.”
Guilt tugged at me as I dropped to my knees. He was right. But I couldn’t risk either of them. “I can save both.”
“Well, hurry up, then.”
“I am, damn it.” I couldn’t believe we were bickering even now. But I shouldn’t be surprised. I twisted the little pins a few more times, and the lock on the door broke open. I stood. “Come on.”
Connor stepped out, looking thinner and cold.
“He didn’t give you a jacket?” I scowled.
“No, bastard.”
“Bastard is right. Come on, we’ve got to find our way out of here. Do you have any ideas?”
“I heard them talking about the guards’ kitchen where they eat. There’s an exit through there.”
“Which way?”
He pointed down the hall in the direction that the guard had been trying to flee . “That way, I think.”