“It’s okay, we’re human. No wings, see?” I twisted, showing him my back.
His eyes scanned and when satisfied, he leaned forward with wide eyes. “I’m Brandon.”
He retreated quickly and his eyes snapped to Kesha and Hunter, tracking every movement as they continued their hushed conversation. The sight sprung a well in my chest. Emotion poured out. He looked like a boy waiting to be hit. My sorrow sighed and tipped over into pity.
I glanced toward Isabel to check how the other boy was coping. They were whispering, but I caught his name anyway: Billy.
“Are we definitely in the fae lands?” Billy piped up. “It doesn’t look that different.”
He spoke directly to the fae and showed no fear. My hero.
Kesha met his interruption with a scowl, but Hunter replied, “Yes, we’re in fae lands, but seeing as this is your new home, maybe you’d like to call it by its proper name—Aldar?”
His lip twitched into a tiny smile. Stars, he was trying. I wanted to hate him for it, but somehow, I failed miserably.
Billy, however, continued as irreverent as ever. “This isn’t my home.” He stopped to consider. “Why would I call it Aldar?”
His curiosity had won out. Mine piqued when Hunter’s straight brows knotted together. “Have the humans forgotten the name of our kingdom too?”
No one in the Gauntlet knew the name of their kingdom—that knowledge was long gone. When Billy didn’t answer, Hunter peered between Isabel, who looked lost in thought, and Brandon, who flinched underneath his scrutiny, before finally locking eyes with me.
Still. Hesitant. Maybe, a glimmer of pain and remorse.
The memory of last night and what I’d said lay between us. With one gesture, I could widen the gap or heal the rift.
An awkward mix of emotions battled to the surface: savage triumph at having gotten under his skin, intermingled with twinges of unease for having cursed him.
He had saved my life. Sort of … And accepting exile didn’t mean I wanted to become a slave. Understanding this land and how it worked seemed essential to my survival and eventual freedom. Therefore, I still needed that ally. Decision made, I didn’t turn from him. I let my features visibly soften.
Relief, quick and bright, flared into his eyes. He even dared a little smile. I tried to return the favor, but it came out as more of a grimace. It seemed deciding to forgive someone and feeling it in my heart were two very different things.
Hunter didn’t seem to notice my hesitation; his smile born of uncertainty now looked relaxed and easy.
“Where’ve the horses gone?” Billy suddenly demanded, staring around.
Shock tugged at me. I hadn’t even noticed the silent beasts’ absence.
Kesha bared her teeth. “We ate them.”
Brandon gasped. But Billy crossed his arms and glowered. “No, you didn’t. I can tell when someone’s lying.”
Isabel and I exchanged worried looks. There was bravery, and then there was this.
Yet despite his attitude, Kesha restrained herself and Hunter replied, “Useful talent.” His eyes sparkling with hidden mirth, he went on. “You are quite right. We left them in the human realm.”
Billy gave an assured little nod and declared, “I’m hungry.”
“Why don’t you hunt something for lunch then?” Kesha said, a little too quiet for my liking.
A child—a boy not even in the grips of puberty—stared down the vicious hunter of humans and folded his arms. “I don’t need to.”
“Oh, and why’s that?” Kesha rolled out in a deadly purr.
“You’ve got wings,” he said, jabbing his finger damningly. A tad redundant, considering how her wings extended from the top of her head to her tailbone.
Cool amusement drifted across Kesha’s face: the look of a cat playing with a mouse.
A laugh bubbled up in me like fizzy wine and hysteria threatened. Clenching my jaw and pressing my lips tight were the only things saving me.
Hunter’s nostrils flared delicately, and for a second, the whites of his eyes showed. Gods, what had he smelled? Tension hung heavy and thick in the air, but before the storm could break, he dove into a rucksack that lay on the ground. He pulled out an apple and threw it toward Billy. Not stopping there, he threw one to each of us.
“Eat quickly,” he said, intending the words for everyone but directing them at me. “We have a long road ahead.”
Isabel twirled the apple in her palm, thoughtful. “You told me you were taking me to other witches, but you never said where, exactly.”
Her question implied, she didn’t stray from being polite, causal, and non-threatening. Masterfully done. Not even Kesha could take offense.
“I’m taking you to the Witch Court,” she answered begrudgingly. “Although its true name is the Crescent. The Wild Hunt has agreed not to sell your kind to the markets, so we deal directly with the clans.”
The most words I’d heard her use. And Wild Hunt? Clans? Stars, there was a lot to learn about this realm.
“What are they going to do with me?” Isabel asked quietly.
“No idea. It’s not our job to know,” Kesha shot back.
Brandon shuffled closer. I wrapped an arm around him and tucked him in close.
“What about me?” Billy asked stoutly.
After a nervous sidelong glance at Kesha, Hunter picked up the conversation. “We’re taking you and Brandon to the markets in the Solar Court. The military might buy you—they’re always looking for new recruits. Or if the nobility takes a liking to you, they’ll take you on as part of their household.”
“Hunter, enough.” Kesha grabbed one of two huge packs and shouldered it. “We need to cover good ground before nightfall, and I’m done conversing with these bags of meat.”
My hand twitched, itching to punch her square in that jutting jaw of hers.
“I don’t want to be sold,” Billy said. No fear. Just grim words.
My heart broke for him. He’d seen too much already. An old soul trapped in a child’s body.
Hunter’s lip turned down. From pity? Or irritation? “You’ll have a better quality of life than if we’d left you to starve and beg on the streets.”
Contempt swept in. Was this how he justified it? Did he think if he took outcasts it made it all okay? That he was a hero?
My hands clenched. Fool. Stupid, na?ve fool.
Billy’s thoughts seemed to match my own; his chin lifted a touch and his eyes tapered. “I would’ve been free.”
Isabel’s gaze touched mine. I read the unspoken words: This boy is too smart for his own good.
“Free.” Kesha sneered. “To do what? Die from hunger in some shit-stained town while the humans do their best to ignore you? Interesting idea of freedom you’ve got. Now, eat your apple.” A low, dangerous tone.
Billy tilted his head to one side, considering. After the tense standoff, he condescended to take a bite.
A sigh of relief left my lips. I started in on my own apple. Praying this wouldn’t be our only meal for the day, I devoured it in four big bites. Once water went around us humans, we were ordered to march.
An hour went by. The woods and path underfoot didn’t change much, apart from the odd new smell or burst of color. I kept watch for the return of the golden lights and tiny winged creatures, but there was no sign of them.