I tried to pul away, bracing with my feet. “Caleb. Let go. I have to stay.”
He just tugged harder. “No. We have to get out of here, Al, before—”
He never got to the next word. I expected the guards I’d seen earlier to catch us, but it was the ominous statues along the wal that lumbered into action, and I had a good idea what he’d been worried about.
The guardians each carried a huge, three-foot-long sword. Who the hel carried a sword? Of course they were more “whats” than “whos,” and there were a lot of them.
Caleb skidded to a stop as three guardians barred the passage in front of us. We both twisted around, but there were more guardians behind us, and more were stepping forward from the wal s, their swords lifted. Surrounded.
“How do we fight them?” I whispered, and Caleb shook his head.
Great. I could see the glyphs on the guardians, but I didn’t know anything about the fae glyph magic, and I certainly didn’t know how to dispel the enchantment. My ability to peer over the planes wasn’t showing anything useful either.
They weren’t like the constructs I could disbelieve out of existence, but ice given purpose. Even the dagger in my hand, which was always eager for a little action, felt unsure.
The guardians pressed closer, until Caleb and I were forced back to back just to keep from being skewered.
“Stand down,” a familiar voice yel ed. Falin rounded the corner at a dead run.
“No,” Caleb whispered.
I spared a moment to glance at Caleb before focusing on Falin. The chain was gone, and he was alone. Or at least Falin. The chain was gone, and he was alone. Or at least he was far ahead of anyone else pursuing us.
He reached a row of guardians and, grabbing two by the shoulder, jerked them back to open a path with no pointy ice swords between him and us. The guardians turned, and then as one, stepped back. They didn’t lower their swords, but at least I had room to breathe.
“We’re not going back,” Caleb said. He grabbed my dagger, wrenching it from my hand.
I yelped, my wrist smarting. “Hey!”
Caleb lifted the dagger, pointing it at Falin.
I grabbed his arm. “Caleb, stop.”
Falin stepped closer. “I don’t wish to hurt you.”
Which didn’t mean he wouldn’t. I’d seen Falin kil before.
That had been the bad guys, but I guess “bad” was a matter of perspective.
Caleb lifted the dagger higher.
Falin glanced at the ice guardians. Two advanced, faster than I would have thought possible for automatons, and grabbed Caleb’s arms, dragging him down.
“What do you think you’re—” I didn’t finish because suddenly I was wrapped in warm, strong arms.
Falin pul ed me tight against his chest, holding me close.
“I was so worried,” he whispered, his breath dancing through my hair.
He was worried. So he told me here. In a hal way. Away from her. “Don’t. Touch. Me.”
Falin jerked back, as if my words scalded him. “Alexis . .
.” “No. Don’t.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him. A nerve twitched under my eye. “Just don’t, okay?
Now tel them to let go of Caleb.”
Falin’s shoulder sagged. “I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?”
“My queen commanded I bring you to her.”
Wel , that proved it, didn’t it? If I’d needed any further proof of where I stood, he’d just provided it. That conclusion proof of where I stood, he’d just provided it. That conclusion must have shown on my face because Falin stepped forward again. He lifted his hands as if he was going to touch me, but then he dropped his arms by his sides.
“Try to understand. I must obey her commands. I have no choice.”
He couldn’t lie, I knew he couldn’t, and yet the hurt part of me couldn’t believe him. I glanced at Caleb, who’d final y stopped struggling with the guardians. He wore a sour look, but he gave one curt nod, confirming Falin’s words.
He has to obey? I shook my head. The rules seemed to keep changing, and I barely understood the game. But the stakes were high. Deadly.
Falin stepped forward until the hem of my dress brushed his legs. “Alexis, I would reorder al of Faerie for you if it were in my power.”
The “but it isn’t” went unsaid everywhere but his eyes, where I could almost see the words echoing. He reached out, his warm hands sliding over my bare shoulders. I didn’t pul away, but I didn’t move toward him either. He leaned forward, closing the distance between us. Stil I held my ground, and his lips grazed mine, the touch light enough to be a kiss from the wind.
“Forgive me,” he whispered. He meant the words, meant them so much that the imbalance that swung between us made us both flinch. Then his hands slid from my shoulders to my wrists. His fingers locked around me like manacles.
What?
“Oh, now isn’t this touching?” a crisp female voice said, and I jumped.