My eyes go wide with panic, even as I begin to lose control of my limbs, going limp in my assailant's grip. Blurry images enter my view, more attackers, at least ten. They draw swords.
Asher turns around and screams, a primal sound not of fear but rage. He charges forward, lightning fast. I can barely see him as he darts around, disarming one opponent and taking their blade. Steel clashes. Mud splatters. Blood sprays over my face.
My captor drags me back, away from the fighting, between towers of stone. He wears brown furs and a leather hood, shrouding his face. I can't make out more; my eyes grow heavy.
My attacker stumbles.
I focus all my remaining strength.
And ram the back of my head into his face.
Pain explodes in my skull, and I hear the crunch of bones. Probably his nose. He curses, letting go, and I fall, slamming into gravel. I scream at the top of my lungs, hoping someone in this realm will care and come to help. I can't walk, so I crawl, my knees scraping against rock, my hands bleeding from tiny cuts.
In the distance, three men surround Asher, but he holds his own, fighting with such speed and agility my eyes can't follow. But they are fast too, and I wonder if vampires can be killed.
The drug they used on me dulls all my senses, and I collapse near the water.
Then I hear it.
The sound of hooves.
Of wolves howling.
Of warriors shouting.
Asher's voice is sharp with relief, but still filled with his normal snark. "Good of you to finally join us, brother."
Swords clash. Blood seeps into the earth.
Visions mix around me. It's hard to breathe. Hard to think.
Then all goes quiet.
And a wet nose nudges my face. I pry my eyes open and see the face of a large white wolf staring at me, his golden eyes too intelligent for comfort.
"He normally hates anyone but me." The voice is familiar. Comforting. Deep and gravelly.
Arms scoop me from the ground and as my head falls back, I see the face I knew would be there. "Fenris?"
Fen looks down at me. "You really should stop getting drugged and nearly kidnapped."
I muster some indignation, though I can tell I won't be conscious much longer. "People really should stop drugging and nearly kidnapping me," I mumble.
It's his laugh I hear as darkness takes me.
***
I wake in silk sheets that feel too soft, too slippery to be entirely comfortable. The bed is large and plush and I am dressed in... something I don't recognize. My head doesn't hurt nearly as badly this time around when I open my eyes.
The room flickers with the light of a fire dancing off the walls. I push myself up in bed to look around.
"Drink this." A pewter goblet is handed to me.
I look over and see Fen sitting in a chair by my bed, a massive white wolf sleeping by his feet. Or at least pretending to sleep. I have a sense that wolf is acutely aware of everything happening in this room and beyond. "You!" I push the goblet away and glare at Fen. "You're one of them and you lied to me."
"I never lied to you. I just didn't tell you everything. For that matter, you didn't share all your secrets that day either, did you?" His blue eyes catch the light of the fire and seem to spark. He's dressed differently then last time I saw him. Brown leather pants and shirt, heavy fur boots.
"Well, no. But that's different. I didn't know you knew about this stuff. You knew I did."
"Fair enough," he says, still holding the goblet out to me. "But my job was to keep you safe. It was Asher's job to get you here of your own free will. I couldn't interfere. Now drink this before your headache hits."
I take the cup from him and sniff, then wrinkle my nose. "This is awful. What's in it?"
"You don't want to know, but you do want to drink it. It's the reason you don't feel like you've been drugged, but the dose you had earlier has nearly worn off."
I remember how long it took me to recover last time, and I plug my nose and gulp the vile liquid down, nearly gagging as I do. It doesn't taste as bad as it smells. It tastes worse.
I throw the goblet at Fen when I'm done, but he catches it one-handed with a chuckle. "Feeling feisty, I see."
"Still angry you lied to me. I trusted you."
He stands, shaking his head. "You shouldn't trust anyone here, Princess. Let that be your first lesson." He walks to the door, his wolf following him.
"Not even you?" I ask.
"Especially not me," he says, opening the door. "Now get dressed. Asher is waiting for you in the library. I'm to take you there and make sure no one else tries to kill you in the meantime."
"And who is trying to kill me?"
He pauses. "The Fae who dwell in the Outlands."
Fae? Are they the dangerous enemy Asher spoke of? The magic wielders. "And why are they after me?"
"I suspect it is because they know of your importance. If you were to be taken, then we would have no king, and our kingdom would remain disorganized. Now, hurry and change."
I look down at the silver nightgown someone dressed me in. "Where are my clothes? How did I end up in this?"