Betrayals of Spring (Forever Fae #2)(58)
“Aki, Prince Ashe, let’s go!” I yell. Even though I know both of them are tired, they move swiftly through the forest and away from the danger behind us. We ride hard for a several minutes and I am constantly taking peeks behind me to see if we’re being followed. I breathe a sigh of relief when it looks like I’m safe. I make Prince Ashe slow down because his chest is heaving in and out from breathing hard and I don’t want him to fall down from exhaustion. Aki looks fatigued as well and I know we have to stop at some point to rest. Redcaps are not the kind of fae I want to cross paths with and that is exactly who I think those red eyes belong to. Stopping for the night is out of the question because getting caught by a Redcap will most surely result in my death. They will feast in my blood just like they do with every other kill. A shiver runs through my body at the thought of what they do. A twig snaps behind me and I instantly freeze in place atop Prince Ashe. They couldn’t have caught up to me so quickly could they?
I can’t contemplate any further because pain explodes in my head and my vision goes blurry before I even have the chance to turn around. Something hard and heavy hammered me on the head and I can feel the warm, sticky blood pouring down my neck like a faucet. Everything after that moves in slow motion as I am falling to the ground.
I land directly on my side and the brutal force of the fall has knocked the air out of my lungs. I gasp for air trying to get in a breath when I see a pair of blood red eyes glaring and smiling at me with a mouth full of large, razor sharp teeth.
Growling fiercely, Aki is beside me and ready to attack. He leaps at the Redcap giving me enough time to grab my bow and load an arrow. My wolf is thrown into a tree with a loud thud and his growl of pain pierces the night air. His cry tears at my heart and I want to help him, but I know I have to take this Redcap down before he kills us both. The pain in my head is throbbing and my vision is starting to fade. I grab my bow and I unsteadily get to my feet. The Redcap is rapidly advancing, so without any more thought, I let my arrow fly. It snags him right in the heart and he falls to his knees in front of me. Victory is not mine because I fall to my knees as well. The pain in my head is unbearable, my eyes begin to grow heavy, and then…darkness.
The pain in my head has lessened, but I can’t move any part of my body. My arms and legs are strapped down and I can’t see a thing because of the thick fabric wrapped around my head. It feels like I am strapped to a wooden table of sorts. I jerk my arms and legs against the restraints but they only grow tighter cutting into my skin. My hands and feet begin to go numb making them tingle like pins and needles, and now I can no longer feel them.
I didn’t realize how helpless it would make me feel to be strapped down. I can feel the panic begin to rise so I bite my lip to keep from crying out. I killed one of the Redcaps and now they are going to want revenge. I wonder if this is what the dark sorcerer had in mind for my demise. I’m worried about Aki because after he took that brutal hit I don’t remember much after that, or even if he’s still alive. I hope with all my heart that he is well.
I can’t see what kind of room I am in, but from the smell and the moisture in the air I would say I’m in an underground prison. The clanking sound of a door opening gets my attention so I listen carefully to see if I can figure out what’s going on. The heavy footsteps on the floor appear to be two men who have entered the room. The footsteps come closer and I instantly freeze in place. I absolutely detest not being able to see anything. If I’m to die I want to see it coming.
They speak in their own native dialect while they check the straps of my restraints. I curse myself silently for not learning their language when I had the chance. I never thought I would come into contact with Redcaps; so therefore, I decided not to learn their language. If I knew it, I would probably know what was about to happen to me. Dread settles in my gut, but after everything I have been through I can’t let it be the end now. I have lived through the dark sorcerer taking my power, the Tyvar’s power of seduction, and for what…to die by the Redcaps. If I can make it out of the Tyvar’s territory unscathed, then I am sure there is a way to get out of here. Hopefully.
The table I’m on moves and the Redcaps roll me out of the room I am in. It takes a few twists and turns but then they open another door that leads to the outside. I know this because I can see light shining through the blindfold and feel the warm air across my skin. I wish I knew what was going to happen and where they are taking me. As I am being wheeled around several large, rough hands brush across my skin. It took everything I had not to flinch from the feel of their dry, scaly hands running across my skin. I hear their murmurs all around me.
“Where are you taking me?” I finally ask. I don’t know if they will understand me, but I try anyway.
“Ah, the lass can speak,” a gruffy voice answers. “Twas beginning to think ye were mute.”
“I didn’t know if you would understand me,” I reply honestly.
He huffs, “Aye, lass. My name is Grishom, and I am to take ye to our clan leader, Shamus.”
“Why are you taking me to your clan leader?” I ask dismally.
Grishom is quiet for a few seconds and I’m beginning to think he’s not going to answer me until I hear his gruff voice in my ear, “Tis time to decide yer fate, little lass.”
Decide my fate? What does that mean? I remain quiet the rest of the way until the table I am on is pushed upright to where I’m basically standing against the table. I smell the rank breath of a Redcap before me and the odor of it makes me gag. It felt hot and sticky across my face and if I had food in my stomach it would already be all over him. He laughs and takes his large, talon hands and unties the blindfold from around my head.