Mated Girl (Wolf Girl #4)(7)

Marmal looked back at the barn, her brow creasing. “I … want to … but I can’t leave them. I can’t leave her.”
My stomach dropped. “Who? Do you have a child? A mate?”
Marmal shook her head. “The animals, my dragon.”
The moment she mentioned the dragon, my mouth dropped open. “Your dragon?”
Marmal’s cheeks pinked. “Well, no but … I’ve named her and … she speaks to me.”
Holy shit! The dragon could speak to her? Maybe that was troll magic, I didn’t know. But that was how I felt about Astra the moment I’d seen her, and I knew I couldn’t ask Marmal to abandon the animals she had clearly grown to love over the past year. “Okay…” My mind raced trying to come up with a plan. I could tell Marmal’s did the same, because she looked deep in thought.
“The troll you spoke about, who broke out of Magic City Prison…?” Marmal said.
I nodded.
“I think he came in a few months ago to see Trip, got drunk and told the guys the story. I thought he was lying to look cool,” she said, and hope burst open inside of my chest.
I could barely contain my excitement. “Where does he live?”
Marmal put her hands out. “He’s not pure troll. He’s Ithaki, half troll and half fey.”
And the hope bubble popped like a balloon. I wasn’t exactly on the Ithaki’s nice list right now. If I had to trek back into the Wild Lands and look for this dude, I was going to be pissed, especially after our attack.
“But he lives here. Doesn’t like the Ithaki and is a loner type,” she added.
And the hope was alive again. She should have started with that!
“Where?” I stepped closer, hoping she could see the desperation in my eyes.
She took in a deep breath. “I can draw you a map of the general area. I know he’s in a place called South Hill, but not which cottage is his. It’s a day’s journey there and back.”
I nodded. It was almost nightfall. We could leave first thing in the morning to go see him! “And in that time you’ll find a way for us to break the animals out so you can come save Sawyer with me?” I really wanted us to be on the same page. I wasn’t leaving here without her.
She grinned, nodding. “The day after tomorrow is Pearl’s harvesting day. They let her out of the cage to get scales and nail clippings and … blood. I’ll … I’ll figure out a way to get her free then.”
My heart pinched at the mention of a fucking harvest day. Those bastards. I loved the name Pearl; it was perfect for her.
“My friend Sage came with me. We can help you get Pearl and all of the others out,” I promised, then gestured to my redheaded bestie, who waved through the trees.
Marmal waved back; tears lined her eyes as she pulled me in for another hug. “I can’t believe you came for me.”
I would have come a lot sooner had I known the shit situation she was in. “Always,” I promised.
When she pulled away, she pointed to my face. “Stop in a village and ask for a bridal veil before you see Seam—that’s the Ithaki. I only know his first name. But if he knows who you are, he’ll probably just turn you in for the bounty. Troll brides wear a full face veil in public for an entire month before the wedding, only taking it off on their wedding night.”
I nodded. “I will.”
“He’ll want a big payment. Gold or precious stones,” she told me. “I heard him telling the guys he used to be a jeweler and was asking around for work. He’s known for finding precious stones and that sort of thing.”
Panic seized me at that. I didn’t have gold or precious stones. I had some seeds. I’d been gone for so long, and with the wolves being in the bunker … I wasn’t sure we had any money left. My husband was a billionaire, but I had no access to those accounts … but then my fingers went to the chain around my neck. My engagement ring. I’d put it on a necklace right before our journey. It would kill me to give this away, but if it helped Sawyer, it was worth it.
Marmal came down to where we had the horses tied and met Sage, quickly drawing a map to South Hill. There were some shops on the way where I could get a bridal veil. I thanked her and promised to be back by tomorrow night. We could sleep in the woods and then plan her escape the very next day.
Sage and I decided to push through the rest of today and get to Seam’s village. We could stay at an inn or camp out in the woods. That way we wouldn’t be rushed with him tomorrow, and could be back here tomorrow by nightfall.
Then it would be another day to get Marmal and her animals out…
I was cutting it pretty close given that Magic City Prison had given Sawyer seven days to live. But I didn’t need to be early, I just need to get there in time.

 
The half day’s trek to South Hill put us there way past nightfall. Sage and I got the bridal veil I’d needed by trading seeds right on the troll border, and then we found an inn for the night. We tied up the horses and then brought our dinner up to the room we’d rented, before scarfing it down.
The innkeeper took one look at my full face veil and asked if I was traveling to see my new husband, and I’d just nodded, which seemed to satisfy him. We were on the border of troll and fey lands and I’d seen a mix of both races. He took one look at Sage, inhaled, and then asked where I’d found her.
“Housemaid,” I’d said, and again that seemed to satisfy him.
That night Sage and I lay snuggled in bed together and I allowed myself to think about Creek. I’d purposely not thought about my son this entire time because I’d wanted to stay focused. I wanted to be strong for Sawyer, but…