Page 88 of Demure
We will try.
The words floated through her mind, and Sierra backed up a few steps as the elipag came up and slipped the curled edge of its tusk beneath the metal, cutting Braan’s hand, but if it hurt him, he didn’t say anything. The cell had appeared to be small before, but with the elipag in front of Sierra and the two behind her, there wasn’t any room to breathe. The elipag pulled back, snapping the metal easily before moving on to the next one, doing the same thing before breaking the chain that connected his feet.
Sierra nearly whooped with joy, but she knew that they needed to get out of there quickly before anyone came to investigate.
Mouse prepared distraction.
Sierra nodded once in response as the trio made their way to the edge of what used to be their prison.
Looking back over her shoulder, Sierra realized that Conlan wouldn’t be able to use that cell again anytime soon, watching asBraan and Aislan stepped through the massive round hole in the wall.
Braan gasped, his breaths coming in short pants. “We need to find Kaye.”
Aislan shook his head, “There’s no time. Hopefully Slaine has her and we can come back for her later.”
Braan bit his lip and Sierra knew how hard it was to leave someone you loved, but she also knew that Aislan was right. She placed a hand on Braan’s shoulder, “We will find her I promise.”
Braan frowned, but nodded and turned back to the group of elipags. The elipag, which had undone Braan’s cuffs, leaned a leg down so she could climb on its back. The other two were doing the same, and Braan was already moving to climb on one, while Aislan looked at the creature in front of him with apprehension clouding his features.
“Just get on, we don’t have time.”
That was all it took, and Aislan climbed on as the elipags made their way back to the small herd waiting a few feet away. As the three elipags joined the formation, they began to move back toward the forest.
“Where are we going?” Braan called out as they entered the trees.
Sierra’s arms ached and tingled from being above her head for so long, making it a bit difficult to hold on, but the elipag noticed, slowing its pace slightly.
“I’m not sure,” she called back.
“See if they know Teach Crann,” Aislan suggested.
Sierra figured that was as good of an idea as any, and she pictured the treehouse in her mind, trying to project it as she had before.
We know.
Sierra smiled at the elipag’s response, chancing a single glance over her shoulder at where they had come from, but the view of the castle was already obscured by trees.
Chapter Fifty-Three
The elipags dropped them off at the base of the treehouse, lingering for a moment to use their tusks to snap Sierra’s ankle chains before they disappeared silently into the forest. Aislan climbed up first, followed by Sierra, who could now climb on her own, and Braan came up last, struggling a bit as his injured hands had not yet healed. Once they were all through the hole in the deck, they collapsed against the side of the house. The same bird Sierra had seen before tilted its head at them curiously from its spot on the balcony railing.
“Is that bird always there?” Sierra asked once her breathing had calmed.
Yes.
The word floated through as Aislan looked over to see the bird she was talking about. “No, but I think Aodhan might give it snacks sometimes, so it does visit frequently.”
Sierra didn’t mention the conflicting answers and wondered what snack the bird could possibly want, but she knew once she figured it out, she would definitely give it one.
All the snacks.
The bird blinked as the words came through. Sierra made amental promise that she would get it something as soon as she could.
Aislan was the first to stand, holding out a hand to help Braan. His hands had stopped bleeding, but they were still red and puffy where the tusk of the elipag had hurt his wrist trying to free him. “If we ever do that again, I’m requesting to be imprisoned on the exterior wall,” he joked.
Sierra rolled her eyes as Aislan twisted the knob of the door and let them into the cabin. “It’s not locked?” she asked curiously.
“It is,” Aislan corrected her. “The doorknobs are spelled to only allow Aodhan and I. You couldn’t come here without one of us, unless we hired a Fae locksmith to respell them.”
