Page 55 of A Kingdom of Wild and Power
‘A goddess.’
She heard the way Arden inhaled. ‘That’s impossible. The gods are made up foolish tales.’
‘You do not believe in the gods?’
‘I believe the world would be better off without them. I’ve seen the cruelty of mortals, claiming to do such horrid things in the name of gods. So no, I do not believe in them.’
‘Then how did she do that? She summoned these strange dark things to appear out of nowhere, Arden.’
‘Witch magic.’
‘I’ve never heard of witch magic doing such a thing.’
She heard him chuckle. ‘Are you an expert in magic, little wolf?'
Ylva drew breath to respond, but the sound of a door opening nearby cut her short. Warm light spilt into the darkness, chasing the shadows away, and her heart sank. She had been right. The glow revealed a small stone cell, suffocatingly narrow, with a door barely wide enough to pass through.
Footsteps approached.
The witch who had captured them stopped before Ylva’s door, lantern raised. Its glow carved sharp angles into her terrifying face. She smiled down at Ylva, then tilted her head, peering towards the neighbouring cell.
‘My little pets,’ she crooned. ‘How adorable you look. Now, now, don’t fret. I’ll take such good care of you.’ She snickered and pulled open Ylva’s door. ‘Come along, little doggy. I’ve someone eager to meet you. I’ll fetch you later,’ she added, glancing towards Arden’s cell. ‘And don’t try using your Fae magic in here. We have wards against it. Trust me. It’ll hurtyou.’
Before Ylva could even blink, magic snapped into place around her neck. A collar. The witch tugged, and Ylva was dragged forward, stumbling.
‘Ylva!’ Arden cried out.
‘Hush,’ the witch said sharply. ‘Nothing bad will happen to your little wolf. She’s in excellent hands. Hagan will take care of her.’
Ylva did not know who Hagan was but she knew, with chilling certainty, that there would be no safety waiting for her.
Still, she lifted her chin, steadying her voice despite the fear clawing at her chest.
‘I’ll be all right, Arden Briar,’ she said. ‘I’ll come back. I promise.’
She wanted to say more, but the witch did not allow it. Ylva was dragged from her cell, along a dimly lit corridor and up a flight of narrow stairs. When daylight finally broke through, she squinted against its sudden brilliance, her eyes stinging. She forced herself to memorise every turn, every threshold, every door they passed, clinging to the knowledge like a lifeline. At last, they stopped before a set of plain wooden doors, utterly unremarkable, almost disappointingly so.
The witch chuckled, then shoved the doors open, hauling Ylva inside.
The chamber beyond was beautiful.
An open room bathed in light, with an enormous oak bed positioned beneath wide windows that overlooked a town in the distance. To one side stood a handsome desk cluttered with scrolls and parchment, and beyond it a terrace opened to sweeping views of the land, a soft breeze wandering freely through the space. It was the kind of room one might dream of.
At the desk sat a man.
Ylva knew at once he was a warlock by the unmistakable violet of his eyes. His skin was a warm brown, his head clean-shaven, his build strong and deliberate. He was handsome, undeniably so, yet there was something curiously unremarkable about him, as though he faded the longer one looked.
‘How many times must I tell you not to interrupt me, Eris?’ he said, not lifting his gaze from the page before him.
‘I brought you a gift,’ the witch replied lightly.
Slowly, the warlock looked up. His eyes narrowed the moment they settled on Ylva, recognition flaring, followed by something darker, more unsettling. She did not like the way he studied her, as though weighing her worth.
‘Have fun,’ Eris said cheerfully. She snapped her fingers, and the collar around Ylva’s throat vanished. The witch snorted, leaned close, and whispered into Ylva’s ear, her breath warm and cruel. ‘If I were you, I wouldn’t try to run or fight. I’d do terrible things to your Fae friend if you so much as think about it.’
Ylva went rigid.
Eris straightened, turned on her heel, and strode out, slamming the doors shut behind her.
