Page 55 of The Witch Queen

She deals me one of her knifelike smiles. I grip my reins tight enough that my horse chuffs and flicks his tail in annoyance.

“You know, though,” Weston continues, “a few of the others claim to have spotted the Nevenwolf today. According to them,ithad only one eye. Just like the one from Longest Night.”

“It couldn’t be the same creature,” Margaret reasons. “You said it was killed.”

“Who knows?” Weston lowers his voice, ominous. “Now that the Veil has fallen, I expect anything is possible. But don’t fret, Your Grace. I’ll protect you from rogue Nevenwolves, or any other beast who threatens your dignity.”

She just laughs, waving him away. But I do not like that people remember the long-ago hunt. That they’re talking about Nox. Aboutme.

“If itisthe same beast,” Margaret continues, her focus returning to me. “How strange it is that you were present at both appearances.”

“Is it?” I ask, attempting nonchalance. “Most of the court attended the other hunt.”

“True,” Margaret allows. “But so many of them are gone now. Or dead. Or worse.”

My mouth dries. “I’m sure—”

Something whizzes past my face so close that I flinch. Itthunksinto the trunk of a tree to my right.

“Is that,” Margaret points, “anarrow?”

It is. And it’s on fire.

—

The whole forest seems to still as I gape at the blazing fletching protruding from the tree. The flames licking at the bark. And then—

“Long live the true queen!”

I swivel around in the saddle just in time to see a person through the trees—a man—already nocking another shot. His arrow sails toward me and I duck, barely keeping my seat as my horse rears. Attackerscharge forth from their hiding places, the forest soon flooded with screams and the clang of steel as our party is swarmed.

“The princess!” Margaret shouts. “Get the princess!”

“Majesty!” A guard yells, motioning. “This way!”

I start to obey, but then another flaming arrow hurtles by me. When I look to see who fired it, I spot a young woman a short distance away. Her dark hair is braided and falls over one shoulder. Her olive skin is smudged with dirt. But it’s her eyes that leave me dumbstruck. They’re blue, like twin sapphires gleaming in the gray of the forest.

“Jacquetta,” I breathe, her name alone like a spell.

Memories crash together in my mind: stolen kisses and twisted bedsheets and whispered promises. Jacquetta appears just as transfixed, the years unspooling between us. Until—

She lifts her bow and fires a shot.

The sight of flame surging toward my face snaps me from my stupor. I veer out of the way, but not swiftly enough. White-hot pain sears through my shoulder as the arrow grazes my arm. Blood blooms on my sleeve. Sheshotme? My attention whips back to Jacquetta. Shesmirksat me, damn her, then darts into the trees. Malum roars behind my sternum.

Follow her,the shadows command.Do not let her get away!

I won’t. Not this time.

Gritting my teeth, I give my horse a kick and gallop after the other witch.

—

Low-hanging branches snag on my hair and clothes as my horse plunges through the woods. The Followers are everywhere. Their greedy hands grab for my skirts or ankles. But I hurl my shadows out, shoving the wretched fools away or snapping their necks if they get too close. All the while, my mind churns with questions. What the hell is Jacquetta doing here? WithFollowers,no less? Have the witches stooped so low as to ally with the very people who hunted them? But I can’t answer that now. And it doesn’t matter. One of my shadows tugs at me,guiding me east. I glimpse the dark flash of Jacquetta’s braid and urge my horse on, the thunder of its hooves matching the pounding of my own heart. Just a little faster. A littlemoreand—

An arrow whistles across my path. My horse whinnies and rears, throwing me backward and out of the saddle. I land awkwardly, stars spotting across my vision. The taste of copper coats my tongue. Before I can get my bearings, a pair of hands roughly flips me over, and then I feel the cold bite of metal against my throat.

“Well, well,” Jacquetta drawls, her face looming over mine. “Fancy meeting you here,Your Majesty.”