Page 87 of Stolen Threadwitch Bride
“Then I cannot deny you an audience.” He gestured and the cage lowered.
A cut marred Ly’s lip, and shadows pooled beneath his eyes, but otherwise he was the same as always. The bright fae lights brought out the violet-blue sheen on his black hair, and his dark eyes fixed on me.
It hit me like a fist, stealing my breath.
I loved him.
A fae lord about to regain power I couldn’t hope to understand. A man who’d stolen me from a life IthoughtI wanted.
All those things and yet I loved him so much, it pressed on the edges of that empty spot in my chest, threatening to break through it.
But I’d pushed him away. I’d stamped on his emotions because I’d been so ready to believe he couldn’t feel for me what I felt for him. Perhaps he didn’t. But hehadwritten me a letter as one of his final acts before riding here knowing he might die. And he’d tried to release me from the Tithe.
Here he was, the man I loved, so close I could touch him, and yet trapped. The cage was so small, it forced him to hunch over. That cut through my churning thoughts and made me grit my teeth.
His lips parted as he surveyed me, disbelief and fear warring across his face.
I tilted my head and tried for an irreverent smirk like that one he wore so well. “Surprised to see a ‘mere human’ here to save you?”
“Ari,” he whispered, brow creasing. “You’re not a mere human, and you never were. I was wrong, just like you’ve always been wrong about yourself… and about how I see you, how Ifeelabout you.”
My heart leapt over one beat, two, and it took a second before I could move again. There was too much in those few sentences, and we had too many enemies in this room.
His lips pressed together like he realised the same thing.
“So long as he’s in this cage, that isn’t proof of anything.” I turned to Goren, cursing my wavering voice, though it still echoed around the room. “For all I know, this could be an illusion. I won’t bargain with you when for all I know, my fiancé is dead.”
He sighed and rolled his eyes. “Oh, yes, and when I let him out,poof, you two disappear. I think not.”
“My love”—I almost choked on the word to be saying it for the first time like this—“give him your word you won’t use your magic to escape.” He would be bound by the vow, but if this went according to plan, we wouldn’t need his magic to escape.
Idid, however, need him out of the cage.
His gaze searched mine, and I gave the slightest nod of reassurance.
“I give you my word, I won’t use my magic to escape tonight.” Meaning that if this failed, he could use it another night.
The fair folk really were better at these slippery truths than I was. I swallowed at what that might mean for the bargain I was about to attempt.
“Fine.” Goren huffed behind me.
Something thudded at my feet—a key. As I crouched to take it, my too curious eyes darted to one side.
Claws as long as my handtap-tap-tappedon the floor, edged a little closer, gleamed the crimson of fresh blood.
Ice crept through me, lifting goosebumps on my flesh. Oh dear gods, what where these creatures? What had I walked into thinking that a pretty dress, a scrap of paper, and an embroidered name would keep me safe?
Something pressed on my chest. My breaths went shallow. The hand clasped around the key shook.
I was a human in a room of fae monsters. They’d already captured Ly. What chance did I have?
“Ari.” That soft murmur, one I’d heard in the dark of night while surrounded by warm, solid arms.
He was counting on me.
And I’d come here with a plan.
I’d smacked a sluagh with a branch. I’d befriended a Lady of the Lake. I’d learned my True Name.
