Page 231 of A Touch of Poison
I grabbed his dagger and the sword. I didn’t know how to use one, but when I reached Bastian I could give it to him.
Bending over, I was about to check him for any identifying marks—a hydra insignia under his armour, perhaps—when soft voices drifted around the corner.
Hushed and urgent—these weren’t the voices of guests at a party. More attackers.
I needed to get to Bastian and our friends and warn them. I hurried towards the ballroom.
Screams bounced off the walls.
“An attack!”
“Help!”
I stopped in my tracks as fae charged around the corner. Eyes round, mouths agape—just as they’d been at the Solstice.
A panicked crowd of strong fae in an enclosed space like this? My weak human body would be crushed.
I turned tail and ran. Thank the gods, I hadn’t hazed in the corridor. But if they reached me…
I darted down the next turning and the next, gambling on blind panic carrying the fleeing fae in a straight line—the quickest, clearest escape.
Their cries and screams rolled over me as sweat slicked my palms, but after a few turns, they grew quieter. Eventually, I had no idea where I was, but I could hear nothing of the crowd.
I slowed and caught my breath, rubbing my chest where my heart thundered with a potent cocktail of adrenaline and fear. It made me shaky, breaths threatening to gasp in too fast.
Swallowing, I slid the dagger into my garter and pulled Bastian’s orrery from my cleavage. Not exactly befitting a grand palace. I chuckled to myself, a desperate sound much too close to a sob for my tastes, and ran my thumb over the chain.
Rather than cool, its metal had been warmed by my skin. But the familiar texture of its links allowed me to breathe more easily and take in my surroundings.
Fine embroideries showed the sun rising over heroic fae with gold thread woven through hair of caramel and green, straw blond and chestnut brown. Lost in Dawn’s side of the palace. Great.
I’d taken down one armoured fae who shouldn’t be here, but judging by the frightened crowd, there were more. Many more.
Bastian had to know already. They must’ve attacked the ballroom. Was he all right?
Was the fox-haired fae involved? They were armed, but they hadn’t attacked me, despite saying they owed me nothing. Itmightbe a coincidence.
If they were involved, that meant whoever this was attacking had links to Dawn Court. Sura had mentioned spies. The fox-haired fae could be one. Perhaps?
I shook the thoughts away—that was a puzzle for later.
Right now, I walked alone through the wrong side of the palace with a sword I didn’t know how to use, a dagger I barely did, and a dress that threatened to spill my tits every time I did anything other than saunter.
Things were going swimmingly.
As I was about to turn a corner, a sound reached me—so fleeting I couldn’t work out what it was.
I froze, breath held, ears straining.
Nothing more.
Then a voice, too quiet for me to catch the words.
More attackers. Had to be.
Stashing the orrery back in my cleavage, I searched left and right. The nearest door was locked when I tried it. I hurried to the next. Also locked.
Distrustful lot, these Dawn fae.
