this was his version of going pale. I made a show of lifting the device and pressing my thumb on the button that would bring those barbs to life again.
“A’nar Voltair!”
I tilted my head, sending my plait swinging over my shoulder. “Damn!” The Voltair caste were closely related to the Winter King, I was sure of it. A’nar meant ‘youngest son of’. It figured high fae like them would abuse their staff and force them to do their dirty work. And they were so extremely vocal about condemning drug use, even for good reasons like pain relief. It really shouldn’t surprise me that they’d be so hypocritical as to send their staff out to buy those same drugs for their own use.
I held back a snarl. “Thank you, Waib. Now, who told you about this place? Your master is clearly very well off; a high fae of the royal bloodline. And seeing as our store and dealings are under the radar of the fae guard, even the Summer King, how did your master find out? We’re miles from the Winter Kingdom.”
Waib blinked and sat up. “My master told me about this place. He bid me to spy on you and try to steal a sample, but I don’t know how he found out about your...er…store.”
“Really? Well.” I shoved a little packet in his pocket. “Tell him this is on the house, but if he or you, ever breathe a word of this location to anyone, I will take great pleasure in ripping your throats out. Do I make myself clear?” My voice was as cold as my glare, as I let my wolf show in my eyes.
Waib nodded, his fear a bitter scent up my nose.
“It’s true, this servant knows nothing, it was an anonymous tip to my father. So you can stop torturing him now because you won’t discover the answer,” said a deep, commanding voice.
“Shit!”
“Damn!”
Blue and I both cursed together.
I flicked the switch on the barbs and poor Waib started to fit and thrash on the floor. It was not a pretty sight. I swallowed hard, knowing I had just made him our distraction. Looking down at him I mouthed, “I’m sorry.”
“Let him go, drop your weapons and surrender to us. Do that, and I will let you live.” The voice came from the shadows of the forest, colder this time. In fact, I could swear the temperature had dropped a few degrees. I shuddered.
Blue slapped her hand against the stone of the cliff. “No fucking chance.” Instantly, a shield of energy slammed down in front of us, stretching from the mouth of the cave, which was our store, to a thicket of thorn bushes on the other side. “That’ll only hold them for a few minutes, I’m afraid. Whoever that is, might let us live, but it won’t be a pleasant existence.” She pulled her weapon. “And I am not getting stuck in Faerie as a human slave.”
A beautiful man stepped from the shadows. His blue, waist-length hair gleamed and his form-fitting armour moulded to his powerful, yet elegant body. My jaw dropped. He was gorgeous. He grinned like he’d heard Blue’s words, though his startling pale green eyes were as cold as ice. He drew back his hand. Ice green magic swirled around his fist before he released it. Power exploded across the shield, erupting like a thunder crack as the two forms of energy connected. He directed a snarl right at Blue, before bombarding the shield again and again.
My faith in Blue’s talents was normally unshakable; after all, my partner-in-crime was the cleverest person I had ever met. But right then, saying a prayer to the Mother Wolf to save our arses seemed like a good thing to do.
Blue’s bobbed blue hair swung as she turned to face me. Behind her, more fae guards stepped from the shadows, all dressed in battle armour, and all carrying beautifully crafted bows. Fae weapons were infused with magic, but they were made all the more powerful by their own brand of technology. And these had to be royal guards, their expensive and elaborately etched armour a huge calling card.
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“Damn it! They’re not summer fae. That armour isn’t like any I’ve seen before, and we’ve been to every kingdom except Winter and the dark fae in the Orth Kingdom.”
“Shit!” Blue’s face blanched.
“We need to get to the portal. Now! That fae’s magic is also far stronger than any other fae’s I’ve ever seen. Come