“We don’t have much time,” Serus says. “There are others in the marsh.”
“We need to find a way out, find a way to Altair,” I say through gritted teeth. “Can you do that?”
Serus nods and his eyes go glassy. I wonder what it is exactly he does, but I won’t have time to find out now. As I wrap a long strip of fabric around the gash in my forearm, I hear a roar in the distance. My eyes dart over the landscape and I see a flock of black birds burst from the long grass in the distance. I recognize that roar. The sound has plagued me every night since I was dragged from war camp to war camp with Sadal. The demons are nearby.
“Follow me,” Serus says, darting away.
I bite back a scared whimper, tying off the bandage before stumbling after him. We run quickly through the marshes, heading in who knows what direction. But Serus is confident in its path, and I have no choice but to trust the strange creature. Pain sears through my body, like a brand pressed against my flesh. The longer we move, the worse it gets. I know I’m losing blood through the bandages, and that however many demons are following us, I’m leaving them a clear path.
I take a ragged breath, panic surging in my belly and up into my chest. I might throw up. Crashing footsteps behind me tell me just how close the demons are. I run faster, or at least try but all I do is whimper a little. Instincts scream at me to stop, find a place to hide and wait out the danger – but I know that would never work. Fear clenches around my heart and I wonder if Serus can sense it.
The snarling of the dark beasts is enough to send a scream ripping out of me. I choke on it, breathing raggedly. My left leg drags out behind me, nothing but pain and deadweight. I grip it with my good hand, trying to make it move faster. My eyes are wide, locked on Serus’ flicking tail as he disappears over the cusp of a hill. I surge up it, hearing the beasts salivate behind me. I wonder vaguely if Sadal’s protection spell wore off when he left me in the ether.
I reach the lip of the hill and come face to face with the silver tip of an arrow. I gasp, lurching backwards, towards the demon’s behind me. Screaming, I drop to my knees as the arrow is loosed. I hear a strangled cry as the arrow finds its home in a demon’s flesh. The Fae soldier draws another arrow and shoots without hesitation. Three more crest the hill, bows or swords drawn. They rush past in leather armor with a golden badge on their chests, Altair’s soldiers, and fall on the demons.
I twist at the waist, muscles protesting. I scoot backwards, wide eyes locked on the soldiers’ deadly battle with the demons. Their swords slice through the demons’ scaled skin like a knife through warm butter. I flinch back as black blood sprays towards me and lands at my feet. Serus is beside me, eyes locked on the battle. Serus doesn’t seem surprised to have run into Altair’s soldiers.
The last demon falls with a gurgle, long claws raking uselessly through empty air. The Fae soldiers ignore it, turning their sharp eyes towards me. One, the only woman, drops to a crouch in front of me. She wipes her sword along the grass at my feet, her harsh eyes locked on mine.
“Thank you,” I stammer, keeping my eyes away from the mess of blood and gore a few feet away.
“What’s a Bloodbane witch doing out here? Running away from her own allies, no less,” the woman muses. She turns to her comrades, her blonde hair rippling.
“A trap?” One of the men suggests. His hand strays to the knife at his waist.
“No,” I say quickly, eyes wide. “I’m not – well, I am – but I’m Verity.” They look at me blankly. “The Curse-Breaker. Altair’s betrothed.”
The soldiers are quiet for a moment before bursting into raucous laughter. The woman wipes away a tear and waves a finger at me. “That’s good.” She smiles. “Good, but stupid.” I sag with relief, a tentative smile blossoming on my face. The woman stands, dusting off her trousers and sheathing her sword. “Kill her. And the familiar.”
Serus darts behind me and my hand strays to cover my strange new friend. “No,” I say, heart pounding wildly as they stalk towards me. “Please, take me to Altair – he’ll tell you who I am!”
The woman rolls her eyes. “I won’t escort an enemy of my King to his doorstep. You’re a poor assassin, aren’t you?”
“You’re a fool if you think Altair won’t be furious when he hears of this,” I spit out, anger flaring. “Do you want to be the ones who killed his beloved? Do you really trust that I’m not who I say I am?”
They hesitate, eyes darting between each other. I fall silent and watch intently as they debate silently amongst themselves. Serus is behind me, its body pressed against my back. I consider running while their eyes are turned away, but I know even if I wasn’t injured the Fae would be on me in seconds. I’m not as fast or agile as even the most average of Fae.
“Fine,” the woman says, eyes narrowing. “You’ll live, just long enough for us to verify you are who you say you are.”
My shoulders sag with relief and I drop my chin to my chest. “Thank you,” I murmur.
“Don’t thank me, Bloodbane.” The woman glowers at me. “One move out of order and you’ll find a blade in your gut
