Remington’s eyes were hard. The promise of violence was etched into his every feature as he studied me. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes narrowed as his nostrils flared. Red sparks covered his skin like tiny bolts of lightning.
I only had a moment’s warning before Remington lunged toward me. His eyes flashed as red filled his pupils. “If I find out you had anything to do with this…”
He left the threat unsaid, but it swirled all around us, ringing through the air.
I will make you wish you were dead.
I shook like a leaf as fear gripped me, unable to make my mouth open.
A beat passed, then two, before Remington twisted his hand. I watched, my heart racing, as he spooled his magic like a thread. The bindings around my feet loosened just enough for me to walk, and I took a hesitant step forward.
“Come with me,” he snarled, yanking on the bonds like a leash. Hard. Everything hurt as he tugged me along.
Gasping, I went stumbling after Remington as he pulled me behind him. I struggled against him, but it was no use. I could not fight the strength of his Death Elf magic. Not with the manacles on my wrist.
Instead, I focused on the only weapon I had remaining in my arsenal. My mouth.
“Where are we going?”
He refused to respond, instead giving my bonds a firm tug as he strode to his horse. He took one look at the sky, but the shadow was nowhere to be seen.
I tried again. “Are you going to explain what’s going on?”
Still no response.
“What kind of bird makes a shadow like that?”
That did it. He turned towards me, his eyes flashing with anger as the binds around me tightened. I struggled to breathe as they compressed my chest, pushing against ribs still bruised from his earlier assault.
“Shut up!” Remington bellowed. His breath was ragged as he waved a hand at me. His cool composure was completely and utterly destroyed.
Whatever had made that shadow, it seemed to have shaken the prince to his core. He snarled, “It’s time you learned your place, you little bit—”
“Your Highness!” the black-haired male shouted as he ran towards us. I still didn’t know his name. He was panting, his hands on his knees as he pointed to the sky. “Did you see it?”
The Red Shadow nodded once. “I did.”
Fenris stepped forward, his eyes flashing as green ribbons of magic laced around his fingers. “What does it mean?”
Remington shook his head. Anger seeped into his every word as he said, “Nothing good.”
“What is the plan, sir?” Kolvar asked.
Remington growled. “She’s going to have to ride with me.”
“No!” I shouted.
The prince ignored me, speaking to his males as though I hadn’t said anything at all. “Cut the cart loose,” he commanded. “We will need to ride as fast as we can.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Kolvar went off to do what he was told.
Remington waved a hand at the traitorous Earth Elf. “Fenris, come here.”
Fenris stepped forward without missing a beat. I sent him a look that told him exactly what I thought about his horrifying behavior. The Earth Elf avoided my gaze as he stood with his hands clasped behind his back. “Yes, Your Highness?”
“My father needs to hear of this immediately. We are changing course and heading to Vlarone at once. Nothing is more important than this. If thatthingfinds the missing pieces before we do, everything will be lost.”
“Yes, sir,” Fenris nodded.