to thrive. Every moment you keep me here is—”
“Enough,” Shadow’s father bit out, his expression resembling stone. “The Midnight Fae Council operates very differently from your own. If you have something of importance to say, your intended will deliver the information on your behalf, as females are not permitted within the Council Chamber.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline. What kind of backward-thinking realm had I been swept off to? Nope, better question… “Who the hell is my intended?”
Shadow chuckled. “Me, darling.”
“What?” I sputtered. “He assaulted me and you want to let him speak on my behalf?” Un-freakin’-believable. “This is utter wallopberries.”
“Utter what?” Shadow asked.
“Let go of me,” I replied instead. He didn’t deserve an answer to that query or any other.
“Can’t do that, princess. I’ve been ordered to take you downstairs. Council rules.” He gave an unapologetic shrug that had me itching to punch him.
“Now, Shadow,” his father said, the command in his tone sending a shiver down my spine.
What in the pixie dust have I gotten myself into?
Shadow lifted me off the ground as if I weighed nothing at all—which, compared to him, I probably did. He had at least a foot on me, the bastard.
“Put me down.”
“And you questioned my nickname,” he muttered in reply. “Issuing demands left and right just like a goddamn princess.”
“Because you insist on manhandling me,” I snapped, wishing more than ever that I could access my gifts. I’d wrap a vine of my own around his neck and see what he thought of it. Then I’d take a tree root and smash his skull.
The beautiful image behind my eyes dispersed as he kicked open an iron door and began descending the steps.
Every part of me iced over at the very real threat of going underground.
“Shadow,” I whispered. “Please.”
He frowned at me. “Please what? It’s not like I’m going to hurt you. Yet, anyway.” He shook his head. “Seriously, I expected a little more fire, princess. Instead, you’re as weak as a youngling.”
My jaw clenched even as my heart began to pound.
Each step brought us deeper underground. My lungs began to seize from my inability to pull in a breath.
Elemental Fae didn’t belong here.
Elemental Fae required sunshine.
Elemental Fae died underground.
It took weeks, sometimes months, but just the very threat of being taken somewhere so dark and murky had panic freezing every limb.
Shadow said something, but I couldn’t hear him over the harsh beating in my ears.
My back hit a soft cushion that I barely felt.
Stone and vines and unspeakable things danced through my vision. A dark cloud. New voices.
Fight, some part of me urged. This is all in your mind.
Yeah, pretty sure the gargoyle statue glowering down at me was pretty damn real.
Oh, I’d read about those. They shot lasers from their eyes. Good. Fun. Why was one in my cell?