Finding Elora

Chapter 17

ABBY

I slide my backpack straps up my shoulders, preparing to run.

The odds of me getting away are slim, but if Kieran and Mason are going to try and sell me to the gods, I'm going to do my damned best to escape. I won't be sold to anybody.

There are many ideas about gods back in the human realm, but given the way Kieran and Mason are speaking about them, I have a feeling there isn't a lot of overlap. I doubt I'll like what I find.

The gods these two are speaking about got pissed at the faeries and decided to let death seep out of the portal as punishment, and if that isn't over the top, I don't know what is. The faeries will die without their magic, and I'm sure the gods know that.

They've essentially punished the entire realm to a slow, painful death because one group of nobles made a lousy deal.

In my book, I'd say that makes the gods major assholes.

Mason looks at me, his lips pursed as he debates Kieran's suggestion to use me for a trade. I thought Kieran was the nice one of the two, but now I'm not so sure. Nice people don't consider gifting others. In fact, I'd say they're more likely to do the exact opposite.

I wish Samuel had been my mate. It would've made everything so much easier, and I would never have gotten into this mess. He'd have helped me with Lill, probably with no questions asked.

"I'd rather kill her," Mason says.

Kieran hums and leans against the tree Mason was just choking me against.

My throat still burns, each breath like fire, but I push the pain aside. I need to keep a clear head, and panicking won't get me anywhere.

"You know what they do with humans..." Mason continues, his voice trailing off.

No, I most definitely do not know what they do with humans. As far as I'm aware, we don't have any portals in the human realm, nor do we have any knowledge of them existing. Maybe the government has some super secret information they're keeping from the general public, but I doubt it's intensive.

We've got giant music boxes in space, for fuck's sake, practically turning our planet into a beacon for stronger species to come and kill us. That doesn't give me a lot of confidence in the intelligence of the humans.

"We will offer her to Zaha," Kieran says. "She's always in need of new bidders."

Mason shakes his head, quickly turning down the idea.

"And what happens when Zaha says no and one of her brothers steps in to claim the human?" he asks.

I want to know what the gods do with, or to, humans, but I'm afraid to further anger Mason and Kieran by speaking. I also don't want to draw any attention to myself. The two seem pretty occupied with one another right now, and neither pays me any mind as I stand up and take a step away.

I'm only an arm's length away from the pair, but I'd love to get several steps away before making a run for it.

They're debating whether or not to kill me now or offer me up as a gift to a god, and I'm not going to stick around to see what solution they come to. I'd rather take my chances in the woods by myself.

Coming here was a mistake. I should've saved up and gotten a bus to Elora. It would've taken longer, but I'd give anything not to be in this situation. Everything I've done is for Lill, but it won't mean anything if I'm killed before getting her the damn delysum tea.

She'll continue to grow sick until she dies, and this entire thing will have been pointless.

"We obviously wouldn't give her to one of Zaha's brothers," Kieran says.