Finding Elora

Chapter 24

ABBY

I hate the feeling of Kie's arm around me, but it's a small price to pay to not be eaten alive.

Mace stalks around us, his bulking animal form weaving effortlessly through the trees. Occasionally he'll disappear altogether, but he almost always re-appears within a few minutes. I always get excited when he vanishes, and my stomach roils when he inevitably returns.

I don't think my heart can take much more today.

It still pounds when I recall how Mace and Kie stripped and forced me into the river, and my mind keeps replaying the horrifying moment despite my best attempts to stay focused. They were able to control me so easily, and even though Mace appeared to feel guilty for a brief moment, it didn't last.

There's no way the faeries know what their prince is genuinely like. They speak so highly of him, giving him heaping praise he doesn't deserve.

I'm disgusted.

Mace hurries in front of us, his powerful legs propelling him forward before he turns to Kie and waves his giant head to the left. He's been doing this for the past thirty minutes, jerking his head around to guide where we're walking.

Kie tightens his grip on my waist, practically supporting my entire weight.

I'm glad to be wearing my thick sweatshirt, but even through the layers, water seeps through and cools my overheating skin. Kie's still soaking wet, and he's dampening my clothing in all the places he's pressed against me.

Mace guides us a few more feet before disappearing into the woods again. I try to track him, but even when he's in my line of sight, it's hard to spot him. It's terrifying how stealthy such a large animal can be.

It's unnatural.

My legs shake, and my knees threaten to lock up with every step, but I force myself to continue moving. As much as I hate Kie touching me, I must admit he's the only reason I'm still upright.

Mace was absurdly rough with my knees, and they're struggling with the near-constant battering.

I turn my head, peering at Kie from the corner of my eye.

"Have you heard of Delysum?" I blurt out.

I don't know what compels me to ask—a desperate need to think about anything other than the fact that he and Mace forcibly bathed me and now we're trying to evade a group of shifters—but I regret it the moment I do.

Kie's grip on me tightens, and even through my sweatshirt, I can feel his fingers digging into my side.

"What do you know about Delysum?" he asks.

Despite our current predicament, there's caution in his voice. Am I not supposed to know about Delysum? That's the name of the plant Lill uses in her tea, and she's never once alluded to it being something I shouldn't know about.

Although, I suppose there was never a reason for her to tell me if it was.

She never intended for me to come to the faerie realm.

My throat runs dry, and I chew at the inside of my cheek as I try to find a convincing lie.

I should've asked Samuel about it when I had the chance. He was kind, and I doubt he'd have made a big deal about me asking. I still wish he'd been my mate.

I wouldn't be in this situation if he were, and I'd probably already be back home with Lill by now.

"What do you know about Delysum?" Kie repeats, his voice low.