Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 132138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 661(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132138 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 661(@200wpm)___ 529(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Lach goes a bright red and mumbles an apology.
Rachel turns to him. “It’s all right. The kids were happy to see Queenie again, even if they’re mad at their dads for lying about the dog dying. It’s really not a terrible thing. It could be quite useful when you think about it.”
“I don’t see how, but we thank you for the accommodations.” Lach keeps his voice polite, but I can feel the impatience coming off him. I’ll have to work to keep my brother from running the minute Rachel Harper walks out of the barn.
The sun set a while before. We ate a small meal, but still Roan holds fast to the after-midnight rule. Hours and hours of waiting. Hours when we’re supposed to get some rest for the hard night ahead. Hours neither of us intended to spend here. But we can’t simply make a mad dash for it. We have to play it cautiously. For all we know, Roan is watching us.
“Let me know if I can do anything else to help you.” Rachel nods as she steps toward the ladder that leads down to the barn floor. She stops at the top, just as her feet hit the first rung. Her face turns down and her voice quiets. “Should I do anything for him?”
I hold back a grin. Duffy is “patrolling” the barn, his axe on his shoulder. Earlier, Duffy sighed and got up from the dinner table when Roan told us all to get a few hours of sleep before we head out. Duffy announced that he would watch over the princes. I bet Duffy will be asleep in fifteen minutes. He’s always been able to sleep in the oddest of places, ever since we were children. If Duffy isn’t moving with a manic animation, he’s snoozing, often against my or Lach’s arm. “Don’t worry about Duff. He’s a tough one.”
Rachel nods and disappears. The minute I hear the door close, I turn to my brother.
Lach is already on his feet, a pack in his hand. “I took one of the vamps’ packs. He was already asleep. He won’t notice it’s gone until they’re ready. By then, it won’t matter. We’ll be out of here. It’s got meal pills, a tablet, everything we could need. We’ll find solid food on the way, but the meal pills should hold us.”
It’s exactly what I feared. “Lach, give it an hour. Roan is still awake. The Harper kids are running all over the place. And we need to get not only us but two horses out of here.”
There’s a gentle nicker from down below. “Why two, Your Highness, when one would be easier and so much faster?”
I hear a sound like the rushing of water and then a man with shaggy black hair climbs up the ladder. I do a double take because the man isn’t wearing a stitch of clothing. He’s young and very fit, but his hair is a wild nest of darkness, his eyes an amber yellow.
This is the phooka in his human form—a rare sight.
“Are you planning on killing us now?” Lach asks, no real worry in his voice. He has an amused air of expectation around him. It’s a fair question. Phookas tend to hide their true form from all, though they are known to imprint on sidhe from time to time, usually as younglings.
“Which of the Harpers do you belong to?” I ask, my mind making the leap.
The phooka grins, a flash of sharp teeth. “Max. The idiot doesn’t even know I’ve been around him most of his life. He saved me when I was a child. Some nasty sidhe killed me ma. I escaped in dog form, and Max took me in. He fed me and healed me wounds. I stayed with him for many years as a dog. Then I took hawk form and finally this one. I take the form needed to protect him. I came to him in my horse form a few months back. It’s the first time I’ve talked to him.” His eyes narrow. “He doesn’t make it easy to repay my debt. He’s reckless and obnoxious, but he has a good heart. And the children.” He sighs. “I’ve come to care for the little buggers.”
Lach leans forward, studying the phooka. “Or you’re a tricky bastard and you’re feeding us a huge line of crap in order to create chaos.”
The phooka shrugs. “Or that. I don’t care what you believe, but I’m your best bet to get out of here before those vamps shut you down. Poor little princes. No one ever lets you play. Do you honestly think you can rescue your princess without getting yourselves killed? You can’t even control your own powers. You’re as likely to torch her as save her, aren’t you, Shim? Don’t worry. Your brother here can bring her back to life. Well, he can bring her corpse back. Do it quick, Lach, before she starts to stink.”