Marked (The Coldest Fae Book 3) by Katerina Martinez (novel24 .txt) 📗

them and take back what’s ours, but we have lost much already, and we will not take up arms so easily anymore.”

“I don’t understand.”

“There have been others who have claimed to be the tath isia. Others that looked like you, had similar marks, could do similar things. We went to war for them in the past, attacked the castle, its people, but we failed because they were not the true white wolf. If we are to fight for you, we must test you first.”

“Wait… fight for me? I haven’t asked anyone to fight for me.”

“You claimed to be the white wolf, did you not?”

“If I remember correctly, it was my friend who made that suggestion, not me.”

“That is irrelevant. You bear the mark, and out of respect for what it represents we have offered you and your friends hospitality, and protection. Now, you will be tested, and tried. It is said the white wolf will have powers and abilities we do not have. That you will bestow great gifts upon us so that we can take the fight to the castle and reclaim the Frost Stone that belonged to our ancestors… unless you are a false prophet.”

“I don’t think you understand… I’m not a warrior. I tried to find you because I didn’t know what this mark really meant, and because maybe you could help me figure out who my real parents were. I didn’t come here to help you fight a war.”

“And yet here you are, a half-breed bearing the mark of an ancient Goddess. If it is as you say, and the mark simply appeared, then you are indeed the white wolf and have nothing to fear. If you are tested and found wanting, however…” Aesha stood upright and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “Your friends will die first.”

“I thought you said no talk of death at dinner.”

She gestured at the table beneath her. “I am no longer at dinner, but you may remain here. Eat your fill. You will be shown to your tent when you are done.”

There were many things I wanted to say to this woman, many angry, nasty things. I could feel my blood boiling, even as fear worked through me like bugs that had burrowed under my skin and started running amok. On the one hand, she’d offered me food, and a bed, and she’d saved the Prince’s life. On the other hand, she was threatening to kill us all if I didn’t pass her tests.

Why the fuck do I keep landing in these situations?

“My injured friend…” I said, meekly. “When can I see him?”

“You may ask Lora to take you to him when she arrives,” Ashera said. “Rest tonight. We begin tomorrow.”

Without another word, she made her way into an adjoining tent, disappearing behind a heavy, woolen curtain. Gullie exhaled a deep breath she’d been holding onto for a while. “Well, that could’ve gone better,” she said.

“Keep your voice down,” I said, “I’m sure they can hear.”

“And I’m sure we can say just about anything around them and they won’t kill us. It sounds like they’ll only kill us if you fail your tests. Lucky for us, that’s pretty common territory, don’t you think?”

“I guess… why doesn’t that make me feel any better?”

“Because you would literally rather be doing anything else?”

I nodded. “Yes, that sounds about right.” I looked around at all the food that was still left on the table, still steaming, but I’d lost my appetite. “We should go and check in with the others.”

Gullie floated over to my left hand. “I’ll make myself scarce while you talk to the P… Colin. That’s going to take some getting used to.”

“Sorry, it was the first thing that came to mind.”

“You could’ve gone with Harrington, or Tatum, or Somerhalder. But you went with Colin. I am so disappointed.” Gullie dropped onto the back of my left hand, and with a puff of green mist, became a little green and black butterfly tattoo against my skin.

I had never so much as gotten a single tattoo in my life, and now I had two of them. Go figure.

Grabbing a pastry from the table, I stood up and headed for the door. Lora was already waiting for me outside, sitting casually on a stump. When I left the tent, she perked up and moved quickly to intercept me so I wouldn’t wander.

“Your tent is this way,” she barked.

“I want to see the man I brought here,” I said.

She eyed me up and down, scoffed, and rolled her eyes. I wasn’t sure if she was going to lead me to Prince Cillian, but I followed her all the same.

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER TEN

 

 

Lora led me to the tent where they were keeping the Prince, but he was unconscious when I arrived. They had removed his shirt, laid him down on a bed, and tended to his wounds. By his side, on an end table, was a small bowl filled with water, a wet rag hanging off the edge and dripping onto the floor.

I looked over at the fae who had escorted me here. “Could you give me a minute?” I asked.

She eyed me up and down, disdain and suspicion playing on her face. “I will walk the camp once. When I return, you leave with me.”

“Thank you,” I said, as if she were doing me a favor.

Lora turned away and started walking. I could only hope she was a slow walker, but I highly doubted it. Without wasting another second, I entered the tent, letting the flap fall behind me, and knelt by the Prince’s bed. He looked pale, and hurt, and despite the fact that he had been healed, there were many bruises and dark marks on his skin.

Gingerly I touched his chest, letting my fingertips gently press against his skin before allowing the rest of my palm to flatten out on him. I could feel his heart beating beneath my palm, I could hear the slightly raspy quality of his breathing,