As Eirian parted from the shadows, he appeared unperturbed by what had just transpired. His stride was measured and gliding, as if he floated on a wave.

Gran had spoken of the inhuman beauty of the fae. The higher races were often gifted with Craft. I remembered her saying they were supposed to be a wonder to behold, and she hadn't been kidding. I wondered if perhaps she had seen one before. Because even now, I couldn't help but watch Eirian's movements, my lips parted in awe. Humans didn't look like that. It was as if every part of him had been carved to perfection.

I stood there, covered in Everard's blood. My stomach turned as a wave of nausea hit me. Still, I narrowed my eyes.

"Why me?" I asked.

Eirian grinned, a smile that was as handsome as it was haunting.

"Because I like special things, and you are truly astounding, even in your current state." His golden eyes flickered over me, assessing my blood-coated state with a small frown. "Far too beautiful to be wasted on a mountain goblin, love."

I felt panic pushing my body to run, but for some reason, I couldn't.

His eyes glowed gold, a vivid reminder of what he was. I stepped back and raised a hand to my head. It swirled, and everything was momentarily turned upside down. I shook my head, trying to shake off the disorienting feeling.

"Don't worry. You will fit in well with my court." He smiled, flashing me his dazzling teeth, surveying me from head to foot, as if peeling away the layers of blood and grime. I wanted to move away from him, but I couldn't. Eirian's eyes locked on mine.

"If I didn't know better, I would say you were made of summer..." he added, his voice trailing off, dark brows furrowing as he considered me. "But I know that can't be."

I had no idea what he meant. My thoughts were growing sluggish, and all I could do was look into his golden gaze. I had never seen such beautiful eyes before. The wind whipped by me, biting at my skin.

They were perfect, just like he was.

He cut off the last few inches between us. Somewhere in the deepest corner of my mind came a scream to run—to get away from him...but I couldn't. I couldn't look away from his eyes.

I wanted to look into them forever.

He stood so close I could feel the heat radiating from his body.  It would be so easy to sink into him, fall into the warm depths of his arms and never look back again.

Maybe... going with him wouldn't be so bad.

There was a tug at the corner of my mind, but I ignored it. Eirian wouldn't hurt me. I wasn't sure why I had ever doubted him.

Eirian's hand felt like a hot summer's day. He trailed it down my cheek, his eyes turning curious as he brought his fingers to the edge of my lips.

The intense urge to kiss him filled me as my eyes traveled down his perfectly symmetrical face. His mouth looked so plush and soft. I could already imagine the way his lips would feel against mine. Heat coursed through my body, and my skin flushed.

The sheerness of my nearly non-existent gown fluttered in shredded ribbons across my calves. I could tear it off and offer myself to him right here. The idea alone had my hands moving to the straps of my dress.

I blinked, freezing under his hand as he lifted my chin. His face had lost its smirk, a darkness overtaking his eyes. Lust had dilated his pupils, and the planes of his face became more severe. The contours of his figure molded into mine. My pulse filled my ears, shutting out any other sound as it grew to a deafening roar.

A wind blew, only it gusted through my veins as if trying to blow the fog out of my brain

Get away. Get away. GET. AWAY. FROM. HIM.

I stepped out of his grasp, shaking my head. He stood motionless, observing me as I turned to glare at him.

"What are you doing to me!" I gasped, grabbing my head, and threaded my fingers through my hair. My temples throbbed as I fought him off. I closed my eyes tightly until I felt whatever he was doing pull away. Once it was gone, my chest heaved, like I was learning to breathe all over again.

I could tell he was studying me, the heat in his expression still there. My resistance only thrilled him more.

"You resisted me." The heaviness of his gaze wouldn't leave me. "I've never had that happen before."

Eirian focused on me for another moment. My head throbbed again, and I let out a cry. But I didn't let him in this time. I steadied my stance and dug in my heels. My jaw clenched as I ground my teeth from the strain. And whatever I did, I did not look into his eyes.

After what felt like eons, the strange pull disappeared. Leaning over with my hands on my thighs, I attempted to keep my knees from buckling.

When I looked up Eirian had a pleased look on his face, despite not being able to bend me to his will. I backed away. I stumbled over a root, rough bark biting at my skin. A tree. I looked over to see a line of trees surrounding us like a thick wall decorated with leaves. They hadn't been there before.

Shit.

I was trapped.

"Don't look so afraid. I will treat you well...better than most of the creatures roaming this forest tonight. Things will be better for you than any of the others. You don't need to resist me. You know deep down you don't want to. If you truly gave into your desires, I would not need to glamour you at all."

"I..." I said quietly, somehow finding my voice. "I don't want to be anyone's bride."

He frowned. "But why? It is an honor to be allowed to marry one of us and considered the right fit to match. Being chosen by me is an even higher honor, and my mother will make sure to treat you well. You will bear me beautiful children and ensure that our royal line lives on. It is our way. I am certain you will do well as you adjust to Faerie."

I shook my head, hoping that somehow his words might disappear if I refused them. "I do not want to marry you. I do not want your children. I want to go home. Please, if you have any sense of right or wrong, send me home." I raised my eyes, hating the tone of my voice. I sounded desperate and weak.

But the truth of the matter was that I was desperate, and compared to the fae I was weak. I could not deny that.

"You could do that, right?" I insisted.

He frowned his wide mouth and looked thoroughly perplexed as he regarded me.

"You mortal woman make no sense," he stated, not quite addressing me. He shrugged one muscular shoulder.

"Please." I was begging, but I didn't see any other way. Eirian was a prince. If he couldn't help me find the way back home, no one else would.

"No," he said bluntly, fixing his eyes on me. "I cannot let a treasure like you go. Besides, leaving won't be easy for you now."

My stomach sank, and my heart froze.

What?

I was unable to speak. Acid pooled in my mouth and I gripped the tree behind me so hard blood slicked my fingers.

Eirian's frown deepened, and he looked me up and down. "You aren't going to be sick, are you?" he asked as if the ground falling out from beneath my feet was nothing but a minor nuisance to him.

I remembered, with harsh clarity, another fact my Gran had always told me.

"A Faerie cannot tell a lie."

He wasn't lying. I couldn't go back.

Eirian finally comprehended the pained look on my face as I fell to my knees against the tree, staring ahead.

"You ate faerie fruit and drank Faerie wine. To return to the mortal world, a faerie may escort you out of this realm, sacrificing themselves with no intention to return. If a fae leaves faerie, they damn themselves to a human existence after knowing one filled with magic. Not many fae would be fool enough to do that for a mortal. Well..." he paused, "all except for one, but they fell in love with a mortal. I can't say that will ever happen again."

I stared ahead. Cold, dark reality crashed down. Hard.

I was trapped here unless I managed the impossible; getting a faerie to sacrifice themself and leave this world with me. Failing that, I was doomed to marry one of these males as a prize of the Hunt, and bear them children for the pure purpose of strengthening the fertility of their lines. I was utterly defenseless with no training in combat, and even more vulnerable against their powerful Craft.

I looked at Eirian, my now numb mind taking him in and weighing my options. I could marry him, go back to his home. He hadn't been lying, marrying him was better than getting stuck with a goblin-like the one that had been stalking me before.

But still, even with my numbed emotions, I saw my parent's faces. I couldn't stay here. This wasn't my home. Maybe with time, I could convince Eirian to help me. There had to be a soul somewhere inside him, some part of him that could be reasoned with. Just because I lost this, didn't mean I was giving up. It just meant I was biding my time for the greater war.

Finding a way home.

I had just begun to rise to my feet, preparing myself to accept Eirian's proposal—if it could even be called that—when Eirian spun around with a low growl. I felt the dampness in the air as water started to swarm towards him. It was like an invisible wave, the air shimmering with water as it crashed around his feet, rippling in the air.

"You," he snarled towards the darkened trees.

I hadn't heard anything. The trees softly swayed and a dark, tall figure stalked out from them. One hand held a long, thick sword, a blood-covered chest coming into view behind it. 

Everything inside me went still. The wind skittered away, hiding in the leaves overhead.

Blood-colored eyes met mine from the shadows. The fragile hold I had on my fear broke free like an inferno igniting in my blood.

Ronan.

Ronan had come for me.