Milo’s home was barely a five minute walk away, so if I wanted to try to break free of Minerva’s grip, I had to do it fast. I scanned our surroundings for anything that could aid me, but there was nothing within my reach. I stumbled once more as we walked, and for a moment, I noticed a small smirk pass Minerva’s lips.Had she intentionally put me in a long dress so I couldn’t run?I bit back a growl as I silently submitted to her clever plan. I had spent my life training for stealth, and ball gowns were entirely out of my element.
I felt myself start to panic as we grew closer to Milo’s home.Come on, Nixie, think!There had to be a way out of this. My eyes combed through the woods for one more desperate search, and I noticed a slight glimmer against the sunlight. I fixated my eyes on the spot for moment, until I recognized the blade of my dagger.
Killian?
As if answering my internal question, a pair of gray eyes peered out from the trees, instantly locking onto mine. I felt my heart spur at the familiar face, along with a rush of frustration that he was risking his injury—although, despite wanting to be angry at him, I was far too relieved to see him.
I darted my eyes between him and Minerva’s blade, trying to signal the danger I was in. His eyes widened as his gaze latched onto the weapon, and he gave me a reassuring nod before slipping back between the trees. A nervous knot formed in my stomach as he disappeared from my view.What is he planning? I don’t think he knows how short on time I am...
My focus was disrupted as I tripped on the hem of my dress once again. Minerva jerked me upward without a second glance, quickening her steps toward the door that was now within view. An idea flicked through my mind, and before I could consider the risks, I tripped again, this time throwing all my weight out from under me.
“Nixie!” Minerva protested as she stumbled to the ground with me. She kept a death grip on my arm as we fell. “If you can’t walk properly, then I’ll have Milo drag you! Stand up at once!” Her tumble had flecked mud onto her dress, causing her to look down at her skirt in disgust.
Her attention was skewed for just a brief moment. I slipped my free hand around my back and pick-pocketed the slender blade from her waist, without so much as a flinch. The moment the blade was firmly in my grasp, I tore my arm away from her. I only managed to separate us by a few inches, because she dug her nails into my sleeve, pulling me back.
“You foolish girl! Now your mother will have to pay the price of your insolence!” She reached for the blade, but only grasped air. Her pale face grew whiter as she stared at me blankly.
I held up the dagger in my free hand with a gloating wiggle. “It’s over, Minerva. Let me go.” I tugged once more at my sleeve, but she only dug her nails in tighter.
“Give me that!” she screamed, lunging for the knife but missed.
I tried to pull away again, but she was stronger. With my new weapon acquired, I jeered the blade forward, aiming for the arm that held me. Her quick eyes followed the blade with lightning precision, and in the same moment, she rammed her forearm into my wrist, sending the blade flying from my grasp. Our eyes both followed the weapon as it landed with a clatter onto a patch of stone. We exchanged a knowing look, then turned to scramble for the weapon. Within seconds, my horrid skirts sent me tumbling back to the ground, but not before I could grab Minerva by the belt and yank her down with me.
The blade was still just out of our reach, causing Minerva to let out a frustrated scream. Her desperate screech distracted me briefly, and her long fingers reached for my throat, easily wrapping around my neck. “Fine then! I’ll just make you pass out on my own!”
I clawed at her latched grip with my free hand, but she refused to let go. In a desperate attempt to shake free from her clutches, I scrambled to my feet, attempting to pull away from her reach. She simply rose with me, a maniacal smile twisting her features. I fought with all my consciousness to push the psychotic woman away, but my vision was fading fast. In a desperate attempt to free myself, I lunged back at her throat, but I never made contact. Instead, I only saw darkness and felt my hand fall through the air.
For a moment, I was falling. The pressure around my throat released, and I took a full breath as I fell backward toward the ground. When the impact came, it was softer than I had anticipated, and far warmer. As my lungs filled and my vision returned, I blinked to see that I wasn’t lying on the ground but was instead cradled in the arms of a prince.
His strong arms gripped me tightly, and despite being injured, I didn’t sense a single quake in his hold. He looked down at me with frantic worry and relief as I took in another full breath. “Nixie, can you hear me? Are you alright?” His voice was so shaken, that for a moment, I thought I was lost in a dream.
As my consciousness fully restored, I wrapped my arms around my rescuer and pulled him into a full embrace. “I’m fine. Thank you, Killian.”
He embraced me tightly, petting a hand against my hair. “Don’t scare me like that again. Next time I warn you that you’re living with a murderous queen, I hope you’ll take me seriously.”
We parted with a shared laugh and I looked over at the mentioned queen. She was peacefully sleeping, sprawled out against the ground with a fresh cut bleeding through her expensive sleeve.
“Serves her right,” I spat. “No one gets to replace my mother.” I kicked a splash of mud onto her skirt, sullying the dazzling silk with a satisfying huff.
“Whoa, replace your mother? Just what was she trying to do to you?” He raised an eyebrow at my attire, only now noticing the gaudy gown.
“It’s a long story, but we shouldn’t talk here. Her accomplice lives close by.” I gestured at the sunken door, and Killian’s confusion heightened.
“Very well, then. You can tell me on the way.” He grabbed my hand and dashed away from the messy scene with me in tow.
I hiked up my obnoxious skirts with my free hand and sped up to keep pace with him. “Wait a moment, you’re still injured. Where are we meant to be going?”
He flicked me a sly grin. “We’re crossing the river.”
chapter nineteen
“Killian, we can’t possibly cross the river. It’s still too high, and you’re in no condition to swim.”
Despite my disapproval, Killian continued to drag me along with his typical stubborn grin. “Don’t worry, Nix. I’ve got a plan, and besides, we can’t stay here now that her royal craziness is out to get you.”
“Nix?” I scoffed, unaware that I had been bestowed a new nickname.
“Hey, if you can call me birdbrain, then I get to call you a name, too,” he retorted with a flirtatious wink.