Wicked Hungry

But Blaine and Connor are already headed into the clearing. Just as Carver and Andres stumble up behind us.

“What’s happening?” Andres asks, breathing hard.

“I just asked the same question. My girlfriend was kidnapped by the Seelie, and there are these other faerie knights out in front of her friend’s house, the Unseelie, and Blaine is going to talk to them. If that makes any sense.”

Carver nods at his little brother. “Yeah, Jonathan is always talking about the faerie courts. He’s read whole books about them.”

r /> “What’s going on over there?” Enrique asks, pointing at Blaine and Connor, who seem to be facing off against several knights.

“They’re just talking, I think. But dude, the Unseelie are fricking dangerous,” Jonathan says.

We hear whistles, high and piercing. I look over and Blaine is gesturing. At us.

“We can’t let you go,” says Carver.

“No way,” Andres says. “It could be a trap.”

“If I don’t go,” I say, “I’m never going to find out what’s happened to Meredith. Or Carolina.”

Jonathan turns to his brother. “Just give us like five minutes.”

Enrique nods. “We need to go with Stanley. We can’t let him walk in there alone.”

“We can’t let him walk in there at all,” Andres says. “Those guys could hurt him just by touching him.”

“Try to stop me,” I growl.

Before they can react, I’ve leapt off into the clearing, toward the house.

Chapter 34: THE UNSEELIE AND THE HOUSE OF WHELAN

A hop, a skip, and a jump, and hey, I’m surrounded.

“One more leap, and you’ll rest on my spear,” says a rider covered head to foot in dark armor.

“And we’ll finish you off with plenty of silver... after you have had time to suffer,” says another knight on the other side of me.

“I thought Blaine waved me over here,” I say.

“Blaine?” the knight asks. “Who is this Blaine?”

“Me,” Blaine says.

“Whelan,” says the first knight nodding. “Yes, the gatekeeper called you here. Morgaine wishes to speak to you.”

There’s a struggle behind me, and I turn my head too quickly. Now there’s a spear point at my throat, sharp silver burning my skin. Enrique and Jonathan struggle with their brothers.

“But she wishes to speak only to you, not your friends,” the knight says, answering my unasked question.

“It’s okay!” I shout out to them. “I have to do this alone!”

“No!” shouts Enrique. “It could be a trap.”

“I’ll be back soon,” I shout to him. “Just watch the house and look out for Meredith! And Max!”

But then hands are upon me, and I am escorted up to the backdoor of the house.

It seems different than what I remember from the party. Even before we arrive at the door, I feel the wards and sigils that cover every inch. The doors and windows are even more solidly protected. How could I have not noticed this before?