Free Stolen Away by Alyxandra Harvey Page B

didn’t know what to do, so I sat in my chair and tried not to scream. Maybe if I sat quietly enough I could find out what was going on, get some snippet of information that made sense. I wondered where Lucas was and if he knew I was here and why Strahan seemed so infuriated by the mere mention of the Richelieu family. Thatalone made me want to find every Richelieu in the world and kiss them. With tongue.
    The hall bustled with servants and courtiers, the latter lounging about eating sugar-frosted cakes and bowls of chocolate topped with pink whipped cream. There were tables piled with foods of all types: fragrant pastries; honey-painted breads; berries and custards; and crystal tureens boiling with hot chocolate, ginger tea, and that odd pink champagne. My stomach rumbled lightly. It didn’t care that I was terrified and held against my will, it only wanted to eat some of those éclairs. I looked away before I started to drool.
    The doors at the other end were held open and guards marched in, taking their place, in two perfectly straight lines. The courtiers stopped chattering and a silence slid into every available space, like water, cold and soft and dangerous.
    Creature after creature was led into the hall and chained to the wall. Iron touched fairy flesh and the smell of burning mingled with wilting lily. Some walked proudly, some were dragged, wailing. Some were beautiful, some were bizarre; all were bruised or cut or dead-eyed. I shivered, tried to look away, couldn’t. He was collecting them like wooden masks or silver beads.
    There was a tall, thin woman with birch branches in her hair; a man bleeding what looked like sap; a woman who was half girl, half wren; a white dog with red ears on a choke chain; a mermaid with a peeling fish tail; and Winifreda with her torn wings.
    Strahan clucked his tongue. “This won’t do,” he said blandly. “They’re tattered and hardly impressive enough to be enjoyed as entertainment at the ball. I’m known for my collection, after all. Heal them, clean them up, and for God’s sake, do something about that fish smell.”
    Several of the guards nearest to us bowed in unison. A young man began to move through the crowd, setting the corseted courtiers to whispering. Strahan lifted his head like a hunter testing the air before the chase.
    “Ah, Eldric,” he said, satisfied. “Home at last.”
    Eldric was about my age, maybe a couple of years older, with a lean and handsome face. He looked human, but with a kind of fierce dignity that was something else entirely. His scuffed boots and ratty jeans didn’t fit in at all. In fact, Strahan sniffed once. “You stink of them.”
    Eldric shrugged. “You were the one who sent me up there.” He saw me and stilled, except for the flaring of his eyes, like coal catching fire. “Who’s she, then?”
    “Who do you think?” Strahan said with a hint of warning and something I couldn’t recognize. The Grey Ladies drifted over, stroked Eldric’s cheek, swooned and sighed. He ignored them. I had to bite my teeth down to keep them from chattering together. The Grey Ladies weren’t any less creepy when they were flirting.
    I really didn’t recognize my life anymore and I’d been here less than a full day.
    “She doesn’t look like much,” Eldric said. One of theguards handed him a cup, which he drained and handed back. “Thank you, Malik.” When he leaned over me, I smelled honey and wine. There was something not quite tame about him, like a wild dog who might as easily eat from your hand as bite it right off.
    “Back off.” It would have sounded more impressive if my voice hadn’t given out into a pathetic little croak. He smiled insolently. I wanted to punch him.
    “She reminds me of that pet ferret I had.” He glanced at Strahan. “Before you drowned it.”
    Strahan didn’t look particularly penitent, only nodded at the guards to start leading the captives out. Eldric watched dispassionately, though I did see his jaw