Free Fairy Flavor by Anna Keraleigh Page B

floor beneath her was hard and cold. Her body ached like it had
    been kicked a hundred times. This damn headache made her want to heave
    with each breath, and only fear kept her from moving. The trolls had taken her;
    she took a slow breath as to not attract attention and opened her eye a slit. No
    ceiling, stars, no tree branches yet there was no grass tickling her skin.
    Shit, she’d have to take a chance and really look to even get a bearing.
    In one quick move, she opened her eyes glanced around and shut them.
    That had been the worst plan - ever. Now she knew she was not anywhere on
    the surface, there was no light and the walls were rock around her. She was
    somewhere unexpected and terrifying. The troll’s home or lair or wherever
    they gathered, it had to be, and she was just inside a dark cave that just might
    lead to hell.
    “I think we should nibble on her a wee bit.” A thick, Irish accent
    sounded from a nearby troll.
    She swallowed hard to keep her body from shuddering.
    “No, he said not to harm her.”
    “It won’t kill her to have a few bite marks…”
    The bastard moved closer, his voice a scant breath away from her ear.
    Stay calm, Brook. She tried chanting the words. Over and over as fowl breath whispered over the flesh of her neck. All she had to do was remain calm and
    await her fairy man.
    If only it was that fucking easy.

Chapter ine
    Something had gone terribly wrong. Carrick knew it the second Thame
    returned with a bloody Wick sprawled in his arms.
    “What happened?” he yelled the words amid the chaos.
    Brielle rush past him. Her long, blonde hair trailed behind in a tangle as
    she scurried for the wounded. He turned to his men. The room erupted in
    shouts as Mord entered. He too was covered with blood. “What in the
    Goddess’s name happened?”
    “They were attacked.” Brielle’s angelic voice reached his ears. “Trolls,
    no doubt. Your human is not with them…” Her voice trailed off as blood
    sprouted from Wick’s chest.
    Those words echoed. Brook was not with them, gone, alone with trolls
    after her. “Thame with me, everyone else on full guard.” He pushed his wings
    out and glanced at his warrior. “No mercy.” Not when those cowardly bastards
    captured his queen. He rushed from the room, his wings fluttered madly as he
    headed for the surface.
    Brook’s house was a tale of blood. Streaks lined her walkway, bright
    marigolds crushed, and four troll bodies lay just outside the doorway. They
    would perish in a few hours. Wither away to dust and scatter in the wind.
    Carrick stepped over the corpses and glanced around the lonely home.
    “Brook?” He knew she wasn’t here by the lack of her vibrant presence
    but had to try. “Thame do you see anything?”
    The other fairy shook his head and slowly followed.
    “Wait…” They both froze. “The door is open, blood trail leads here and
    out…” They followed the frantic footsteps of a woman and the predators that
    chased her. “She ran away…” Thame spoke in low tones, flying a few feet
    before returning to the ground and sifting through the dirt.
    Carrick trailed. This fairy was the best tracker in all the land. He flew
    over the field, weaved between trees and realized they were heading home.
    Brook had tried to find him, and he’d failed her. He fought the anger, the guilt
    and focused on the tracks.
    Once they found her, he would deal with his failure. His heart lurched
    as they came to a hill, high with ridged edges. It was just beyond the doorway
    to his kingdom. Had Brook been this close?
    “She was here…” Thame tilted his head, caressed the dirt with his
    fingers. “They took her…” He growled the words, shot into the air and raced
    off.
    Carrick was on his heels. He knew where they were heading. Toward
    the trolls cave of darkness. They were scattered along the hills in any cave their
    worthless backsides could cower. To get to Brook, he would cut every one of
    them down. He only hoped it