Wild Lands (Savage Lands Book 2)

by Stacey Marie Brown

  My throat dry, I licked my lips, standing straight.

  “Are you all right?” Killian asked, hurt etching the corners of his eyes. He peered around, hunting for whatever caused my reaction. “I apologize if—”

  “No. It’s fine…it wasn’t you.” I exhaled, touching my forehead. “I’m sorry. I must have lost too much blood today. I’m a little out of it.”

  We both felt the lie.

  “Of course.” He cleared his throat, no longer close to me, his hands in his pockets, the connection we had broken and scattered over the balcony like glass.

  Fuck you, Farkas. You’re not even here, and you still wreck everything.

  “Let me escort you back to your room.” He quickly switched back to the detached, aloof leader, as though he hadn’t been kissing me moments before. Killian held his head high, strolling back inside, leaving me frazzled, confused, and a little disappointed. I didn’t want to think it was because I actually liked him. That was not acceptable.

  Neither was the way my body reacted to the phantom of Warwick. Was I losing my mind? Why did he feel and look so real? Why was I imagining him here?

  Sighing heavily, my eyes flicked back across the water, hearing the slow river lap against the stone walls of my home. So close.

  The longer I was outside the walls of Leopold, the more I forgot myself. Soon I would be unable to recall the girl I had been. I needed to get back. Be with my friends—with Caden. Then all would make sense again. It had to.

  I still felt Warwick around me like a ghost, the sense of him brushing against me, his presence even in my imagination, overwhelming and solid.

  Let me in. His words whispered through me again.

  I snorted, my head shaking. “Hell no,” I muttered. I would do everything in my power to block him.

  The only important thing was getting home.

  In the distance, I heard the roar of a motorcycle, making me shiver. A chill seeped into my bones, as if a warm blanket had been tugged from my frame, unsettling my stomach.

  Wrapping my arms around myself, I turned away and headed back to my cell, ignoring the sense of being off-kilter and floating away without an anchor.

  Empty and scared.

  It reminded me of the night Warwick left me in the showers after my kills, ripping away the strange comfort he had provided. As if he was the only thing that could secure me or let me drift off into oblivion.

  Chapter 5

  Killian greeted me right after my breakfast of French toast and fruit. He was distant, his shoulders pinned back, his expression a mask of indifference.

  “Come,” he ordered, already pushing past Nyx. I stared after him, taken aback by his icy mood.

  “When the fae lord commands you to do something,” Nyx growled at me, grabbing my arm painfully, “you do it.” She yanked me to my feet, roughly thrusting me out into the hallway. “I live for the day I can slice your throat and watch your blood gurgle out as you choke on it.” Nyx’s mouth hummed by my ear, her threat full of abhorrence.

  Kicking the back of my heels, she pitched me forward, my feet trying to catch up with Killian’s silhouette down the hall. This was the opposite way we had gone every other morning.

  “The lab is the other way.” I thumbed back behind me.

  “Thank you, I’m aware.” Killian kept his head forward, his shoulders rolled back. No trace of the intimacy we shared the night before remained. He clearly was pretending it never happened, and I didn’t know if the tightness in my stomach was from lack of sleep or if I felt hurt.

  No, it’s lack of sleep. It must be.

  I had gone to bed thinking about how I had kissed the leader of the fae, but my dreams were filled instead with intense turquoise eyes and a deadly smile hunting me from the dark.

  Nyx kept close to me now but left me uncuffed while we made our way down the corridor, entering another lift and heading up several floors. The silence in the closed box felt stifling, but I kept my lips pinned together as we rose. When the elevator finally came to a stop, Killian strolled out, not even looking at me.

  “Move,” Nyx hissed, shoving me forward into an enormous, decadent corridor that dripped with more gold and crystal, naked fairies and shape-shifters painted onto the arched ceilings in suggestive positions and group situations.

  Swallowing nervously, I followed behind him. All the doors we passed were closed to my curious eyes.

  Finally, he stopped in front of a door, his expression blank as he reached for the doorknob. The door swung open, flooding morning light across the floor and onto my feet. He nodded for me to enter, and I did.

  Glass covered almost one entire wall in front of me, large doors opening up onto a balcony. The sun glistened off the Danube and buildings across the river, which warmed the room like a blanket.

  My mouth loosened in awe, taking in the room before me, my eyes flinching at the onslaught of beauty. My world had consisted of gray and metal for so long, I couldn’t fully take in the rich colors and soft textures.

  The bedroom was larger than the one I had in HDF. The elegant headboard went halfway up the wall, and the massive king-size bed was layered in creamy whites, buttery yellows, and soft blues. All the furniture was modern and simple. Silks, linens, velvets, and cashmere swathed the room, offering a warm invitation that whispered for me to run into its arms.

  The girl I’d been a few months ago wouldn’t have even hesitated. Wouldn’t have thought twice about exuberant luxury. This would have felt normal. Familiar. Now I didn’t move.

  “Do you not like it?” Killian stepped around me, his hands in his pockets. I was starting to realize he did this when he wanted to come across as composed, but I heard a twinge of doubt in his tone.

  I touched nothing, moving robotically to the windows, and looked out. Below, a handful of horses and carriages moved over the Chain Bridge, and sounds of motorcycles and clipping of hooves touched my ears. The street bustled with people living their lives. The dome of the old parliament building stuck up in the distance, twisting at my heart. Everything felt vibrant and active. It was the first time I had seen daylight in weeks, animating all I had not been able to see last night.

  “There are other rooms you can pick from. But I thought you’d enjoy the view.” Killian moved next to me, swinging my head to him.

  “Why?” I spat. “To torture me? To show me how close I am, but I will never be able to reach it?”

  His jaw tightened. “That was not my intention.”

  “What is your intention, Killian?”

  He jolted at his name, his eyes darkening.

  “I’m still a prisoner, no matter what bed I sleep in.” My eyes kept locked on his face. “At least my cell is more honest.”

  He breathed through his nose, his focus not leaving me. I couldn’t make out any emotion underneath, but I could feel the weight of them, words dropping from his tongue, wanting to lash out at me. The tension between us threaded through the room, strangling out the air.

  “Sir, you requested me?” A man’s voice broke through the discomfort, the familiar pitch jerking my head to the doorway. It felt as though the room tipped, an internal gasp twitching my limbs.

  Chocolate brown eyes shot to mine from across the room, a slight frown wrinkling the space between the horse-shifter’s eyes as his look darted between Killian and me before his expression went neutral again.

  Zander. The only guard who had been kind to me. Kissed me. Helped me escape. He was the reason Warwick and I got out of Halálház. Why would he help us but work for Killian?

  “Yes.” Killian cleared his throat, stepping away from me. It wasn’t until then I realized how close we had been standing. “Thank you, Zander.” He strolled to his guard. “Let’s go to my office. There is much to do to prepare the new location.”

  He didn’t say, but I understood, they were talking about the new prison. The original site had been compromised, so he would have to rebuild it somewhere completely unknown.

  Zander dipped h
is head, waiting for Killian to exit first.

  Killian made it to the door and stopped, looking back at me.

  “We can discuss your accommodations later. But please enjoy the room until I get back. I am suspending your testing for the day.” His eyes couldn’t quite meet mine. “If you need anything, a guard will be right outside.” He rubbed his chin, hesitating before he whipped around, leaving the chamber.

  Zander grabbed for the knob, his gaze slamming into mine. It was so slight I almost missed it, but his head dipped, his eyes never breaking from mine, like they were trying to speak to me.

  “Miss,” he said, as though we had never met.

  I watched him close the door, wanting nothing more than to run after him, demand to know why he’d helped Warwick and I escape. Was he someone I could trust or not? If I had any chance of getting out of this place, it just walked out of the room.

  “Oh yeah… rub it! Harder!”

  Chirp!

  The late afternoon rays pushed through my lashes as my body curled on top of the huge bed like a cat. Not able to fight the lethargy after my lunch was served, the warm sun stretching across the soft bed had summoned me to it.

  Now my brow furrowed as splashes and squeaks came from the stunning en-suite bathroom, lifting my head up.

  “What does this button do?”

  Chirp!

  “Ooooohhh yeeeahhh,” a small voice moaned.

  Rubbing my face, I got up and strolled into the bathroom. I clasped a hand to my mouth, holding in laughter as I leaned against the doorjamb, taking in the scene inside the bathtub.

  Dressed in what looked like a modified neon pink rubber glove, Opie wore it like a scuba suit, and attached to his knees, ass, and elbows were cut-up pieces of an orange scrubber. The jet spurted out water while he wiggled his butt back and forth, his eyes closed as he ground against the surface.

  Bitzy floated on a sponge near him, her head and tiny form covered in the same rubber material.

  “Take that, jet tub… You like it? I bet you do, you filthy thing.”

  A snort broke through my hands, jolting the two tiny figures.

  “Holy scrubbing loofah!” Opie grabbed at his chest dramatically. “You about turned this water brown, Fishy.”

  “And I thought you could never sneak up on a brownie.” I smirked at him.

  “Well, normally, you can’t.” He cleared his throat, tugging at his skintight suit. “But I was really immersed in cleaning.”

  “Is that what you call it?”

  Chirp.

  “I was not!” Opie’s eyes widened in shock. “I would never do such a thing. That would be vulgar.”

  Chirp.

  “Can’t prove it.” He sniffed, turning away, busying himself with scouring the already pristine porcelain.

  Chirp.

  “You promised to never bring up that incident again either. It was a misunderstanding.”

  Chirp.

  “It was too,” he countered. “Master Finn still hasn’t let me anywhere near a vacuum cleaner since.”

  “Oh, gods.” I laughed, my face planting in my hand, trying to squash the visuals in my mind.

  “Like I said, it was a misunderstanding. I got caught for a moment… in the suction.”

  Chirp.

  “It was not five minutes.”

  Chirp.

  “We’re not talking about this.” He huffed, turning away, his shoulders sagging.

  I hated seeing him so sad, like he was “wrong” because he didn’t fit in.

  “Well, if you ask me, I think this Master Finn would benefit greatly from five minutes with a vacuum.”

  “That’s what I told him.” A tiny smile hinted on Opie’s face. “He had me scrubbing toilets for ten months afterward.”

  Strolling over to the tub, I shut off the water, sitting on the side. “How did you know where I was?”

  Opie scoffed, facing me again. “Please, you are easy to find. You have a particular smell, Fishy.”

  “I smell?” I frowned, pinching my top, sniffing it. I knew I didn’t smell the best, but I had recently taken a shower before testing and had been given a new gray uniform. I was a lot better than when locked away in Halálház.

  “Not bad-smelling or anything. It’s hard to explain. Not really a word for it. It’s pleasant. Hopeful. Like that brief moment between night and day breaking.” Opie tapped his nose. “We sub-fae have excellent noses.”

  Chirp!

  “And ears.” He motioned to the imp. “Obviously.”

  There was a rap on the bedroom door, and I jumped up. In less than a second, I looked back to my friends. Gone. Only the sponge Bitzy had been lounging on still twirled around the bottom of the tub. Damn, they moved fast.

  Frantic knocks tapped at my door again, so I hurried to it, my stomach knotting in strange anxiety. Killian would never knock like that or at all. Neither would Nyx or Iain. I was a prisoner, not a guest.

  The moment I reached for the door, I heard my name whispered low. “Brexley, it’s me.”

  Swinging the door open, my chest thudded as Zander’s wild gaze landed on mine.

  “Zander,” I breathed out his name. He shot a glance around him, checking to see if anyone was there before he slipped past me, shutting the door.

  “We don’t have much time.” His movements were jerky and anxious. “I told Iain I’d stand guard until Nyx came on duty.” His hands came to my waist, then up to my face, taking me in. “Gods, I was so worried about you. Seeing you this morning… I could barely keep it together.” He cupped my cheeks, his touch intimate. “I knew you were here, but I wasn’t expecting to see you here… with him.”

  “Zander.” I gripped his hands, pulling them away, glancing back at the door, afraid at any moment Killian would walk in. “You need to go! You can’t get caught. What are you even doing right here?”

  “This has been the only place I’ve thought about being all day. It was so hard to concentrate, knowing you were so close. I had to make an excuse to even be up in the residential wing.” His eyes moved over me. “Gods, it’s so good to see you. I’m so glad you are all right.” He held my face again. “He didn’t do anything to you, right? Taken any liberties?”

  “No. Killian has been surprisingly kind.”

  “I wasn’t talking about Killian.” Zander frowned. He meant Warwick. “I hated watching you leave with him. It killed me. Though I was glad he helped get you out.”

  “Why did you?” I stepped back, putting space between us. “Why are you here?”

  “What do you mean, why I am here?” He scowled.

  “I mean, what is going on? Why did you help me escape Halálház? Don’t you work for Killian?”

  He tilted his head to the side, blinking. “You mean Warwick didn’t tell you?”

  “Tell me wha—” A door slammed, the snap of footsteps coming up the hallway.

  “Dammit.” Zander huffed through his nose, sounding like a horse. “We don’t have time. I will be back, I promise.” He hurriedly kissed my forehead. “Just stay safe and be ready.”

  “Ready for—”

  The door clicked, creaking open as Zander lurched away from me, grabbing the glass door leading to my balcony, opening and slamming it, his voice angry. “Last time I tell you. You are not to leave this room. Next time I find your head peeking out the door, I will chop it off.”

  “Oh, was our little prisoner being bad?” Nyx stepped into the room, her irises glinting with bloodlust. “Can I punish her? Kill her?”

  “I handled it.” Zander nodded, stepping around me toward the door.

  “What are you even doing here? Where’s Iain?” Awareness crinkled Nyx’s forehead, her wariness dropping my stomach. “You have no reason to be over in this wing watching the prisoner.”

  Panic thumped at my heart, but I kept my expression bare of what I felt inside. Nyx was not stupid, and she already thought I “bewitched” every male who got close to me.

  “I’m training Iain tonight.
Came to find him falling asleep on his feet. I told him to go, and I’d finish the watch. Good thing, because she had almost made it outside, probably to wave down a boat.”

  Nyx’s glower targeted me with a promise of punishment. Of brutality.

  I understood Zander had no choice but to toss me under the bus. There would have been no other reason for him to be alone with me inside my room unless I was trying to break out.

  “She understands her mistake now.” He touched the sword on his belt, as though he had threatened me with it. “She will behave. I can guarantee it.” He nodded at Nyx, half out of the door. “Good night.”

  “And Iain?” She twisted to him.

  A moment of confusion fluttered on Zander’s face. “What about Iain?”

  “Will you tell Lord Killian? He needs to be disciplined for failure to do his job. He could have been the reason she got away. He cannot go unpunished.”

  Zander’s mouth pinched for a moment, his head dipping. “He will be reprimanded severely in training tonight. He won’t do it again.”

  Nyx dipped her head shallowly. Zander’s eyes flitted to me one last time before he closed the door.

  Nyx watched the door for a beat, a strange look on her face, knotting my stomach. She turned back to me, an evil smile curling her mouth.

  “After my lord learns what you tried to do after all he’s done for you—finding out what a deceitful, conniving bitch you are—I don’t think he’ll mind if I teach you a lesson.” She yanked the pair of cuffs off her belt, her fingers rolling into fists. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. Yet.” Her fist struck me as fast as a viper, flinging my body to the ground, pain bursting behind my eye like a bomb. The sudden attack snatched the oxygen from my lungs. She leaped down, clutching the fabric around my throat, and hauled me back to my feet before slamming me back into a chair.

  “That was for Yulia,” she spat, cuffing my arms behind me. “But until I spill your blood, she will not be avenged, and I will not rest.”