They raced through the damp Northern Court on horseback. Renwick’s giant black steeds ate up the distance at twice the pace of the smaller Western horses Bri and the others had ridden northward. What a sight they must have been—seven of the most renowned fae in all of Okrith barreling through the little country towns. Bri didn’t care about the gaping stares and the waving scarves as they roared into villages and back out again. All she could think about were those midnight eyes wide with fear, that husky warm voice morphing into screams of pain. Her visions darkened her every breath.

They’d pushed their horses to the brink of collapse before finally relenting and stopping in Valtene to swap them out. It would be slower going on the Western horses, but at least they were bred to handle the arid terrain.

Bri’s clothes were sodden, her skin damp and her soul chilled to the bone. They planned to grab fresh clothes and quick provisions that they could eat on horseback while the stable hands readied their new mounts. An hour break—no more—Remy had promised her, but she didn’t have an hour. She didn’t have a single heartbeat to spare. She needed to know Lina was safe again before she could exist at all.

Bri was tightening the saddlebag on her horse’s flank when she heard the crunching of straw and scuff of boots behind her. The others had rushed to the tavern to relieve themselves after their long ride through the night. Another full day’s ride lay ahead of them. She smoothed a hand down her horse’s neck as Talhan’s telltale footsteps approached.

“No amount of prayers will get that horse to make it all the way to Swifthill in one go,” he said. Bri turned just in time to catch the bread roll he chucked to her. “Nor you if you don’t eat something.”

“I can’t stop,” Bri said, tucking the roll in her pocket.

Talhan watched her frantic movements and frowned. “Bri.”

She knew what her twin was going to say. He’d push her even when others were afraid to, and he’d tell her when she was being a fool.

Guilt swarmed her every sense as she checked the buckles over again.

“We’ll get to her in time,” Talhan promised.

“You don’t know that,” Bri snapped. “They could have killed her on the road, dumped her body before they even reached Swifthill. . . . What if Cole ambushed her? Gods, how had I not seen it?”