I could hear music.

  It was lovely. Beautiful beyond words. So achingly perfect that I wanted to cry. Haunting harps and somber violins and melodic woodwinds that I didn’t know the names of. All winding together very slowly. Intimately. It was the kind of music you’d sway to in a lover’s arms.

  The marble floor was cold against my split, swollen cheek. It felt nice. Everything else ached, or was numb, so I just let my eyes stay closed and focused on the pleasant coolness.

  There. This isn't so bad. Maybe the hag will come back and eat me while I’m here. And maybe I won’t feel it at all; I’ll just lie here and listen to music and then it’ll be like falling asleep.

  I could hear voices, too. Coming from a short distance away. Louder than the music, but so many that any individual words drowned each other out. The voices themselves were lovely. Rich and mellifluous, musical and sing-song, dulcet and sultry. Beneath the chatter I could make out rustling fabrics; swirling lace and silk and gossamer.

  Is he having a party? That’s what it sounds like. I can’t imagine him at a party. He probably sits and drinks wine and looks bored with it all.

  Cool air brushed against my unhurt cheek. I heard the coo of an owl from somewhere nearby, followed by the whisper of rustling leaves and grass.

  Am I outside? Feels almost like it. That’s nice, I think. I’d rather be outside than trapped in his home.

  I cracked my good eye open. I was on a white marble balcony. Endless stars glittered like diamonds high above.

  Mm. Yeah. That’s a much better last look than some fancy chandeliers and gowns.

  I heard a sharp intake of breath from off to one side.

  Turning my head fully seemed like it would take much more strength than I had in me at the moment, so I just swiveled my good eye towards the sound. My little balcony jutted off from an enormous banquet hall lit by flickering silver and blue torches. There was a cracked glass door separating me from the room.

  It was full of people. No, Fae. There was no mortal among the crowd, at least not that I could see. The women were ethereal and willowy, gliding across the marble with grace I could only gawk at. The men were muscled and tall, with proud jawlines and gleaming eyes and full, arrogant lips.

  Their clothes were a marvel. Gowns spun from gossamer and spider silk and dripping rubies, vests of silk and velvet and moss and cascading jewels. Shades so vibrant they made my vision swim, all of them shimmering like water beneath sunlight.

  One of the dancing pairs was looking at me through the glass. It was a beautiful woman with short golden hair, an ageless face, and skin the color of honeysuckle petals. She was wrapped in gossamer hued like the petals of a dragonfly. The man had one hand tangled in her hair, and the other cupping the small of her back. His eyes and tousled hair were the color of bronze. He had a gray vest on that seemed somehow hazy, like the corners of the fabric were drifting away as smoke.

  I could just make out the woman’s voice. It was low and tinged with amusement. “And here I thought the Sellians had brought all the flesh. Ugh. Look at the state of her, Embriel.”

  The man drifted a step closer. His nostrils were flaring. “I told you. Vel’s been holding out.” His teeth flashed in a triumphant, cruel smile. They looked quite sharp. “Same blood I smelled the other night, out in the garden.”

  The woman sniffed, then made a show of gagging. “And you thought that was enticing? Have you lost your senses? It smells like a bog.”

  He didn’t answer.

  Probably can’t expect either of them to rush out and untie me. Not from the way they’re talking. I suppose it’s good they haven’t eaten me yet.

  I don’t see… him.

  I couldn’t quite prop myself up enough to get a good view, but from what I could of the swirling sea of fabric and color he was nowhere within. Just strange Fae. I’d have doubtlessly been terrified, had my circumstances not already been so dire.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Maybe I can… I don’t know, roll myself off the balcony and find a very sharp stick lying on the ground. Or crawl in through the door and hope one of them unties me… and then leaves me alive long enough for me to snap back to the real world. I wish I could call out. Or get a better vantage point; he must be in there somewhere, but all I can see through the door is strangers.

  The door. The door!

  I fixed my eye on it. Marble frame. Curved golden handle. Thin glass, clear as fresh water and cracked into a beautiful, splintering design. And it looked like the door opened outwards, towards me.

  That was good.

  My nostrils flared. I rolled myself over once, then twice, groaning with the effort and ending up on my back before the door. My hands were long-numb, but the marble bit painfully into my wristbones.

  Doesn’t matter. Got to bear it. Worth it.

  I lifted both feet, sucked in a breath, and kicked as hard as I could.

  The glass did not shatter. That was fine. I hadn’t thought I’d get it in one try.

  The woman yelped a little laugh. “Oh! How funny! What’s it doing, Em?”

  The man drew closer. I could see him peering down at me from beyond the door. He dragged his tongue across his lower lip and offered no response.

  I closed my eyes and lashed out again. My feet impacted with a dull thud. No splinters. Yet.

  Just need one. A shard or two big enough to… salt, I don’t know, to somehow press between my ankles or something. Maybe I can try to catch one on my tunic. And then I’ll have a way for us to cut ourselves free. It’ll be messy, but it’s the best I’ve got.

  Renner would doubtlessly have questions when I woke up cradling a piece of broken glass. That was fine. I’d cut us free, and we’d find a way to break out and save Teela and I’d burn the awful hag and I’d think up some reason that sounded logical enough to satisfy him and we’d all escape and-

  “Is that a human?”

  “What’s it doing?”

  “Who brought it?”

  “I’d heard the rumors, but…”

  “Is it for dessert?”

  “Is it trying to get in?”

  “Don’t let it, it smells foul.”

  I cracked my good eye back open. My antics were drawing a small crowd. Men and women more beautiful than I’d ever imagined all stared down with various expressions of bemusement, curiosity, and cruel apathy. I sniffled up at the gathering, wondering if any of them would be moved to help me.

  But, no. They just stared and laughed. Some of them licked their lips and bared too-sharp teeth.

  They don’t care that I’m hurt. They don’t even see me as a person. I’m just a thing.

  That proves it, then. Answers my questions. All my wondering about if maybe some Fae might be noble and kind, even just sometimes…

  I closed my eyes and kicked the glass again. Something cracked. My heart soared with triumph.

  My audience abruptly fell silent. Deathly silent. And then I heard him; his voice was barely a murmur from beyond the door. I couldn’t make out the words.

  “Care to explain, my lord?” It was that deep, vaguely amused voice. Embriel, the golden-haired woman had called him. I’d heard the name somewhere before, I was fairly certain.

  “Leave. Now.”

  I kept my eyes closed. Sucked in cool, clean air. Focused on breathing.

  “So that’s a ‘no…’?”

  “Leave,” he snarled. A shiver ran down my spine.

  Probably not a desired feature of his fancy party. ‘Tonight we have beautiful music, delicious food, gorgeous outfits, and one battered mortal trying to break down a door. Only the best.’

  I think I’m delirious.

  I heard the dulcet voices all drift away, along with the swishing fabrics. The music stayed. And I could still hear wind rustling the trees nearby.

  Then a quiet click as the door handle unlatched. Cool glass nudged at my toes. I curled my feet up so he could open the door.

  Surely he’ll untie me. He won’t leave me like this. He won’t.

  Will he?

  I dared to peek up. His face was white and his lips were pressed into a thin, bloodless line. He was looming above me, glowering down with eyes that were dark and lethal.

  “Who did this to you?”

  Hot tears pricked at the backs of my eyelids. His shadow fell across me, blocking out the silver stars.

  Thud. I flinched as warped gold- the inner doorhandle, now a mangled lump- hit the marble beside my hip.

  Please, please, don’t leave me like this, please, please, please…

  Cold fingers gripped the gag and tore. I nearly choked as cool night air replaced the foul blood and bile in my mouth. In the same movement, one strong arm curled under my shoulders and lifted. I felt the sharp, sudden relief of pressure as the ropes around my wrist were snapped.

  My chest heaved. I sucked in great gasps of clean air. Couldn’t quite seem to form words to thank him, but I thought them all the same.

  “Who did this?”

  Fingers brushed my swollen eye and split cheek. I shied away with a cry. He caught the back of my hair. The grip didn’t hurt, but it kept me trapped as his other hand traveled down, tapping my nose and tracing my swollen lips.

  And just like that… the angry, throbbing pain was gone. Replaced by an evening breeze and a wash of silver as moonlight spilled across my skin. My shaking, bloodless hands came next.

  Answer. Gotta answer.

  “People,” I choked out, spitting blood and bile down onto the immaculate marble. “Just, gods, humans… Humans did this…”

  His hands withdrew. I looked up. He was kneeling just a breath away, endless eyes simmering with something that frightened me very much. The world rippled and he snarled an oath and-

  “Thank you,” I whispered, reaching out to brush against dark silk.

  And then he was gone.