Just before he reached me, he suddenly went flying back—soaring through the trees, with branches cracking as he hit them. I stood frozen and stunned, and then looked over to see Tove standing with his arm extended and his palm out.

I knew that the Trylle had the power to move objects and people with their minds, but I’d never actually seen it in real life before. But Tove had just picked up Bent and thrown him through the trees, and honestly, it left me breathless for a moment.

“I’ll take care of him,” Tove said and nodded toward the trees. “You look for the Queen.”

“Okay,” I said, and as he started jogging into the woods to go after Bent, I added, “Be careful.” Though I wasn’t sure if he needed that.

I ran over to the sedan and looked in through the open door. I hadn’t exactly expected to see Linnea sitting in the backseat, but it was still disappointing to find it empty. Hurriedly and without really knowing what I was looking for, I searched through the glove box and around the seats—but other than empty food wrappers and water bottles and a pair of jeans and a black T-shirt, there wasn’t really anything.

I popped the button for the trunk and I lifted it very slowly, steeling myself in case I found a body. But there was nothing.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement, but when I looked over, there was nothing. Dark clouds hovered overhead, but there was no wind, so the branches were still.

Then I saw it again, just in my peripheral vision—something was moving. But when I turned to face it, there was nothing.

And then, intrinsically, I knew it. His chameleonlike skin let him blend in with the trees, and I had no idea where he was exactly, but I was certain of it—Konstantin was here, stalking me.

THIRTY-FOUR

relinquish

I stood in the middle of the highway, not moving—just listening. Twigs snapped, but I didn’t look toward them. I didn’t want him to know that I had heard. I just listened, following the sounds of his movement.

He was coming closer, trying to sneak up behind me. I kept my head forward, but from the corner of my eye I saw him. The briefest shadow of movement and the dark tufts of his hair, and then I knew exactly where he was.

I waited a second more, letting him take a step closer to me, and then I turned and sprang on him. I swung and my hand connected firmly with his face, and it felt a bit strange, like the air had suddenly become solid matter.

His color instantly began to change, hurrying to blend in with the surroundings, but in his panic ended up more of a mottled gray. I grabbed his hair and I whirled him around, slamming him against the car.

I had no interest in repeating our fight in Calgary, and when he tried to move, I just slammed him harder against the car.

“You don’t have to be so rough with me.” Konstantin groaned, with his face pressed in the glass.

His skin changed back to flesh tone, and I held his arms, twisted them up behind his naked back. He’d taken off his clothes so he could blend more easily into his surroundings—fabric didn’t change color—and his well-toned arms and torso felt cold under my touch.

In my back pocket I had a length of leather strapping that I’d brought with in case of just such a situation. Now I tied it around his wrists, binding him tightly.

“What did you do with the Skojare Queen?” I demanded, once I was certain that he was secure.

“Just because you’ve got me doesn’t mean that I’ll confess.” He looked back at me over his shoulder. “Now I’m assuming you’ve taken me prisoner, so you might as well take me to my cell. Because I am done talking, white rabbit.”

Still catching my breath from the fight, I met his gaze, trying to get a read on him, but his gray eyes were stony and cold, giving up nothing.

“Why did you come here?” I asked breathlessly. “What are you trying to do?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” Konstantin replied. He tried to turn around, so I slammed him harder against the side of the car, letting him know that things were going to go much differently than they had last time.

“I’m trying to make sure that you don’t kill anyone else,” I told him through gritted teeth.

Konstantin smirked at me, but before he could say anything more, Bent came soaring through the trees and landed on the pavement behind the car, skidding roughly on his stomach. He groaned loudly, but he didn’t move.

Tove came charging through the woods behind him. He leapt on Bent’s back and, using a heavy leather strap like what I’d used, he hurriedly tied up Bent’s wrists. We had heavy chains and shackles that we used in jail cells, but for quick handcuffing, the leather straps were easier to carry and use.

“He put up quite a fight.” Tove stood up, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his arm. “But I think he’s done now.”

THIRTY-FIVE

susceptibility

“Where is she?” King Mikko shouted, and his deep voice boomed through everything like a terrifying thunder. Tove actually covered his ears, and I didn’t blame him.

He stood at the end of the table, and Lisbet was beside him, rubbing his back and trying to calm him. Prince Kennet sat near him, his hands folded in front of his face. The gills underneath his jawline flared violently with each breath he took.

Ridley, Tove, Bain, and I sat farther down the table, all of us cowering slightly under the King’s visible rage. His hands were balled into fists, and his jaw clenched tightly as he glared at us with icy blue eyes.