Taken

Chapter 20 (Part 3)

I didn't need to look back over my shoulder to know that it wasn't Tia. She didn't sound anything like a man, let alone two. Whoever she had been arguing with over the phone was either here or had sent someone.

Pained shouts rang out. I looked over my shoulder to catch a glimpse of the pair getting knocked back as Silas fingers slipped between mine, curling to strengthen his hold as the pounding sound of my steps filled the alley.

His remained silent for the most part, the sound of those giving us chase creating more noise than the man who moved far too quietly for his size. I was sure it was necessary for his job which seemed to primarily consist of hunting from what I had gathered, adding to the air of danger that shrouded him.

This also let me know that when he used to stomp around the house, making his presence and temper known, it was intentional. However, I had gathered that from the glares I caught him sending my way if I didn't take the noise he was making as a warning and stay away. He was able to sneak around better than I was when he wanted to.

My one free arm pumped along with my legs to keep up with Silas. I hated how his hold and how it pulled at my shoulder told me he was holding himself back. I was holding him back.

If only that kiss had given me a power boost too.

I pushed the thought away as it came. I couldn't dwell on that and the many questions it raised, not yet. Right now, I had to focus on out-running those who were in pursuit of us. All I could do aside from run at the moment, was hope that our pursuers weren't the Winter King's men. The Autumn Guard seemed like the lesser of two evils, especially since it seemed they were only after me to aid the Winter King in his search.

Or maybe Rowan had influenced my perception.

Still, it wasn't by much given the end game was the same regardless of who got their hands on us first.

Although night had fallen, the street the alley led to was milling with life. Shouts and curses followed us as Silas shoved through a group blocking our way as we burst out onto it.

For the first time in this realm, I saw a car. It looked like a sleek sports car, shaped to maximize speed despite it being wasted on narrow, winding streets filled with people. Instead of having wheels, a two-inch thick layer at the bottom of the car seemed to be made entirely of air crystal that allowed it to pass over the ground on a cushion of air. Having heard how much an air crystal half the size of my pinky nail cost, it was clear that the reason I hadn't seen more cars around was that most wouldn't be able to afford the luxury or justify the expense.

Depending on how high it could rise into the air, maybe the aerodynamic design wasn't so flawed, but with it moving a few inches above the cobbled streets? It almost hit us as Silas pulled me after him without looking both ways. However, the blame for that fell more on the driver and Silas who hadn't looked either way way than the design of the car.

Pushing away the memory of my elementary school teacher telling the class to look both ways before crossing a street, I ducked my head at the blare of a horn as we merged into the crowd. Although the addition of others made it easier to lose our pursuers, added light from street lamps and storefronts made it easier to spot Silas's head among the masses. He stood taller while I was able to hide under the sea of heads, most belonging to Fae.

The further we got to the heart of the city where the structures grew taller and brick and wood became metal and glass, the less diverse it grew. Though there were Fae's of all different shapes, sizes, and colors, the other species I had spotted near the outskirts of the city grew sparse.

It was clear that High, Low, and Courts weren't the only dividing distinctions in this realm.

With the added noise that came with the bustle of packed streets, we no longer had the faint sound of their steps to alert us if they were nearing. Well, alert Silas if he could hear anything over my pounded steps. When he gave a glance over his shoulder to see where they were, I didn't bother trying to follow his gaze, knowing that what I would find was someone's chest blocking my sight. Judging by the clench of his jaw, either more Fae had joined the chase, or they were nearing, unhindered by height.