Faolin pressed his hand to the middle of the first door, and it swung inward. The cell was nothing more than a room carved out of stone with a sleeping niche containing a pallet. The thought of being alone in the cold barren cell made me yank against Faolin’s hold when he started inside. I was no match for his strength, and he pulled me into the room.
“Faolin, I –”
He spun and gripped my shoulders, his hard eyes searching mine. “We don’t have much time. If I am going to help you, you have to be honest with me. What were you doing at the temple?”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Desperation clawed at me. “I…can’t.”
“Do you understand the trouble you are in?” His fingers dug into my shoulders. “You used magic no one should possess to sneak into the goddess’s temple. You have to explain it and prove you were not there to steal the ke’tain as Bauchan claims. I will do what I can for you, but you have to trust me.”
Tears of frustration stung my eyes. “I do trust you. I want to tell you, but I can’t.”
“What is stopping you?”
I tried to say her name, but my mouth refused to form the word. I wanted to scream. I’d done everything Aedhna had asked of me. Why couldn’t I speak of it now?
Faolin’s head tipped back, and he frowned at me. “You are physically unable to say it?”
I gave a jerky nod as relief flooded me.
“You can’t say who or what did this to you?”
I shook my head.
He released me and stepped back. “Did this person or thing force you to go to the temple?”
“No,” I answered hoarsely.
His eyes widened at that admission. “You freely went to the island and entered the temple, but something prevents you from speaking of it.”
“Yes.”
He raked his fingers through his short hair. “I don’t have to tell you how bad this is. Tensions are high, and everyone is on edge about the storms and the fate of our world. You could not have chosen a worse time to do this.”
“I didn’t choose the time.” I wished I could tell him I’d done it for Faerie and my world, but the truth was locked inside me.
Faolin’s head came up. “So, it is someone and not something who is doing this to you?”
I pressed my lips together and nodded again.
Muffled voices came from the hallway, and my heart began to race. I looked at Faolin, unable to hide my fear. What would Korrigan and Bauchan do when their interrogation got nothing from me? I didn’t know if Korrigan would resort to torture, but Bauchan wouldn’t hesitate to do it. I’d seen it in his eyes when he’d threatened me at the temple. He’d enjoy it.
“I will not let them harm you,” Faolin vowed fiercely. “Vaerik will kill anyone who dares.”
My chest tightened. What would Lukas say when he found out what I’d done? He’d protect me, but would he feel the same about me knowing I had deceived him? The thought of losing his trust scared me more than anything Korrigan or Bauchan could do to me.
The outer door opened. Through the open cell door, I watched Korrigan enter, followed by Bauchan and two females. One of the females was an Unseelie guard named Rossa I’d seen in the training room on multiple occasions. The other, I assumed, was Seelie.
Korrigan cast a somber glance at me and turned to Rossa. “You and Alva will do a thorough search of Jesse’s clothing. Remove every item and check for jewelry or other objects on her body. If you find anything, call to us.”
“Yes, Korrigan.” Rossa’s wide eyes met mine as she and Alva entered the cell. I could only imagine what was going through her mind at seeing me down here.
Faolin walked out, closing the door behind him. The back of his head was visible through the small window when he took up a position outside the door to make sure no one looked inside.
“Please, remove your coat and hand it to me,” Rossa said with an apologetic look.
I complied without speaking. The sooner I got through this, the better.
She went over every inch of the coat before she passed it to Alva, who did the same. Next went my boots, pants, and top, until I was left standing in my underwear. I’d undressed around other girls in the school locker room plenty of times, so I wasn’t embarrassed by that. It was the thought of being naked and groped like a new prison inmate that brought heat to my cheeks.
I bit down on my lip and stared ahead with all the dignity I could muster as I removed my underwear, and the two females ran their hands over my body. They made quick work of it, and Alva looked as sorry as Rossa to put me through the humiliating experience.
When Rossa unraveled my braid to check my hair, I felt a moment of panic. But as it had before, the goddess stone hid itself from detection.
“You may dress,” she said at last. She and Alva faced the door while I hastily pulled on my clothes. Then she walked to the door and said, “We are done.”
The door swung open on Korrigan and Bauchan’s expectant faces. Faolin’s expression was unreadable as he waited for Rossa to speak.
“We found nothing,” she informed them.
Bauchan looked at Alva, who murmured in agreement. I couldn’t tell if it was anger or disappointment in his eyes, but he was not happy.
“Thank you. You may leave,” Korrigan told them.
Rossa tossed me a sympathetic look before she and Alva walked out, leaving me alone with Faolin, Korrigan, and Bauchan. I stood in the center of my cell, dreading what was to come.
Korrigan folded his arms across his chest. “Are you ready to tell us how you cloaked yourself in the temple?”
“I can’t.”
Bauchan’s lip curled. “Can’t or won’t?”
“Why were you at the temple?” Korrigan asked.
“I can’t tell you that either.” I clasped my hands together and sent a silent plea to Faolin to not share what I’d told him. It would only raise more questions I couldn’t answer.
Korrigan caught the look I gave his son and addressed Faolin. “Did she confess to you while you were alone?”
“No, Father.”
“Do you know what I think?” Bauchan held up the blue stone Faolin had taken from me in the temple. “This is the same size and shape as the ke’tain. You intended to steal the ke’tain and put this in its place.”
Korrigan looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Even if she could somehow make it look like the ke’tain, it would not give off the same power signature. No one would mistake it for the real thing.”
“She entered the temple undetected. Who knows what she can do?” Bauchan retorted.
“I would never steal the ke’tain,” I said vehemently.
Bauchan barked a laugh. “We should take your word on that? Your occupation in the human realm was hunting faeries, was it not? Perhaps you brought your hatred of us with you into your new life, and you seek to destroy our world.”
“Do you actually hear yourself?” Anger replaced my fear. How dare he, of all people, preach to me about hate and dishonesty? “The last time the ke’tain was stolen, it hurt both worlds, and I almost lost my family. If anyone wants to keep the ke’tain safe, it’s me.” I held his cold gaze defiantly. “I was human when it was stolen. Maybe you need to look a little closer to home for the real thief.”