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castle. Even at this distance, her beauty is the type to make one feel instantly inadequate. Her long dark hair shines even in the drab landscape. It’s pulled into a plait that reaches her narrow waist. Molten silver eyes meet mine, and there’s a spark of interest there, as if she’s sizing me up.
    She wears fitted trousers and knee-high boots with brass buckles. A raploch coat hangs off her narrow shoulders, so long that it drapes around her like a long blanket.
    This is Kiaran’s sister? I search her face for a resemblance and she immediately says, “You’re staring. Is there something wrong with my face?”
    I clear my throat. I had been staring rather intently. “Quite sorry. Kiaran said—”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œKiaran.” Is she daft? “He said—”
    â€œHmm.” She considers for a moment. “I’m afraid I don’t know anyone by that name.”
    I edge closer to the castle, away from her. Maybe she’s a guard for Lonnrach, here to make sure I don’t make it out alive.
    I search for a platform nearby. If this faery is one of Lonnrach’s soldiers, I can’t risk waiting for Kiaran’s sister. I’ll either have to fight or flee, and in the state I’m in, this faery could tear through me like gauze.
    Flee it is.
    â€œAre you thinking about jumping?” the faery asks.
    My voice hardens. “No.” I didn’t survive all that and get this far just to jump.
    â€œBecause it wouldn’t be a good decision. You’d fall right to the bottom.” She smacks her hands together. “ Splat . Emptied into the sea on the other side of the Sìth-bhrùth . A human, of course, would never survive such a thing.”
    â€œLikely not,” I say dryly. So Lonnrach has sent a deranged faery to guard me. He must have been very certain I’d never make it out.
    Maybe Kiaran’s sister is on the other side of the castle. I push to my feet and start walking, nearly letting out a groan when the platform the faery is on follows me. Oh, confound it.
    â€œYou have blood on your neck. Is it yours? Have you noticed?”
    I freeze. My fingertips immediately feel for the bite-marks there, the last ones Lonnrach left on me. Fear quickensmy pace. I have to get out of here before he comes back. I can’t go back to that. I can’t.
    I try to hold myself together so I don’t stumble, but my knees are trembling. Stay calm. You’re going to escape. You won’t go back there
.
    â€œSo is it?”
    For god’s sake
. I whirl on her. “Is it what ?”
    She nods to my neck. “Yours.”
    I narrow my gaze. “Has it escaped your notice that I’m mere seconds away from leaping over there and boxing you in the throat?”
    Her hand immediately smacks against her chest. “Oh. But I rather value my throat.”
    Maybe if I ignore her, she’ll go away? I continue my circuit around the castle, finally reaching the other side. I sigh. There’s no one else to be found.
    I begin to assess my surroundings on this side. I step toward the ledge and look down again.
    â€œYou keep looking down there.” I grit my teeth at her voice. So ignoring her doesn’t work. “If you’re not thinking about jumping, is there something you need?” she asks me. “Something you lost?”
    â€œIf you must know,” I say tightly, “I’m trying to get off this blasted platform.”
    â€œThat’s a relief,” she says. “I was afraid what you’d lost was important and we’d have to find it at the bottom of the sea.”
    Before I can blink, the faery’s platform is right in front of me and she’s grabbing my wrist to yank me aboard. I pitch forward with a sound of protest. By the time I right myself,our tiny island of rock has moved away from the castle and into the space of the ravine.
    â€œWhat on earth do you think you’re