Venturess by Betsy Cornwell

Author:Betsy Cornwell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

I CHOKED and struggled to look for Fin and Caro, but the Fey’s grip was too strong to let me turn my head.

“Who are you?” fe asked in perfect, harsh Estinger. I looked down and saw a blue kerchief, an emblem of the Fey rebellion, tucked into the collar of fer shirt.

I hesitated. Even if Mr. Candery’s letter had been honest, and I held desperately to the belief that it was, I didn’t know if this soldier could be trusted.

When fer grip tightened even more, I gasped, then pressed my cracking lips together. I steeled myself for further pain, knowing only that I needed to keep my friends safe.

“I am Prince Christopher Dougray Fadhiri Anton Abdul-Rafi’ Finnian, Heir of Esting,” I heard Fin say fiercely.

My heart sank. Could he really be foolish enough to believe his name and title would save the day?

“Fin!” Caro whispered, and I knew she thought the same.

I felt my hands yanked behind my back and tied. The Fey who held me released my neck and looked over my shoulder, in the direction of Fin’s voice. “It could be him,” fe said. “He matches the stories, anyway.” Fe looked me up and down, assessing. “So does this one. The princess-to-be.”

“The inventor,” I said. “Not the princess.” I didn’t know why I should care about such things at a time like this, but since I thought I might be about to die, I at least wanted to die as the person I really was.

The Fey blinked, and I thought I saw a flicker of surprise, or recognition, in fer blue eyes as fe looked me up and down. But fer face soon grew cold and impassive again.

“Inventor or princess,” fe said, “you and your friends are coming with us.”

I turned my head and saw several more Fey soldiers holding Fin and Caro. Others inspected Jules, who lay as still under our shelter as if he’d never moved at all. They were frowning in distaste, even disgust. Their expressions tightened further at the sight of the briefcase on Jules’s back, which thankfully was closed tight again; I knew well they’d confiscate it, but I felt confident that the locks I’d adapted from Mother’s designs would keep them from opening it.

One of the soldiers looked at me, and again I saw that flicker of recognition and wondered if Mr. Candery had been honest after all.

They opened the furnace hatch in Jules’s belly.

“Don’t hurt him!” I cried.

The Fey who had grabbed my neck frowned at me. “Send a carrier for the machine when we get to the barracks.” Fe nodded toward the others. “Now turn out.” Fe pivoted and began to walk back through the jungle. I felt a shove from behind and had no choice but to follow.

It was fully night now, and the only light came from the glowing orbs that dangled from the soldiers’ belts. I stumbled over the uneven ground as we walked. They’d placed me in front, so I couldn’t see Fin or Caro, but after a few moments I heard Caro’s reassuringly gentle voice near me.

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