Page 61 of The Blood Queen

“Nothing,” I lie. I can feel my cheeks heating. I don’t want to lie to Samson, but he wouldn’t understand, would he? He wants to protect me.

But I have to protect the realms.

“This might be useful to you!” my father calls from across the room, and for the first time in my life, I’m grateful for his presence. I stride over to him, Samson following, a faint clinking sound emanating from his pockets. I wonder how many healing potions he was able to stuff in them.

My father’s holding something that looks like a compass. A golden ring encircles a marble base, and a glittering ruby needle swings loosely in the center.

“What is that?” I ask, peering over his hand.

“It’s not a weapon, but you definitely need it.” Father holds it out.

“A detector,” Keryth says, preening. “From my personal collection. So you know I am in support of your cause.”

He meets my eyes. A challenge there. I am helping you, so protect the portals in my province.

“What does it detect?” Samson asks.

My stomach twists in a spike of fear as alarms ring internally.

“We don’t need—” I start.

My father cuts me off. “Red Cap blood,” he says proudly. “All I have to do is twist the base, and the ruby will point toward Red Caps.”

No, no, no. “Thank you!” I say, my voice pitched too high. I reach for the compass. “I’ll just take it, and—”

“Let me show you how it works,” Father says.

“No need,” I start, my voice strangled.

He twists the golden ring.

The ruby needle spins, stopping abruptly.

Pointing right at Samson.

15 Samson

No one moves.

The lot of the fae princes are crowded behind Drest, facing me and Alyth.

They look from the ruby needle. To me. Back to the needle.

This device locates Red Caps.

My stomach drops out, and I gape at Alyth, panic lancing through me. She’s watching her father though. Her father and the fae princes, her hands suddenly loose at her sides, her face grim.

Drest points at me and…smiles? “That way, see? Samson, boy, move. There’s a portal that way, beyond the palace grounds. Get through it, and the Red Caps will be—”

I don’t step aside.

So Drest does, shifting left.

The needle follows me.

He frowns. And steps again.

The needle stays fixed to me.