Otherworld Renegade. Jane Godman

to the resistance sources, and from what Aydan had gleaned on his reconnoiter, there were five dryads being held captive inside. Five innocent, frightened girls like Iphae. Lorcan felt his lips thin into a determined line. An encounter with zombies would be a small price to pay if they could get those girls home to their families.

      Aydan pointed to the building. “The dryads are all together in one room at the back of the property. Yesterday I counted four sidhes coming and going at different times. Things are fairly low-key. They probably don’t imagine these girls are going to cause them many problems.”

      “To be fair, if they have zombies as watch dogs they don’t need much additional manpower.” Lorcan looked around at the rolling countryside. There were no other buildings in view and they had driven their ancient open-backed truck over a dusty track for at least half an hour after they left the main road. “And this place is so isolated no one is going to stumble across it by chance.”

      “Could it be a trap?”

      “How will we know unless we walk into it?” Lorcan laughed at Aydan’s horrified expression. “Let’s get the others over here. Go over the plan of attack.”

      Aydan left him and returned a few minutes later with Iago, Tanzi, Lisbet and two young Iberian sidhes, Sam and Iker, who were active resistance members. Lisbet’s face wore a sour expression. Tanzi gave Lorcan one of her dazzling smiles and the reason for Lisbet’s bad mood become clear. The two young faeries were clearly smitten with Tanzi, although the object of their interest appeared oblivious to their admiring gazes.

      “Aydan and I will go in through the front door. Searc, you come with us. Iago and Lisbet will take the back entrance.” Lisbet opened her mouth as if she was about to protest, but Lorcan turned away to talk to Sam and Iker. He didn’t have time for a debate. “You guys stay outside and act as lookout. Warn us if anyone comes.”

      Without any further discussion, he followed the wall, gesturing for the others to follow him. When they reached an arched gateway, Lorcan paused. The wooden gates hung loosely on their hinges and several of the scarred panels were missing or damaged. The gates swung inward with a protesting groan when Lorcan pushed against them. He was about to step through when Tanzi’s hand on his arm forestalled him.

      “Let me go first.” She kept her voice low so that the others couldn’t hear.

      “Like there’s a chance in hell of that happening.”

      “Think about it,” she urged. “If there are any of my—” she broke off, biting her lip “—any of Moncoya’s sidhes in there, I am the last person they will be expecting to see. Whatever else they do, they certainly won’t attack me.”

      Reluctantly, he was forced to acknowledge the truth of what she was saying. Sending Crown Princess Tanzi in through that gate was the best possible diversion they could throw at a group of Moncoya’s sidhes. So why was he hesitating? Why was he standing here trying to find reasons not to do as she asked instead of putting the safety of the whole group first? And why was he tempted to come up with an excuse to send Tanzi back to the truck to wait it out until the danger was over when she was probably the most experienced and deadly fighter of them all?