How to Save a Fae (Heir of Dragons Book 2)

lend her a hand. But after this, I may never see her again. It's possible I just destroyed her trust in me, and in all of dragon-kind.
Minx and her escort rounded a corner and were gone in the next moment.
Kaleb shut the door and shuffled into his chambers, head low. “Take care of yourself, Minx...” he muttered. “I'm sorry I couldn't help you.”

Chapter 6
Ordinarily, being released from captivity would have been a cause for celebration. As Minx was ushered out of the fortress however, she found herself wishing she could lengthen her sentence. Maybe if I'd had just a few more minutes with him... she thought sorrowfully. I shouldn't have walked out like that. I should've insisted on his help, told him exactly how bad things have gotten back home.
She was deposited outside the mountain by her gruff chaperones. The sun was bright and warm and the skies were free of clouds. Strider remained tied to the post outside, basking in the warmth contentedly. She paced out awkwardly, waiting for Mau to be released and for her weapon to be returned per Kaleb's orders.
Several minutes after she'd exited the fortress, Mau was brought out by another guard. Her quiver and bow were subsequently tossed upon the ground and the scowling guards re-entered the passage without a word. One of them spared the duo a withering gaze. It was a look that said, “And stay out!” in no uncertain terms.
Finally, they were free. Alone together for the first time since entering the mountain, Minx and Mau exchanged a few words. Are you OK? They didn't hurt you, did they? asked the Fae huntress. If they so much as laid a finger on you, I'm going to march back in there and—
I'm fine. They weren't too bad, all in all. Let's just say I've been taken prisoner by less professional thugs in the past. You know, I'm surprised they released us so quickly, said Mau. Where did they take you? I was stuck in the dungeon—dank and filthy. Wouldn't you know it, as pretty as the rest of the mountain is, the dragons didn't put much effort into making their jail cells aesthetically pleasing.
Minx strapped on her quiver and leashed her bow to her back, mounting the horse and slowly trotting away from the side of the mountain. I was taken to court, of all places—charged with criminal trespass. It was a sham. There was no jury or anything, just a judge running his mouth and banging his gavel. You'll never believe who the judge was.
Oh, wagered the Faelyr, was it one of those stubborn old generals? Those guys were real jerks, weren't they? Knowing how much they despise the Fae, I'll bet they got a real kick out of seeing you in cuffs, huh?
Not quite, replied Minx. It was Kaleb.
At this, Mau's fur stood on end. It was Kaleb? What do you mean? The Faelyr offered an incredulous laugh. You're pulling my leg, right? Kaleb's not old enough to be a judge. And there's no way he'd charge you with a crime—not for coming to see him. I know Kaleb. He may be a dragon, but he's not that hard-hearted. Who was it really?
The Fae huntress didn't care to review the entire episode. Her stomach was a tangle of knots and her heart felt as though it might rupture at any moment. I wish I were kidding. Let's put it this way—he won't be of any help to us, she said flatly. We're on our own. This entire trip has been a waste of time, unfortunately.
I don't know what to say... Mau was silent for a long while, padding behind the stallion. So much for trusting dragons, I guess. I'm sorry, Minx.
Minx sported a bitter smile, sniffing back tears. No, it's all my fault, really. It was all my idea. I should've known better.
Prior to their trip, Minx had anticipated struggles. Even had Kaleb been fully on board, it would have been a difficult thing to convince the stubborn top brass of Talon Range to assist the Fae in their hour of need. Still, she'd put faith in Kaleb. She'd trusted him, hoped that he would be able to get through to his superiors and get her people the help they needed.
Now, she was all out of hope. Riding listlessly from the mountain, utterly devastated at her reception, she didn't know what to believe. She'd had strong feelings for Kaleb—and had been naive enough to believe that he'd had feelings for her, as well. His treatment of her, and his steadfast refusal to help, had been such terrible blows. Minx, usually so careful to guard her feelings, had been utterly blindsided by this unexpected betrayal.
It sickened her to think that, for the past weeks, her daydreams had been filled with visions of the young dragon shifter. She'd longed to speak to him again, to feel his embrace—but that, it turned out, had never been in the cards. She'd been strung along. Their relationship, if one could be so foolish as to call what they'd had a “relationship”, was over now. She and her people would have to fend for themselves. In the back of her mind, she'd always thought that might be a possibility. The elder dragons, those in positions of power, had never been interested in extending aid. At the very least, though, she'd hoped to return to Pandling Grounds with Kaleb.
Instead, she would return to her father empty-handed once again.
More raids had certainly taken place during her absence. How many more Fae warriors had been struck down in the violence? How many times had her people been threatened with domination while she'd been out running this fool's errand? Minx had fought relentlessly against the Wuffs and their allies, but no matter how many she struck down, there could be no denying that her performance had left much to be desired.
She was, after all, the Dragon Hunter. Had she only done her job from