His genuine invitation left a warmth in my chest. It was nice to know I had someone outside of my brothers that I could call a friend. I grinned. “I’d be honoured. Don’t worry, the village isn’t far. I have enough Fae decari to buy us food if I can’t find it in the forest, but this place is teaming with life. It will provide us with the other things we need.”
B’nar, no, Ventry,I have to remember to call him Ventry, walked across the open floor space to the window and looked out at the small track which led towards the village. “Will you be safe here from your father’s spies? It’s not that far to the border and his lands.”
I shrugged. “I think so. He probably thinks I’m dead. Besides, the villagers won’t talk unless my father offers a substantial reward, which he was always too miserly to do.”
“How about you? Will the villagers talk to you? Accept you? Or will they go to the nearest Spring garrison and tell them a Winter Kingdom Fae is living in their village?”
I huffed a laugh. “No, unless something’s changed, the village elders know me. I lived here with Gwen, and her family was amongst the original founders of the village. Besides, my father’s reputation precedes him, and there was never any love lost between the village folk and the High Fae.”
Ventry raised a blue brow. “Not all High Fae are untrustworthy or violent for violence’s sake.”
“I know. Technically, if I lived here, I’d be one myself.”
“You would.” There was no inflection in Ventry’s voice, merely agreement. “Are you sure you’re happy bringingShannon to a place you shared with Gwen? Won’t that feel a little…uncomfortable?”
I brushed my hand over a nearby surface, my eyes on the door that led to the bedroom. Would it? Of course, I’d considered that question, but this had been one of the only places I’d ever felt happy. Gwen had been a kind and gentle soul, too gentle for me, and I knew she’d be pleased that I was using her family home, what had been our home, to help another. There was warmth here, a sense of peace from being in a place that had made us both happy….
“A little, maybe, but Gwen would be happy for Shannon to recover here.”
“Even if Shannon gets to be with you and Gwen does not?”
I wasn’t angered by his question. It wasn’t asked with malice, merely curiosity.
“Gwen should have lived, and I expect we would have been happy, to a point. We were compatible mates in Fae terms, and my wolf was content with her, but we both knew she wasn’t my soul mate, and I wasn’t hers. We had promised to be honest with each other if we met our soul mate and to talk through it if that ever happened.”
“Hm, Fae don’t often meet their soul mates, but when we do, it's hard to control our protective urges. We would die for our mates: destroy cities, kingdoms, and even worlds. You are as much Fae as you are shifter. Remember that. And, even though you won’t openly admit that Shannon is your soul mate, it looks different from where I’m standing. Let’s hope your father doesn’t get word you are returned and use those feelings against you.”
“He can’t hurt me. Not anymore.”
Ventry gave me a small, sad smile. “Oh, I think he can, especially now you, once again, have something, or rather someone to lose. Keep to yourself, and use your summoningdevice if you ever need me. Your father might be one of my most powerful High Lords, but I will always fight for my friends.” He crossed his arms over his chest, looking every inch the warrior he was.
Emotions weren’t something I did well, and hearing Ventry so open about our friendship released a flow of emotion that I had to brace against. “That’s good to know, Prince, but if anything happens with my father, Shannon is most at risk. Promise me you’ll help her first. She’s become the most important thing in my life.” It was hard to say that out loud, but now that I had, there was no taking it back. Whether she wanted it or not, Shannon had my protection and devotion, which would never, ever change. A vow from a Fae as powerful as Ventry was rare, yet he held out his arm without hesitation.
“You are both my family.”
“As you are mine.” I clasped his arm.
Ventry’s face remained grave. “I vow to give Shannon whatever help she needs and will do my best to ensure she is safe, my friend.”
“And I return the vow for you and those you love. If you need my help, I will come.”
Stunning blue-green magic sizzled like microbursts of lightning around our joined forearms. I could feel the pressure of the Fae vow settling into my soul.
We broke apart.
“Are you certain the villagers will keep your presence a secret from the nearest Spring garrison? They may be more loyal to their High Lord than to you or a family long since gone.”
The Spring Court soldiers were based at least a two-day ride from Birchbridge, and many Fae didn’t have access to the huan that served in this world as horses did on Earth. Even though they had the technology to build mechanical transport, Faery had none, not when all Fae cherished their world far morethan they wanted quick travel and wouldn’t risk polluting their home. Those with wings and carts sometimes assisted others to get from place to place, and those who could afford it paid for carriages. But not many Fae travelled the long distances between kingdoms. The only other option was the regulated portals. A few were scattered around the main cities, but none of them were powerful enough to allow people to move off-world. The fact that I’d used an illegal portal to leave this world entirely had never been mentioned by Ventry. He had been charged by his father to hunt down those powerful, illegal portals, and yet, he’d never asked how I’d left Faery. It was an unspoken pact that we wouldn’t discuss it—but I was under no illusion that if it ever became relevant to his world’s struggles, he would ask for the information. I had no loyalty to the dark Fae who had summoned that portal, so I would tell him.
“Newer villagers won’t know who we are, so our presence shouldn’t bother them. Just in case, I’ll say she is my property. That way, she will be better protected from those who might try to exploit her. Hopefully, we can stay below the radar of any High Fae. I don’t look unusual in the Fae sense, so there’s no reason for anyone new here to know who I am.”
“Except for your wolf. Fae shifters are rare enough to attract attention. Your magic is powerful enough that it won’t be long before someone reports your presence to the Spring Lord.”
It was true, silver or white hair was common, but a Fae shifter wasn’t. I’d have to be careful when and where I shifted. I frowned. I’d also have to warn Shannon to stay near the paths and the cottage. Though I could glamour her true origins to a degree when I was with her, Shannon was still a shifter, basically a human with an animal spirit attached to her soul. Her scent would be unique and trackable.
I glanced around, my attention snagging on the double bed. My cock twitched at the thought of bringing Shannon here, of sleeping next to her. Of sinking into her warmth….
Ventry coughed and wandered to the door, smirking. “I’ll wait for you outside.”
