I swallow, not liking the sound of that. “Are we bringing this friend to Morgana’s castle then?”
This time, Sin answers, “Not quite.”
Hearing Sin speak when he isn’t angry, annoyed or disgusted with me is really off-putting. If I wasn’t already sure that he has the personality of a bed bug, I might think that there was excitement in his tone. But before I can ask him if he hit his head this morning, Rosie stops in front of a massive tree and passes her hand over the bark.
I quirk an eyebrow, and Rosie explains what she’s doing before I ask, “The tree is glamored to look like the others, but there’s a door here.”
“How on earth did you know to look at this particular tree?” I ask, incredulous. They all look nearly identical to me.
“Because I glamored it,” Rosie answers, reaching for a small branch and turning it. In response, a part of the tree bark swings outwards, revealing an entryway.
Rosie steps inside, and I do the same, with Sin following closely behind me. Small pink lights glowfrom little orbs placed along the inner bark, revealing a small open-air staircase ahead of us.
“This way,” Rosie notes, indicating the stairs.
The stairs wind high into the canopy and look like a hike. Remembering that we’re on a time-crunch, I think to ask, “Any chance we can just apparate up?”
Sin smirks. “The tree is warded to not allow apparition. It’s one of the defenses we added.”
He pokes me once in the ribs, and I jump, following Rosie up the stairs and turning to glare at him.
“Keep your guard up, kitten,” he whispers back.
I turn from him, disgruntled. Sin hasn’t called me a whore all morning, and it’s starting to worry me. I make a mental note to piss him off again soon, just to set things right.
Consistency is key.
“What did you mean about the defenses you added? What is this place?” I ask quietly.
“It’s a safe place for allies if they ever need to escape their home. We’ve built them across many realms over the years,” he answers.
Rosie chimes in with her own whisper, “I helped with this one. I have a way with convincing trees to let us use their interiors.”
I purse my lips, considering his answer. Morgana helped save Rosie. But is it possible she’s been helping others too?
Rosie finally reaches the top of the stairwell, and I pause beside her when I see a woman on the other side of the room.
“Rayne,” Rosie says, sounding relieved.
The Fae woman looks young, maybe a few years older than me. Though I figure that means nothing, given people age very differently out here. She’s a few inches taller than me, with angular features softened by her long lilac hair. Pointed ears extend from her hair, and she’s dressed in a simple cream dress. Her eyes are a striking violet, but the shade is mirrored in the circles that line them. She looks – exhausted.
“Rosie,” she answers, mirroring Rosie’s relief. Her voice doesn’t carry the sound of bells like Rosie’s does.
Her eyes lock on me, looking wary.
“This is Vivian,” Rosie says. “She’s with us. And you’ve already met Sin.”
Rayne nods, her shoulders sagging a bit.
I start to give her a tentative smile when I see the bundle in her arms move. I assumed the small oval blanket was a bag of her possessions, but I realize I’m way off base when I hear a soft cooing sound. It’s a baby.
Rayne adjusts the bundle and speaks to it in soft, soothing tones until it quiets again.
“We need to go quickly. It won’t be long until the guards are swarming the forest, looking for you both,” Sin notes softly.
Rosie makes her way over to Rayne, and I follow her, feeling Sin close at my back. At our approach, Rayne adjusts the bundle so it’s tucked in close to her in a protective gesture. But the baby’s face is still exposed as it watches us with wide eyes.
It’s impossible not to notice the purple serpentine eyes and rounded ears that are only partially visiblethrough a small tuft of purple hair. I remember my talk with Magnus about half-breed babies being considered abominations.
