He stands towering over me like all the other fae, but his height does not fill me with anything but mirth. One may think he has the advantage, but that’s exactly where I win because I possess agility and nimbleness that this being can only wish to possess.
Lifting my head to meet his strange, wide, purple eyes, I see a sadness there—one he has never shown before.
I pinch my lips.Is he sad to leave his Terra?
Regardless, we have a job to do, and I will see it done.
We are not here to talk. We are here to consummate our territories, joining through blood. At home, my parents have prepared a feast for our return, which I am not going to miss.
Pushing the fae backwards, he gives way in surprise, and I hiss, “Cuuummmm.”
I spin on my heels, and my robe billows at my sides as I stride to the chamber assigned to my family’s visits.
Heavy footfalls follow my figure down the hall.
Getting to the ornately carved wooden door, I make sure to leave it open for my trailing prince as I enter.
The room is spacious and warm with two cushioned chairs beside a large, glowing crystal orb etched into the far wall. A wide bed sits across the back wall with many tapestries of various winged creatures moving through the air surrounding its walls.
My steps are quietened by the woven green rugs underfoot, made to look like a small garden. The smell of a long-forgotten aroma called lavender fills my nostrils as I spot the fine, smoky billows coming from a lantern-like object on a small table by the bed.
Once I hear the door close behind us, I turn to face the chiselled, lined, golden male, and frown at his expression.
Well, if he isn’t going to make the most of this, I will.
I start stripping my robe, which leads me to the knives underneath. Rivern’s sad eyes don’t leave my body as I line up the many leather strips created to fit my build along the low wooden bench seat at the foot of the bed. It is usually the most time-consuming portion of my ensemble.
Once my leathers and weapons are removed, I stand naked before the fae prince.
But, he doesn’t move. His eyes dart away from my body. Already I can sense this is not going to be what I’d hoped it would be.
thirty-four
Dove
Waking from a fitfulslumber, my body springs forward.
Looking around, I see nothing but a cosy, toasty room decorated with woven tapestries of landscapes similar to Haven.
Flopping back down, I rub my hands over my face and groan.Something feels off.
I feel like I have slept for a millennium, but in the same breath, I have hadno rest at all.
The sheets underneath me are the most luxurious I’ve ever slept on, yet my mind is foggy, and my muscles have found no reprieve from their constant ache.
Beyond the battle with my lack of strength lies a strange niggle.
A sting that makes itself known, a strange feeling within the cavity of my heart, deeper than usual.
Gripping my chest, the niggle turns into a full-on gnaw, followed by a gnash, and I can’t hold it in anymore.
My body spasms on the bed, and I scream.
Ears ringing, throat raw, chest splitting. I find the only thing I can grasp onto—the darkness…
thirty-five
Fury
