The woman who enters is human, middle-aged, and carrying a tray with a bowl of porridge and a pot of honey.
“We stopped serving breakfast a while ago, but I thought you might be hungry.” She sets it down on the small table by the window. “Therin asked me to tell you he’s downstairs when you’re ready, but not to rush.”
“Thank you.”
She turns to leave, then pauses. “Would you like some help with your hair?”
I touch it, fingers tangling into the knots. The evidence of fingers fisting into it, and pulling my head back. My cheeks warm again.
“Yes. Please.”
I sit in front of the mirror and she moves behind me, working through the knots with patient fingers. She doesn’t ask any questions, or comment on the marks I can see peeking above the neckline of my dress, and along my throat. She just combs and braids and pins until I look almost respectable. Almost like a princess again.
“There.” She steps back with a smile. “I’ll leave you to eat.”
I only manage a few bites of the porridge before I put the spoon down. The longer I stay up here, the worse it’s going to be when I have to face him. So I open the door, pausing with one hand on the collar at my throat, waiting for it to heat up and stop me from leaving the room. Nothing happens, so I step through and make my slow way down to the common room.
It’s quieter than I thought it would be. A fire burns low in the hearth, and the air is filled with the smell of freshly cooked bread.
Therin is sitting at a table near the window, long legs stretched out in front of him, and a plate of half-eaten food beside him. He’s alone. No sign of the fae who brought us here, or Vel, or the six fae they freed … or Cairn.
He looks up when I appear at the bottom of the stairs, and his mouth curves.
“Did you sleep well?”
It’s an innocent question, but there’s a glint to his eyes that tells me he knows full well what happened. Heat floods my face, but I manage to keep my voice steady.
“Well enough, thank you.”
I cross to the table on legs that are steadier than when I first climbed out of bed. He kicks out the chair opposite him. When I lower myself onto it, I can’t quite hide the wince. His expression doesn’t change at all. He just pushes a cup towardme.
“Tea.”
“Thank you.” I wrap my hands around it, but don’t drink. My stomach is still too busy churning to risk it.
“Cairn says I’m to take you back to your palace today.”
Back to the palace.
I stare at him.
“I don’t know how you managed to convince him of that.” His eyes drop to my throat and his lips twitch. “Or maybe I do.”
I don’t respond, too busy thinking about the other half of the bargain.
Free to go.
He’s keeping his word. Fae can’t lie. The sun has risen, and I’m free to go.
I should be relieved.Grateful. I should be counting the time until I’m away from him, and back home with Nella beside me.
If that’s so, then why do I want to cry? I cling to something I can focus on instead.
“How am I supposed to explain this to my father?” I touch the collar at my throat.
“It will disappear once you reach the palace walls.”
I twist on my seat to find Cairn standing there, dressed in black clothing, face as unreadable as ever. Those gold eyes sweep the room, taking in everything in a single glance before landing on me.
