He quickly gobbled up the crumbs and then squawked, “Seeds!”
Laughing, I pulled a handful of seeds out of my pocket and sprinkled them on the bench. “It’s just as well you eat something that will take a few minutes to crack open so that I can enjoy my breakfast.”
I tore the rest of the crust off and set it on my lap. I’d come back to it later, but first, I wanted to enjoy that fluffy, warm part on the inside of the roll. Perfectionin my mouth. I closed my eyes and let the soft bread melt on my tongue. Every stress and worry I’d had about this arrangement faded as I enjoyed the pure goodness of the fae’s kitchen. I relaxed so much that I groaned in happiness—
And then jumped in my seat when a soft chuckle erupted to my left.
My eyes flew open and took in a handsome fae with red hair and bright eyes leaning against a tree with white, peeling bark ten feet away. A sword hung from his waist as if it were part of his body. He looked to be my age. If he’d been an elf, that would make him somewhere between sixty and two hundred, but I didn’t know if fae aged like humans or elves. I added that to my mental list of things to ask Bylur.
“I never would have guessed,” Red Hair said.
I stayed sitting. “Never would have guessed what?”
He smiled, not in a creepy, fake way like the soldiers last night had, but in a genuine friendly way. “That the great Prince Bylur’s beautiful human wife loved bread so much.” He bowed his head. “I’m Dearan, Bylur’s best friend. He told me about you last night.”
I broke off another bite of bread and chewed it before responding. “Oh? And what did he tell you?”
He grinned. “That you are brave and beautiful, and he’s lucky to have you.”
I rolled my eyes and took a bite of bread. This Dearan was a big flirt—not to be trusted, but not very dangerous. I waved my bread at him. “I’m married, you know.”
Dearan’s grin turned more sincere. “I know. He told me how you met, what you agreed to, and what happened after you arrived last night.”
I swallowed and did not take another bite. “That is a lot to tell someone.”
Dearan nodded. “He asked me to watch out for you today.” His eyes skirted across my clothes. “I’m going to send my sister to you. She does not know about Bylur’s condition, but she’ll help you adjust to living here while I find a proper companion and maid for you. It…will be a little tricky since the only people who know about the curse are me and Parcival. But you will need someone. And Brielle won’t hate you for being human.”
My eyebrows popped up. “Will others?”
He shrugged. “Not many, but a few. We’re not as bad as the Spring Realm, but it’s probably because there are so few humans up here. It’s hard to judge someone you don’t see.” An easy smile filled his face. “Probably because the cold is too much for them.”
He was sweet, but I didn’t understand his comments. “So, is it dangerous to be human here or not?”
“Not dangerous,” he said, “so much as there will be some fae who think they’re so much better than you that you don’t deserve any basic dignity. Lots of fae think they’re better than humans because we’re stronger, faster, have magic, and have better hearing and vision. It’s hard to draw the line on where that arrogance becomes dangerous. Regardless, you’ll like Brielle. She’s a fan of the castle’s bread too.”
I resumed eating, replaying his words over in my mind.
“My lady.” He stepped closer, a sincere look filling his face. “Don’t worry about it. You can’t change people’s minds overnight, and Bylur is taking a lot of precautions to keep you safe. He’s already spoken to all his soldiers and given them instructions to protect you. Parcival and I are always around the palace, as well as Brielle. If you need anything, you can grab any of us or any soldier.”
I wasn’t surprised that Bylur spoke to the soldiers last night, not after what happened when I came in, but hearing Dearan say it made something in my chest warm. It had been so long since anyone had bothered to go to extra efforts to keep me safe that I’d forgotten what it felt like.
Dearan finished saying something else and bowed. “I’ll send Brielle to meet you in your rooms at high sun.” His lips twitched into a grin. “Enjoy your spoils.”
* * *
Returning to Bylur’s rooms proved to be more difficult than I’d planned. While I’d been outside, the castle had come alive, and people buzzed up and down every hall I entered. Fortunately, they all seemed to have their own agendas and, while a few gave me sideways glances, nobody said a word directly to me.
I, of course, avoided eye contact and rushed through the halls as if I had something important todo. I’d learned long ago that the best way to be allowed places was to act like you belonged there, so I walked as if I was expected to arrive in a room just out of sight in less time than I had.
After I climbed several staircases and crossed more halls I couldn’t keep track of, I came to a completely empty corridor. Unlike most of the others, not even a guard patrolled this part of the castle, giving it a creepy, empty-but-not-really-empty feeling. A ten-foot long tapestry hung across the stone wall, drawing my attention like seeds summoning Rat.
A great battle scene had been sewn into the woven layers of thread. Two fae armies, one wearing icy blues and the other wearing cold purples, clashed on snowy foothills with a huge mountain range rising up behind them. Violent streaks of blood marred the snow, and three massive dragons flew over the fray. The scene was both epic and tragic, and I couldn’t tell which side, blue or purple, was even winning.
A blue-clad general or commander or something knelt on the frozen ground next to another fallen soldier. His posture—the way he bent over someone he obviously cared about—nearly broke my heart. This scene had to be real, from some moment in history. A moment that meant something to someone. I reached up to touch the kneeling leader, but—
“What are you doing here?” A loud, harsh voice filled the hall.
I sprang away from the tapestry and saw a soldier at the other end of the corridor storming toward me. Icould try running back the way I’d come, but he’d chase me down to a hall with more soldiers, and then I’d be trapped. Maybe I could convince him that I had something important to do in this hall.
