My mind scrambled to come up with a reason to be in an empty corridor, but the soldier reached me before I was ready. A tight spasm seized my chest and my mind slowed. Soldiers and their armor all had the same horrible intimidating—
He grabbed my arm. “Nobody has permission to be in this hall.”
“Raaaaak!” My cockatoo flew up from behind me, landed on the soldier, and pecked at his helmet twice before the soldier swatted him off.
Unfortunately, he managed to beat Rat away while still gripping my arm. I looked over my shoulder. There had to be a way out of this.
When I turned my head, the soldier gasped and pulled me closer. “What is your name?”
I lifted my chin. I refused to let him see how much he scared me. “Auria.”
He dropped my arm and knelt on one knee. “My lady. Please forgive me. I did not recognize you.”
My head spun. This soldier wasbowingto me. That had never happened before. Soldiers were terrors—cruel, evil people who hurt others and chased me. But Dearan had said they would protect me. What exactly did Bylur tell them?
“And how do you recognize me now?” I hesitantly asked. He might be kneeling, but I didn’t trust soldiers, even when I was curious about them.
He looked up at me, his face reflecting so much of my own curiosity and nerves. “Your human appearance and your name. Every soldier on staff has sworn to protect and accommodate you.”
“Every soldier?” Had Dearan overestimated the danger to humans in this place?
He dipped his head. “Those who were not willing to extend their loyalties to my lady were relieved of their positions.”
Oh.
Oh! I pressed my lips together as I realized the implications of that statement. Not only were some fae soldiers not willing to protect a human, now those same soldiers had reasons to hate me personally—I’d cost them their jobs. I really needed to talk to Bylur before he turned the entire castle against me.
The soldier in front of me ducked his head a little deeper. “If you have no need of my services, I will report to the prison for punishment.”
“What?” Memories of the dark prison from last night threatened to distract me, but I pushed them aside and focused on the soldier. “Why would you do that?”
“For the way I attacked you. It was a violation of my oath. And, if you’re not opposed, I’d rather take a punishment and stay on here than leave.”
“Fae are obsessed with punishments,” I muttered as Rat chirped for a treat from my shoulder. I shoved a sunflower seed in his mouth and crossed my arms at the soldier. “What’s your name?”
He lifted his head up. “My name?”
“Yes. Surely they call you something?”
He rolled his shoulders back. “Ivodar, my lady.”
“And what kind of punishment do you expect?”
“For breaking an oath? Something that will take weeks to recover from.”
My eyes widened. “Foraccidentallybreaking an oath while you were trying to protect the castle?” Bylur’s words came back to me.The fae body can take a lot of pain.
“Yes.” He swallowed. “Because my sister would be allowed to remain working on the staff while I recover. She wouldn’t dare stay here by herself if I had to leave, but she has a job and friends here that would make leaving much harder.”
I tipped my head at him, trying to understand. “So, you would take a horrible beating for a mistake so that your sister doesn’t have to leave a life she likes here in the castle?”
He nodded. “Yes, my lady.”
I blew out a very undignified puff of air and did not resist rolling my eyes this time. “That’s ridiculous. Ivador, please stand up.” He shuffled to his feet, and I almost regretted the instruction. He towered over me, at least a head taller and more than twice as thick.
He won’t hurt me, I reminded myself while smiling to cover up my fear.Not now that he knows.Maybe these fae were gluttons for punishment, but they also had an obsession with oaths and vows. I tried to make myself relax with a deep breath, but it came out shaky and uncertain. Someday I would not tremble at the sight of a soldier.
Ivador stepped backward, far enough that he couldn’t reach me, and my next breath came a little easier. This was a good fae.
