The professional warmth is gone from his voice but he holds steady. "You'll have to wait outside."
I tug Svenn’s sleeve. “Not this way.”
We turn down a side corridor. The Painted Moth is a maze of hallways and private rooms. We move quickly through the dimly lit passages.
"They can't know I'm here," I whisper.
Svenn nods and keeps moving. We take another turn, backtracking once when voices echo ahead. My heart pounds harder with each minute. We're moving in circles and I can feel panic rising. But Svenn’s grip on my hand never wavers and somehow that makes the fear manageable.
We cut through a back staircase and descend into a mirrored hall. Startled patrons pretend not to see us pass. Two guards round the corner ahead.
“Sleep,”Svenn murmurs.
They slump at the compulsion, unconscious before they hit the floor. But the third guard heard the command too late.
He opens his mouth to shout.
Svenn moves before I can stop him. His fist connects with the fae's face. The crack echoes down the hall. The guard drops with blood streaming from his clearly broken nose.
I shoot Svenn a look.
"He'll live," Svenn says.
We reach the corridor that leads to the main ballroom. Three figures block our path.
River. Fleur. Petal. Standing shoulder to shoulder with their wings trembling. Their faces are set with determination.
My chest tightens. I don't want to hurt them. Fae or not, these are the people who showed me kindness tonight.
"Let her go," Petal says.
"We know what you are," Fleur adds, looking at Svenn.
River says nothing. He holds his ground with a dagger raised in a white-knuckled grip. Fear is written all over his face but he doesn't back down.
Something warm blooms in my chest.
They barely know me. Yet, they’re trying to save me.
I step out from behind Svenn. They immediately close around me, flanking me. The three fae who have known me for one evening placing themselves between me and a vampire without being asked.
"It's alright," I tell them gently.
"You don't have to be afraid,” Fleur says. Her hand finds mine. "The house will protect you. We will."
I pull her into a hug. She makes a small surprised sound.
"Thank you," I whisper into her shoulder.
"That's what we do here," she mumbles against my hair. "Look after our own."
I hug River next. Then Petal, who squeezes back fiercely. “Fawn?”
When I step back, all three are staring at me with confused expressions.
"It's truly alright," I tell them and glance back at Svenn. "He's my prince."
Silence. Then gasps.
