Bezaliel sobered, then nodded. “I’ll gather the council members at the kella'mir. In the meantime, she looks like she could use some tending to.”
Redvyr turned to look at me, frowning. “She was attacked last night by a dryad.”
“A dryad?” he asked.
“He had the black madness,” Redvyr added in a low voice.
“But in a dryad?” Bezaliel asked.
“We’ll talk more later. The game was also scarce this year, but there is a buck of red deer packed on Wolf.”
“I’ll see to it.”
“Hi.” I interrupted and thrust out my hand for him to shake since Redvyr hadn’t properly introduced us yet. “I’m Jessamine.”
Bezaliel took my hand in his rough, large one. “It is a pleasure, Jessamine. I am Bezaliel, chief warrior to Redvyr of the Vanglosa clan. It seems you’ve had an adventure.”
“She’ll be in my tent until the council is ready,” added Redvyr.
“I’ll send Tessa.”
Redvyr grunted in agreement then marched ahead. “Follow me, Jessamine.”
Ignoring the stares of the other beast fae who watched with open wonder as we passed, I followed him until we came to a giant tent at the end of the path. Once inside, he marched to a large woven basket and pulled a pair of black hide trousers from inside as well as a leather vest. For a moment, I thought he was going to change in front of me, my heart picking up speed suddenly.
Redvyr quirked a brow at me. “Afraid of something?”
“No,” I snapped.
His mouth ticked up in amusement. “Stay here. Bezaliel’s mate will be here shortly and will tend to the scratches on your face and neck.”
I touched the tender skin on the side of my neck, having forgotten that I’d been scratched in the tumble to the ground with the dryad.
“What is the black madness? What was wrong with that dryad?”
He didn’t answer me and marched for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To bathe in the stream. I’m a bit soiled if you hadn’t noticed.”
Between his hunt of the deer and his killing of the dryad, his trousers and body were indeed soiled. He looked every inch the wild beast fae. But he was the king of this clan. How interesting.
There was little in the room other than his very large bed of furs. Several hand-woven baskets lined one tent wall, and each basket was made of a pale weave with a darker thread woven into intricate patterns—leaves, a great tree, and a wolf. There was beauty and art here.
I walked to the left where a tufted cushion backed against the tent and a rug, also woven with delicate patterns of ivy spread out beneath a low table. There was enough pillowed seating for many. He must have others dine with him here. I wondered for a moment if he had a special female amongst his people.
The tent flap opened and in stepped…a light fae female. A wood fae. I blinked in surprise as she walked toward me, smiling, a basket on her arm. She wore a dress of red-deer hide and a baby was snuggled in a cloth sling across her chest.
“Hello. It’s Jessamine, isn’t it? I’m Tessa, Bezaliel’s mate.”
“Yes.” I stared as she stopped in front of me, her dark hair braided down her back, her tiny, pointed ears exposed and tipped pink from the cold.
“You’re a wood fae, aren’t you?”
“Yes.” She laughed. “Come and sit.” She gestured toward the lounge area.
I sat on one of the cushions and she settled beside me, setting down her basket. “First, you must eat something. I passed Redvyr coming in, and he told me you don’t eat meat or fish. Or rather, he grumbled it.”
