Page 87 of Blood of the Fairest

"That faerie is the only other magical person I've met in this world so far, and I clearly need magical help because I've made zero progress with learning to read. Partly because I feel like it's monumentally unfair to have to learn another fucking language since it all sounds like English to me anyway—and partly because…no offense, Eris, but you're not the best teacher."

On the contrary, I'm a fantastic teacher.

But I've intentionally been doing a spotty job in the hopes that it would slow Verena down. I thought if it took long enough, she might be more inclined to stay in this world.

Now I'm cursing myself for imagining anything could slow this woman down for long.

Why must she be so hellbent on leaving me without her magnetic intellect?

"Faeries are extremely dangerous creatures. Wrath, in particular, would never help you for free," I warn her. "You're better off learning to read."

"Maybe you could just dig around to get a hint from him about possible ways I could return home," she presses. "He might know of some nifty mythical item, like seven-league boots or a magic flying carpet or just…I don't know, something. He doesn't even need to know I'm the one asking. Tell him you're sick of me and you just want a way to send me back where I came from."

I scoff. Anyone would be able to see straight through that bald-faced lie, Malivant included.

Verena mimics praying, peeking one eye open at me as she pouts her lip.

"Please, do this for me, Eris? Please."

I open my mouth to tell Verena no, absolutely not, but…

Oh, Crones. I can't.

Damn it, I just cannot say no to her. When did that happen?

My conundrum is made worse when she sees that she's won and breaks into a bright smile, hugging the mirror.

It puts us so close that I can't stop my attention from dropping to the way her breasts have pressed against the glass above the neckline of her dress. Her breath fogs near my shoulder.

"Yes! Thank you. Have I mentioned you're the best, most gorgeous Adonis to ever haunt the mirrors of any world? Because you are, and I couldn't be luckier," Verena gushes, hope and excitement sparkling in her dark sapphire eyes as she pulls back. "I swear I'll make this up to you, somehow."

Already, my brain is coming up with far too many ways I can ask her to repay me for this, once the moon is full and I can finally touch her.

Or maybe in repayment, I can ask her to at least consider staying here, in this world.

With me.

"I am utterly fucked," I groan, turning and marching away from my mirror.

As well as anyone can march with an erection, anyway.

22

Eris

The reflections near the imprisoned faerie are more difficult to find this time, without Verena's heart-rending screams to guide the way.

Yet finally, I step up to a dim, circular window of light, looking up from the ground at this old dungeon. Light from the distant entry refracts softly off the nearby stream, sending pale shapes rippling on the dilapidated stone ceiling dripping with roots and moss.

Before I can say a word, the Thirteenth Faerie heaves an exasperated sigh from within the shadows of the cage.

"Must lost souls like you always live up to their bothersome reputations?"

"For someone who's said to have been imprisoned in isolation for nearly a hundred years, you're clearly not hurting for company," I mutter.

I reach out to touch the image in the puddle. It doesn't even ripple from my negligible presence.

"Or maybe you just want to be left alone in the shame of unjustly harming an innocent soul from another world. Dealing out an unearned punishment must feel wretched for Wrath himself," I muse.