by A. K. Koonce
“I mean, yes. Jase’s letters are often very long and wordy. He sure does love to talk.” Kai blinks. “I find him very… interesting.”
“I’m sure Jase would be down to be your human guest.” My lips curl at the thought. It’s gross that I’ve even suggested it, honestly.
Birds caw overhead, taking flight from a branch high above us. Wind rustles the brush where smaller animals hide. The forest has a heartbeat all its own.
“Jase is Shadow Fae, so it’s a little bit different.”
“Right.”
“He is much like you, though. Very attractive.”
“I’m sure he just eats that right up when you say it. If you’re kind to him, you’ll always have a friend. Jase is very loyal, you know?”
“I know.” A shadow of a smile graces his lips.
The Shadow Court seems to hold multiple things that feel an awful lot like home to me. I feel hollow so far away from them both. It’s only a matter of time though, I console myself.
As much as I’d noticed the sounds of the wildlife, soothing in their own way, I quickly notice when all sounds come to a sudden halt. Even the horse’s breaths below us are shallow and quiet. The breeze stops. All of nature is suddenly aware of something I’m not.
I look from side to side, nothing but green, dense trees. Kai pulls a hand back to his baldric.
“Be very still.” He advises.
I don’t move. I can’t. Not with the steady beating of adrenaline pulsing through me. My ears strain to hear anything. Only silence follows.
A blur of white flashes across our path. There, and gone in an instant. Kai grunts softly, sending his blade flying in practiced rotations through the air. It hits as the animal stops in front of us.
An outlandish hiss responds to the puncture of the blade sticking out from the panther’s ribs. But this animal… the panther… stands at eye level with us while we are seated on top of our horse. It hunches forward, baring its sharp teeth at us. Its hide is thick with clumps of fur protruding here and there along its arching back.
Then it charges.
Four
Damp Panties
Kai yanks at the reins, the horse following smoothly. Teeth gnash in the space we once occupied. An unyielding, terror-filled scream slowly dies on my lips as we ride away. The forest crashes behind us, with the beast clambering over anything in its way.
“Alright, Cupcake, if the boys didn’t know where we were before they sure do now,” Kai says with a grunt as he leans forward with the horse. “Here, hold this.”
His steady hands drop the reins in my sweaty palms, still trembling from the sudden shock. I hold the leather, a desperate refusal ready to leave my lips but Kai dives off the side of the horse.
No. Not dives… off.
I’m screaming again fearful he’s just left me to gallop off alone into the woods to face an elephant size feline but he merely swings himself around and sits with his back to me in the saddle.
That’s some fancy fucking foot work when we are moments away from being split open by footlong claws.
The blade of his sword shines from a sliver of light that’s managed to break the canopy above. It sings as the sharpened blade cuts through the air, slashing at the cat.
Kai tilts his head back in a wicked laugh.
“How can you be laughing at a time like this?”
“We’re fine!” He pushes me to the side with him, dodging a swiping white paw.
“Are we?!” It’s a squeaky shriek. “I think I may have just pissed my pants.”
“We can wring out your damp panties when we’re done.”
My ears are flooded with the cracking of twigs, limbs, and fallen debris underneath the beating hooves of our horse. Hisses and fearsome roars are met with Kai’s throaty grunts and the whistle of his sword. Somewhere off behind us another chorus emerges. A thankful sound. Two horses galloping in near unison appear behind the panther.
Cheers rally from Michael’s and Nicholai’s throats. Both of them reach for their weapons. Arrows cut through the air, flying at a speed so quick, my human eyes only see the pull of the string and the arrow head buried within the feline’s thick pelt. Michael flashes his glowing smile as the panther stops its chase after us and turns back to the two Fae behind it.
“Slow the horse,” Kai says over his shoulder.
“As if I know how to do that.” I grit my teeth.
“Pull the reins toward you. Then turn us around. You know what, let me just…” He pushes his sword back into his belt, reversing the trick he performed earlier and swinging himself back up into the seat to face me. Sweat has pooled on his neck and chest making my shoulders damp as he reaches around me. “Here.”
Trotting back to the men takes only a moment. The panther’s blood dots its pelt making it a stark cherry red near the wounds and the rest of its fur a mulled strawberry milk color. Breakfast turns over in my stomach. I can’t watch. I don’t want to watch.
“Thought you might have taken off there for a second, Prince Kai. It’s practically licking its wounds now,” Nicholai calls.
Large round shoulder blades poke out of the animals back as it lowers to the ground watching the pair. Michael points a notched arrow at the cat, watching with narrowed eyes.
“You’re shaking,” Kai says with surprise, his eyebrows pinching together.
“I think I’m going to puke.” I manage, still clinging to the saddle.
I expect an annoyed sigh or even the complaint that I’ve ruined the hunt all together. It’s what my ex-boyfriend Collin would have done. Collin probably would have even considered pushing me from the horse and letting me find my way back to the castle through the dense forest just so he could have some fun.
“Close your eyes,” Kai says firmly.
“Wh—”
“Just do it. I’ll tell you when you can open again.”
I take a deep breath, to calm the urge to yak inside my lap, then close my eyes. Kai shifts, the snap of his fingers followed by an even louder crack. Adrenaline still pulses inside my veins, making each inhale shaky. There is a final cheer from the other Fae.
The horse turns, pointing us in the opposite direction. We ride in silence for a few paces before Kai softly says, “You can open your eyes now.”
We sway together with every revolution of the horse’s steps. There is an unfamiliar tang to the air. I don’t dwell on the thought.
“Thank you.” Is all I can offer.
“Don’t worry about it. Mind if we take the scenic route so you have time to calm before we head back for supper?”
“That sounds lovely. What about the… panther?”
“Michael and Nicholai will happily take care of it. They’ll carry him off and have his pelt cleaned and shown off in one of their homes. I’d rather not listen to them bicker about who gets to keep the animal anyway.”
“Do you not want the pelt?” My shoulders fall away from my ears.
“No.” He laughs. “What am I going to do with it? We’ve got enough rugs.”
“Oh.”
The line of trees starts to thin and I can see the break of the canopy allowing the sun to shine freely not too far ahead. The noise of the forest has returned with the panther’s death. A delicate wind cools my sheen of sweat.
“So tell me about yourself, Briar Anders.” Kai smiles over my shoulder. “It seems my brother’s gotten to know you but now you’re with me and there isn’t much more to you than the fact that you prefer jeans to dresses and are impeccably mortal.”
I send him a wary glance. What is there to say? What would he even care to know?
“What do you want to know?”
“What was your home like in the mortal world?” His tone is sincerely curious.
“I lived in an apartment. It was small, kind of falling apart, but it was mine which was all that mattered.”
“An apartment?”
“It’s a large building with separate living spaces that contain a bedroom, bathr
oom, kitchen, and living area. Multiple families or people share the entire building.”
“Like an Inn?” Kai offers, grasping at the forgotten bits of the human world. “It truly has been far too long since I’ve ventured into the mortal realm. It’s probably much different than I remember it.”
“Like an Inn except you don’t rent the room for a night, you live there. And the space is much larger.” I pause. “Lincoln thought the same thing. Why don’t you visit the mortal world often? Is it because there is no magic like there is here?”
“Ah, no, the lack of magic doesn’t bother me. Humans can be quite fun.” We break through the end of the forest, reappearing in the long valley. “It’s more so that there are many realms that can be visited. I have others that are more cherished or favored.”
“H-how many are there?”
“Quite a few actually.” He chews on his lip. “There is this realm that is pretty strictly filled with Trolls. They make the best food. Amazing dining. Then there is another realm that is more a hodgepodge of species, but their technology is… advanced. It confuses me, but it’s very intriguing and fun.”
“You don’t worry about these other realms?”
“Why would I?”
“What if there was a war between them?”
“Most realms are blissfully unaware of the others. Ours is one of the few that actually allows crossover, which is why we have Shadow Fae. Though you have to be careful when you’re traveling around. Portals exist that take you to the Lost Realm, where no portals exist to take you back.”
My nose crinkles as I toss him a dubious look over my shoulder. “There has to be a portal to take you back.”
“How?” Kai chuckles.
“How else would you even know about the Lost Realm?”
His body freezes as he churns over the thought. His eyes glaze over and he looks off into the distance. “Never thought of it that way. But I’d assume a seer somewhere is how we know.”
I shrug. I’m not the expert on Fae realms.
The horse walks calmly to the back of the castle. I eye the many balconies that protrude from dark stone walls. Behind it’s plain, not-particularly-welcoming front half, is a much more appealing backyard. The back of the castle has one long balcony, I can only assume belongs to the King and Queen, then below it, hedges pathed in a knee height maze. Blue flowers poke off the bushes. Their sweet scent fills the air. Honestly, I’m surprised when I can’t find any traces of a Reminints tree.
“Where is your Reminint’s tree?”
I watch the maze with interest, admiring small statues of what I’d call cherubs but their ears come to a point and their mouths are open to reveal shark-like teeth. Whatever they are, perhaps I don’t want to go to their realm.
“Reminint’s is a drug that has been banned in the Iron Court.” His voice is rough.
“Oh is it?” I scoff.
“Yes, well sometimes it pays to be the prince. Fae tend to turn their heads from my less than respectable actions.”
An array of trees, filled with colorful fruits, zigzags through the yard beyond the maze. We trot along through them. I breeze in the citrus, my stomach growling.
Kai doesn’t seem to mind the silence when it does settle between us. I wonder if it’s because he was raised to show a level of respect to others, whomever he’s deemed his peers like a mortal queen. I’m quite content letting the sun warm my cheeks, though his oversized jacket still hangs on me making my body warm faster.
I stay quiet as we round the castle again. A door is propped open with a few servants chatting on the few steps that lead inside. As they see their prince, they quiet and bow. His arms pull gently at the reins slowing the stallion to a stop. He drops from the horse. His boots meet the grass with a quiet thud and he lifts his arms to me.
Both servants watch with piqued interest as I let him wrap his hands around my waist and lower me to the ground as if I weighed nothing more than a penny.
Honestly, the fact that someone can be strong enough to move me without effort is mildly attractive.
“May I?” Kai offers his elbow. It’s then that I notice the baldric on his chest is empty.
“You left your short sword in the panther.”
“Ah, the Dukes will be kind enough to return it, I’m sure.”
I smile at the servants, pulling down the skirt of the dress. As if that does a lick of good. God above, what have I gotten myself into?
Arm in arm, we enter the castle. The door leads us into the kitchens, where staff are busily preparing the meal. Servants bow as they catch the prince in passing. Their eyes quickly shift and linger on me.
“How often do you bring guests home?”
“Not often.” He reaches for another door. “I think my last guest was, perhaps, somewhere in the range of one hundred to two hundred years ago.”
I have to pause long enough to totally register if I’ve shit my pants or not. The lifespan of the Fae is almost unfathomable. And it’s no wonder I’m gaining attention from others if Kai doesn’t make a habit of bringing lovers home.
“And… how old are you?”
“Does the age difference scare you?” He smoothly avoids the question.
The door opens into a large dining room with purple velvet wallpaper clinging everywhere the eye can see. The room would feel dark if it wasn’t for the line of chandeliers above the long metal table. Rowan is leaned back in a seat, his dusty boot resting on the table's edge. Violet lounges in a much more proper way, admiring the length of her nails.
“Sneaking through the servant’s entrance?” Rowan picks at his teeth.
“It’s appalling that your nasty shoes are resting where we eat.” Kai retorts. Slipping his arm from mine, he grips a sleek metal chair and pulls it away from the table for me. “Please, sit.”
“I see the outfit is holding up well.” Violet grins.
I try not to give myself a once over to make sure I really am put together. After that high-speed chase through the woods I feel like the dress should be in shreds. Kai’s jacket does well enough to keep me covered.
“I’m mildly annoyed,” she continues, “that my brother hasn’t tried to take it off yet.”
Kai sighs loudly, retreating to the seat next to mine. “If I remember correctly, Briar is exclusive.”
Rowan snorts.
Violet’s lip curls and she leans forward. “What?”
Right. Collin. No, that’s not a thing anymore.
“Actually, I’m not anymore.” I clear my throat.
“It never mattered to me anyway.” Rowan shrugs.
“That’s interesting.” Violet looks between me and Kai, who folds his hands delicately in his lap holding her gaze unphased.
“Is it?” Kai finally responds.
“Yes.”
I look between the three siblings who exchange gazes with one another in silent communication. Not one of them meets my eyes.
“So, er, has anyone heard what’s happening in the Shadow Court? Surely, Cordelia will have shit a brick by now?” Anything to pull the awkward attention from me.
“Oh, she’s pissed. As far as I’ve been told she nearly set half her ballroom on fire when she realized. Though, I think Lincoln jumped the gun—that’s a human phrase, right? —on escorting you out of the court because word is that the seer she found has a lot of travelling to do before they make it to her court to do her dirty work,” Kai answers.
The kitchen doors we entered swing open and servants wander in with steaming plates, setting the meals down in front of each of us. I do my best to smile at the servant who watches me with blatant curiosity. With my mumble of ‘thank you’, they retreat back to the stoves.
“I’m surprised Lincoln hasn’t told you.” Violet picks up her fork, spearing a few vegetables on the end.
Kai and Rowan also dig into their meals. Though my stomach rumbles, I stare down at the food for a minute thinking.
“No, he’s been… busy, I guess.”
“Can’t you just look into his thoughts? Didn’t he open his mind to you? Why else did Kai get the ever-loving shit beat out of him when he took Linc’s punishment?” she continues.
He what now?
The air between us feels fragile. I’m certain if I take too deep of a breath or move too quickly I’ll be ignored or my questions will be shot down. Still, I rotate to give Kai my full attention. His cheeks heat but he faces his plate without acknowledging how heavily my attention burns into him.
“You took Lincoln’s punishment for protecting my thoughts?” I whisper.
His fork clatters against his plate as he drops it and frowns at Violet. She smiles sweetly back at him.
“Lincoln needed to be with you. There wasn’t time for him to be punished and heal and be back doing what he needed to. Plus, I’m the heir. My punishments are swifter and less public. It was a quick lashing and I was fine. I’m fine.” His eyes shine like the fiery stars above.
“Wow, I’m just surprised.” I turn back, finally grabbing my silverware. “I thought you all thought so little of Lincoln you’d let him fight on his own.”
“Oh, we love Linc, but he is, undoubtedly, less than. Kai didn’t do it for Lincoln’s sake. He did it for yours.” Rowan chews as he talks, pointing his fork at me. “If Lincoln was beat bad enough, he wouldn’t be able to protect you.”
“I liked it better when I thought you were doing it for your brother.” I sigh.
Some things, like this realm’s view on Shadow Fae, cannot be changed in a day. It would take work, years of trying to shift their societal norms, for it to be understood that they were all equal. I’ve learned enough from the human world to know that if you value one race, one religion, one sexuality, one…whatever that makes someone different than you, less than your own, it makes the world sticky with hate. Humans hating humans only brings war and heartache. Such as, Fae hating Fae will one day prove to have a breaking point here.
“Lincoln doesn’t need me to fight his battles.” Kai cuts into the chunk of meat on his plate. “But you… you may need some help.”
His words settle heavy on my shoulders. He’s right, after all. I’m weaker than the Fae here. I’m a foreigner to their culture and traditions.