“So what are you telling me?”
“It’s simple. Don’t let anyone touch you. They need permission. And, yeah, I know that sounds like a vampire thing. If it helps, think of it like that. They’ll burn if you don’t let them, but you’ll be screwed if you do.”
I’ve learned that one the hard way. When I say screwed, I mean literally.
But I can’t tell Jim that, though maybe I should have. If I had, no way he would’ve reacted the way he does.
“Okay. No touching. Got it.” Before I can stop him, he moves into me, laying his hand on my arm. “But that doesn’t mean you, I hope.”
This is it. This was what I’ve been dreading since I came face to face with Jim again.
When Rys touches me, I’m immediately hot. Pleasure rolls through me, but it’s not just that. I’m addicted to his touch, and I don’t know if it would be the same with any fae, but the attraction I felt toward him coupled with the way I grew to care for him means that his touch awakens something in me.
Jim’s did once. I won’t deny that. When I was a hormonal teen and he was one of the most popular boys in school, his touch made the butterflies in my belly come to life.
Now, though?
I feel like I’m about to hurl.
That’s how I felt before. I thought—hoped—it was a fluke. That I wasn’t expecting him and the surprise mingled with guilt made me feel that sick.
Nope.
I jerk my arm, shaking him loose. A hurt look flashes across his face and I feel freaking terrible for causing it. But I can’t. I… just can’t. It’s wrong. All of this is, I know it, but the feel of his skin against mine has me feeling queasy.
I put as much space between us as I can. When Jim follows after me—like I expected he would—I hold up my hand, warding him off. “I’m sorry.”
He stops. Concern fills his dark eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“Two months, Jim… it’s a long time—”
“I can imagine.”
Can he? “A long time,” I repeat. “And, if I’m being honest, it fucked me up. I’m sorry, but… I can’t handle anyone’s touch right now. Not even yours.” Especially not his. “I’ll try to explain it better later, maybe once you’ve been around a little longer, you’ll see what I mean… but you should get used to not giving up a touch so easily as that. The fae can use glamour. The creatures in this world are experts at tricking humans. You can’t trust anyone here.”
“I can trust you.”
No. He can’t.
When, in spite of everything I just told him, Jim tries to grab my hand, I back away even further. “I’m here with you. I’ve got your back,” I promise him. “But I just… I need a little space. Okay? I never thought I’d see you again, and suddenly you’re here. You’re gonna have to give me a minute.”
“Okay, babe.” I try not to flinch when he calls me that again. Hey. If he wants to call me ‘babe’ instead of ‘Helen’, that’s fine by me. I’ll deal. “You let me know what you need from me. You’re the expert. I’ll listen to you.”
If it wasn’t for the fact that I just… I just know this is the real Jim, I’d almost wonder if this was somebody tricking me. I don’t think I’ve ever heard Jim say something like that before. I’ll listen to you… I really, really hope so.
“Just remember what you promised. If you give up your name, one of the faerie folk can make you do anything. If you give them permission to touch you, they own part of your soul. Trust no one.”
“Except you.”
This time, I don’t even bother arguing.
What’s the use?
4
Did I really expect that to work? Asking for space from a man I’ve been dating for the last decade?
I hoped it would but, if I’m being honest, I think the only reason I got Jim to agree in the first place was because he was already kind of worried that something was wrong with me. He didn’t want to push me when I seemed so fragile to begin with. When I left his room, he stayed behind, and I thought, maybe—until I woke up to his knocking on my door the next morning.
And I get it. I do. I’ve had more than two months to accept that this was my new reality now. Jim? It’s been a handful of days at most. He was thrown from the human world right into Faerie, and while he isn’t in fairy jail, he’s basically a prisoner in Rys’s home.
He’s not allowed to go out. Rys made it very clear. With the whispers of a rebellion, the promise of a civil war in Faerie growing stronger every day, he doesn’t want either me or Jim leaving the manor. We’re humans, and we’re targets. We have to stay where we’re protected.
So of course he’s going to want to stick with me. I’m the only familiar thing in this whole unfamiliar place and, well, he still thinks I’m his long-term girlfriend.
I… should probably do something about that.
Just… not yet. Our first conversation has made it easier for me to avoid getting too close to him. We keep our separate rooms—though I can tell Jim doesn’t quite understand why—and I find excuses to return to mine if only to lose myself in my art some more whenever he gets to be too much.
He asks questions. Lots of questions. He wants to know everything about what happened to me since I’ve been in Faerie. I pick and choose, obviously, while telling myself it’s because I want to spare him some of the worst details. It was bad enough when I admitted I spent more than three weeks in fairy jail on a trumped up charge, but when I tried to explain in the most roundabout way ever that I can’t leave Faerie, Jim just couldn’t understand. Finally, I had to blame it on the faerie fruit.
Of course, that led to him teasing me for eating a strange pink apple growing on a crystalline tree in the middle of a magical world. As if I did it on purpose or something.
Even though I’m too much of a chicken to tell him about my relationship with Rys—he honestly believes that Rys is a good-hearted fae who felt bad for a lost human—I make sure to teach him about all of the dangers I’ve dealt with since I’ve been in Faerie.
I might be stuck here. I don’t want the same thing to happen to Jim if I can avoid it.
He doesn’t deserve that.
I have more time with Jim that I need. Another week goes by and we’re still waiting for Riley and her mate to return to Faerie. I wish they would hurry up. As horrible as it sounds, I can’t wait to get away from Jim again. Not only that, but I’ve had maybe three strained conversations with Rys in as many days. I can’t help but think he’s blaming me for Jim being here, as if I’m the one who dragged him into Faerie.
That one’s totally on him.
But, yeah. Still no word from Riley and Nine. Which is probably a good thing since I still haven’t told Jim that I’m going to be leaving him behind pretty soon.
I’m not doing it on purpose. Not really. It took me nearly an hour-long conversation to explain to Jim that I won’t be able to return to the human world with him—just like Rys threw in my face, Jim says he’ll stay with me here… even if it’s obvious he doesn’t quite believe that I really am stuck—and I’m really, really not looking forward to having to tell him about Oberon’s job for me and Rys. He’ll either blow it off as ridiculous or insist on coming.
And… I’m totally right.
It’s Rys’s fault. I’m almost positive he did it on purpose, too. Why else would he mention our mission over dinner if he didn’t want Jim to know about it?
Easy. Because he did.
The only time the three of us are in the same room together these days is during breakfast and the evening meal. Lolly insists on it and, honestly, none of us have the heart to refuse the kindly brownie anything. It’s pretty awkward—and I don’t think I’m the only one who notices—and Rys usually finds an excuse to leave the table shortly after he finishes.
Not tonight.
At his place at the head of the table, Rys picks up his crystal goblet. From the sparkles crackling over the rim of his cup, I can tell he’s drinking fairy wine. I’ve never seen him do th
at before, and I’m wondering why he would when he makes an announcement that has me wishing I could crawl under the table and disappear.
“Leannán.” There’s a purr in his voice that’s obvious. I’m immediately on my guard. “I know you’ve been entertaining your guest, but I hope you’re still ready to leave at a moment’s notice. Oberon is still insisting that we fulfill this mission for him.”
I want to throw my cutlery at him. Seriously? The last time Rys mentioned Oberon, it was him telling me that the king refused to let me off the hook. Now he wants to bring it up like Rys wants me there?
He keeps going. “Is your wardrobe packed? I have a good stock of faerie fruit for you, but if you have any requests, please pass them on to Lolly. I don’t know how long we’ll be gone. I wouldn’t want you to suffer.”
“Suffer?” echoes Jim. “What are you talking about? Packed… are you going somewhere?”
“Didn’t she tell you? Elle and I will be leaving soon. And the trip… I can’t imagine that it’ll be a quick one. The Winter Queen… no one’s heard from her since long before Melisandre stole her throne. We must find her. The Summer King expects results. Until we finish the trial, we’ll be in the Winter Court.”
Translation: and you won’t be.
Jim’s head swivels in my direction. “Hel— Elle. Can I talk to you for a second?”
I think of the fairy wine in Rys's goblet again. Saxon told me once that it affects humans differently than the fae; it’s strong enough to knock a human on their ass. I’m suddenly tempted to steal a sip if only to avoid this conversation.
Instead, I shoot Rys a nasty look, before turning to meet Jim’s stare. “Sure.”
He pushes back his chair. “In private, please.”
Of course.
When Jim gets up from his seat, I reluctantly do the same. I glare at Rys one last time, growing even more annoyed at the way he gives nothing away as he continues to sip his wine. Frustrated, I flip him the bird, then stomp after Jim.
He goes to his room, holding the door open for me. Once I slip inside, he slams it shut.
Great. Just fucking great.
Like me, Jim rarely loses his temper. He has to really be pushed to get angry. I usually get set off before he does, which has led to a ton of fights where I lashed out and he just stood there, waiting for me to calm down.
Not this time. He’s pissed.
Well, you know what? When the first thing he says is, “You’re not going anywhere without me,” I’m pretty damn pissed, too.
“I’m a grown ass woman,” I scoff. “I can go wherever I want.”
“No. Not without me.”
He can’t be serious. Didn’t he hear what Rys said?
“Oberon wants me to do this.” I pointedly forget to mention what’s hanging over my head. If I refuse, there’s a cell waiting for me at Samradh, another Faerie prison. No, thanks. “I have to go.”
“No.”
“He’s the king, Jim. I know you haven’t been in Faerie all that long, but let me tell you something. You don’t tell the king of the Seelie Court no.”
“I’m not telling him no,” Jim retorts. “I’m telling my girlfriend that I’m not staying behind while she goes out on some mission to save a world that has nothing to do with her or me. You feel like you have to go? Fine. But I’m going to be right there with you.”
What? No!
“Jim—”
“Give me one reason why I can’t.”
I can give him a hundred.
He can tell, too. Before I open my mouth again, he says, “I lost you once, babe. It’ll kill me if you go missing again and I don’t know where you are. You told me there’s no phones. No way to keep in contact then, right? And you’d want to leave me behind? You’d do that to me?”
My mouth was open, ready to shoot back my own answer. I realize, at that moment, I don’t have one. I close my mouth, my teeth clicking together with the force.
Shit.
He… I can’t tell him that he has to stay behind, can I? Unless I finally want to tell him the truth—all of it—then I can’t really be the one to put my foot down.
“Okay.” I shudder out a breath. What else can I do? “Fine. If that’s what you want, then fine. But don’t blame me if you change your mind later.”
Besides, it’s not like Rys will let Jim come with us. He put me into this position. He can be the bad guy and tell Jim no.
“Change my mind? Why would I do that?”
Maybe because, even if Rys does give Jim the okay, eventually I’ve gotta come clean and odds are Jim’s not gonna want to stick around after that?
Knock, knock.
“Don’t answer that,” snaps Jim.
Excuse me?
That tone. That tone. If he had said it any nicer, I might’ve listened. Lord knows that I don’t want to face Rys right about now. I’m that stinking pissed at his interference. But the way Jim snaps at me…
I twist my face into an apologetic grimace that I don’t really mean. “Sorry, Jim. I don’t want to be rude.”
“Hel—”
I ignore him, swinging the door open before he can try to stop me.
Rys is standing there, a flat expression on his stunning face. His jaw is tight, though, making his scar stand out. I’ve seen that look before. Something has definitely got to him, but he’s careful not to show it.
I can guess. I wonder, how long was he standing outside of the door, listening to us? Considering I’m one hundred percent sure he set me up, I’m thinking he’s been out there since Jim asked me if we could talk privately.
Well, what did he expect was going to happen after the shit he purposely started? Serves him right.
“Hey.” I keep my tone light. Friendly. “What’s up?”
“I just wanted to let you know that I’ve finally heard from the Shadow.”
Look at that. “Perfect timing.”
Rys nods. “She’s just arrived in Faerie with her mate. They’re meeting with Oberon tonight, and they should be ready to leave tomorrow. We’ll head out as soon as they arrive here.” He pauses for a moment, then says brusquely, “Make sure your human is prepared. If he needs anything, let Lolly know.”
Well, that answers that. He listened long enough to know that I couldn’t bring myself to tell Jim he couldn’t go.
That’s the end of that.
I tell Jim to come up with anything he thinks he’ll need for an extended camping trip before quickly making my escape. I hurry toward the stairs, hoping that I’ll catch up with Rys, but nope. I don’t know if he’s gone out, if he went to his room, or if he’s just avoiding me, but I can’t find him.
Going to his room is a bad idea. A tempting one, but a bad one. If I walk inside of it, I know that I won’t be able to leave again, and wouldn’t that be something to explain to Jim if he figures that out?
Especially after I wussed out. Instead of finally breaking things off with Jim, I gave into his demands and refused to tell him he had to stay behind. Which is probably what Rys was trying to force me into doing—and why he’s angry that I screwed it all up.
I’m such a moron. And Rys… he’s so confusing.
Why does it matter if Jim tags along? He’s the one who gave his blessing when he told Jim to be ready.
Unless… unless he doesn’t want him there? And, Jesus, Elle, why would he? If it wasn’t for his sacrifice to Siúcra, he would’ve claimed me by now. That much I’m sure of. Instead, he arranged for Jim to come to Faerie and now Rys is playing host to his former lover and her boyfriend.
And now the three of us—plus the Shadow and her mate—are going into the Shadow Realm where danger lurks in the darkness.
Oh, boy.
So, yeah. I go to bed alone. The next morning, I wake up early, hoping to get some time alone with Rys before Jim finds us together. I’m brave enough to knock on Rys’s door after I get dressed, but there’s no answer.
Where is he?
It doesn’t take long for
me to figure it out. At the bottom of the stairs, I step into the hall, peeking into the front room. It’s habit, and if it was empty, I would’ve searched some of the other rooms before making my way to the kitchen.
Only it isn’t empty.
Rys is seated in a high-backed gilded chair, slouching lazily, perched almost sideways on the padded white cushion. He’s positioned the chair on an angle so that he’s facing the pair making themselves comfortable on the settee while, at the same time, perfectly able to see anyone passing the room.
Like me.
He waves me over. Grateful I already took a spin through my shower box, I enter the room and wave at his guests.
“Leannán. You remember the Shadow and her mate.”
The Unseelie turns his head sharply, his cheeks hollowed as he whistles in a short breath. “Leannán?”
“Elle,” I correct. For good or for bad, that nickname belongs to Rys. “Elle Andrews.”
“Riley Thorne,” offers the pretty blonde woman sitting next to the Unseelie. “This is my mate, Nine.”
“I know. We met at Oberon’s palace. How are you doing?”
Riley shrugs, her petite shoulders almost swallowed up by the oversized hoodie she has on. From the bottom of her sleeves, I can see the tips of her leather gloves peeking out. Just like the last time we met, she’s dressed for winter.
That’s still kind of weird.
Nine answers for her. I guess, despite being Unseelie, he’s just like Rys in that way. “We’ll be better when this mission is complete and we can return home.”
“What’s the matter, Nine?” drawls Rys. “You don’t miss living in Faerie?”
“Once I got used to living with the iron and the tech, it’s not so bad. I can even go out in the day now. Plus, there’s none of the Court politics to deal with.” Nine scoffs. “Well, not usually.”
“Hey, Oberon can’t hold his part of the Shadow Prophecy over my head forever,” Riley says. “We find this Winter Queen, we get her to agree to meet with Oberon, and we can go back home and never have to deal with this shit again.”
Freed: A Supernatural Prison Romance (Imprisoned by the Fae Book 3) Page 4