Still...she didn’t want to dwell on Taveon’s confusing nature, not when she had Rafe by her side looking all handsome and breathtakingly gorgeous.
“I wish I didn’t have to go back into my quarters,” Bree said with a light sigh, gazing wistfully back down the hallway. “It was so nice getting out for once, and I know when tomorrow comes, everything will go back to normal. My room might be nicer now, but my situation has remained the same. I just sit inside, day after day, unless I’m training with you.”
Rafe gazed at her thoughtfully, before he finally grabbed her hand. She jerked with surprise. The warmth of his skin seeped into hers, and she couldn’t stop the gasp that flew from her lips.
“Right. Come with me. There is something you should see, and it might be a long while before you get this chance again.”
Heart thundering, she let Rafe lead her through the maze of the castle. They went up and up and up, climbing stairs that reeked of mildew and dust. This tower, or whatever it was, was definitely not used very often. It was hidden away, and probably hadn’t been cleaned in years.
At the very top of the stairs, Rafe pushed open a creaking door and strode to a small window overlooking the world below. He pushed up the window and motioned for her to go first. Head spinning, she climbed through the small space and found herself on a balcony high in one of those tall jagged towers she’d seen from so far away when she’d first arrived with Taveon. Rafe climbed out beside her. There was just enough space for the two of them to stand there with their shoulders brushing.
The world spread out far below them. She could see for miles. The forests and the fields. The lakes and the valleys. Underworld was alive beneath them, the colors so bright to her eyes after so many hours spent trapped inside of gray stone walls.
“This is beautiful,” she said in a slight whisper. “The view is amazing from my window, but this is far beyond it.”
“There is something far better than this.” Rafe took her shoulders gently in his hands and twisted her to turn left, facing away from him. Her breath caught at the sight that met her eyes. Far beyond on the horizon, fingers of silver and gold raced across the sky as the hint of the moon poked up from behind the dark ground.
“Every fae, Dark or not, should always see at least one moonrise in their life. And this one, the one after the Silver Moon night, is one of the most glorious of the entire year.”
Bree didn’t know what to say. All she could focus on was the beauty before her. Every second that passed, the glory of the moonrise only grew. More silver streaked across the sky, joined by brilliant blues and deep purples. Somehow, even in this strange dark place, color still prevailed.
“Seeing this almost makes me forget what kind of world I’m now living in,” Bree whispered. “It makes me forget that I’m living in the midst of demons.”
“You speak as though Underworld is a terrible place full of terrible fae. We are not demons, Bree, even though I know that is what the Light Fae like to call us.”
“Are you not?” she couldn’t help but ask. “Your people had a cruel and vicious King. You enslaved not only Otherworld but the human realm as well, forcing humans to turn into terrible beasts who kill innocent people. You have horns. You have fangs and red eyes.”
“We are not demons, though I suppose we are something close enough.”
Eyebrows raised, Bree glanced behind her to see a thoughtful look on his face. “What do you mean?”
“We are the fallen,” he said simply. “Our ancestors were once angels. Angels who fell. They were entranced by humanity. Corrupted by it. So, they were cast out of the heavens, doomed to live a life forever entwined to human energy.”
Bree widened her eyes. She had never heard this before, though she hadn’t been told much of anything in her time spent in Underworld so far. “You are fallen angels. So, you’re not really fae.”
A ghost of a smile flickered across his face. “That is what fae are. Fallen, shortened. Fae.”
“The Light Fae, too?”
“They are angels who fell but for different reasons. They left the heavens to try and stop us from corrupting ourselves. In the end, leaving meant leaving their immortality behind, and they were cast down to their own realm.”
Bree’s heart beat a little harder. “I didn’t know all this. No one ever told me. I don’t even think Norah knows.”
“It is ancient history. It happened so long ago that it no longer matters.” A beat passed. “But I wanted to tell you. I thought the knowledge might help you better understand this world you are so doomed to live in.”
As much as she hated to admit it, Bree felt a little bad for what she’d said to Rafe. Because as much as she hated Taveon, she didn’t hate this fae. He was different. Kinder. More...more human.
“You didn’t have any horns tonight,” she pointed out.
“No.” A slight smile. “Shapeshifters do not have horns.”
“But you do still crave the energy of humans, right? You seem so unlike a Dark Fae, yet...you must need humans as much as the rest of them do. Right?”
A part of her hoped he’d say no, even though she knew he’d say yes. Deep down, she understood he needed humans to survive. He couldn’t help that. But what he could help was his response to that need. Did he want to change it? Did he want a world where humans did not have to be sacrificed?
“I thought you would have realized by now that the Tithe is not what I nor Taveon want for our future. We would like to see a world where this no longer happens, but ideas and dreams take time. The Dark Fae will not be rushed into this. Not until we are certain of a different way. A better way. We need human energy to survive, but we do not know a way to take it without harming them.”
“Well, maybe there’s a way to do it that doesn’t involve innocent humans,” Bree said. “Instead of just letting Redcaps loose on the world, what if you targeted humans who are their own kind of evil? Killers, rapists, torturers.”
It was a thought she’d had before, though she hadn’t had the chance to bring it up to anyone else. There were flaws in her idea though. Terrible flaws she couldn’t ignore.
“Hmm. Have you presented this idea to Taveon?”
Bree shook her head. “To be honest, he didn’t give me the impression he wanted to hear it. I know he’s using me as a test, hoping I’ll be able to be a different answer for the Tithe. But I also know that still means turning others into these horrible beasts.”
“You did volunteer, Bree,” Rafe said in a low, quiet voice as he rested a hand on her shoulder. “I do not envy your position, but you did volunteer.”
“I volunteered because I thought it was the only option to save Otherworld and everyone within it.” She took a deep breath in through flared nostrils. But now she knew that wasn’t the case, though it seemed Rafe had no idea about Taveon’s lies that got Bree to come here.
“Loyalty and fearlessness.” He squeezed tighter, shifting so close that she could feel his chest brush against her back. “They are such admirable qualities, and two that are often not paired together. Taveon is lucky to have found that in you.”
Bree tensed, despite herself. “You speak as though I am loyal to him, as if I had a choice in the matter. I’m his servant, Rafe. I have no choice but to do whatever he says. That isn’t loyalty.”
“No, I suppose it isn’t.” His voice dropped into a low murmur. “Though perhaps you may grow to feel that way toward him in time, when you see what a strong King he will become.”
“That is seriously unlikely. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever hated anyone this much in my life.”
A long moment passed between them. Rafe was loyal to his Prince. Bree knew that. He would never say anything against him. At the same time, she appreciated that he didn’t try to stop her from voicing her irritation. When they’d first met, he’d told her to be quiet and careful and to keep her thoughts to herself, but he no longer asked her to keep her emotions locked up tight.
“I am certain the Prin
ce was unable to say it for himself, due to this night’s circumstances, so I must pass on how unavoidably beautiful you look in that dress,” Rafe said, almost in a whisper.
A smile tickled her lips. “And that’s straight from the Prince, is it?”
A long pause. “No. Those thoughts are mine, though I saw the look on his face. He shares my sentiments. Besides, he would be a fool not to notice your beauty.”
Bree’s cheeks flushed with heat. “Well, ah, thank you, I suppose. You don’t look so bad yourself.”
He let out a low chuckle. “Careful. You have such a human way of saying things sometimes. If the wrong fae heard you...”
“Yeah, but you aren’t the wrong fae, Rafe. You’re the right one.”
Had she just said that out loud? Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was all the masks and the horns and the songs. Maybe it was the thrill of getting caught in the Prince’s chambers with Fillan.
But Bree felt bold. And she felt alive. Far more alive than she’d felt in a very long time.
She had felt trapped in the human realm, stuck in a life that would go nowhere, stuck in a world with concrete floors and walls. Otherworld, the realm of the Light Fae, hadn’t been much better. She’d spent half the time trying to battle against the Redcap venom in her veins and the other half losing friends to the disease left and right. That life, it had held nothing but fear and pain.
It was strange. She would have thought it would be the opposite. She was Prince Taveon’s servant, slave, or whatever he wanted to call her. She was stuck doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted, and she was secretly acting as his enemy’s spy. She couldn’t trust anyone, not fully, not even Rafferty.
Still, she’d never felt more alive.
Bree twisted to face Rafe, dropping back her head to gaze up into his eyes. Her heart fluttered, and her breath caught. They were so close, stuck here on this balcony high up in the clouds, the moon drifting higher and higher into the silver-streaked sky.
“You know, there is one more thing I could show you before I return you to your quarters.”
Her stomach tumbled over on itself. He couldn’t mean...no, it was impossible. Rafferty wouldn’t go there, not even if he wanted to. And she doubted he actually did. He could tell her all night that he thought she was beautiful, but that didn’t mean he was actually interested in her.
He had only collected her from the ball because Prince Taveon wanted her out of there. It wasn’t because he’d had the idea himself. In fact, that was the only reason he spent any time with her at all. Their friendship was a lie as much as she wanted it to be the truth.
Rafe scanned her eyes, frowning. “Why has that upset you? I thought you would be thrilled to have an excuse to stay out a little while longer.”
“I would love to stay out a little while longer, but I don’t want to be a burden to you.” She flicked her gaze away. “I’m sure you’d like to return to the ball.”
He snorted. “Do not be so daft. That ball was turning into chaos. Besides, why would I rather be there when I can be here with you?”
Chapter 27
Bree
Rafe’s words thrilled Bree all the way down to her toes. It had been one strange night, that much was for certain. She had started out as Lord Dagen’s “date” or whatever they liked to call it here. He’d brought her a gown and paraded her out in front of the rest of the Court. Prince Taveon had yelled at her, as always. And a random fae named Fillan had kissed her.
And now she was here with Rafe.
She didn’t want this moment to end. As soon as this night was over, everything would go back to how it had always been.
“So, where are we going next? There’s so much of the castle I haven’t seen yet.”
“We are not staying in the castle,” he said, his lips twisting into a wicked grin. “This is your chance to see our realm. I know you only experienced a small portion of it when Taveon brought you here.”
Bree raised her eyebrows. “We’re...leaving the castle? But what will Taveon think?”
“For once, I do not care what he thinks.”
A thrill went down Bree’s spine, heart trembling from both his words and the conviction in his eyes. Was he willing to risk his friend’s wrath, just to show Bree more of this realm? She wanted nothing more, but she couldn’t help the dread and hesitation that twisted in her gut.
“Rafe. I don’t want him to punish me again,” she whispered.
And as much as she hated herself for it, a tear slid down her cheek.
Frowning, he reached up and brushed that tear aside, gazing into her eyes with a strange intensity. It was the kind of look that felt as though he saw far more than what was merely before him. He saw deeper than that. Further into her soul.
“There is something you should know, but I fear it is not my place to tell you,” he murmured.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I truly do not know if I should tell you, Bree.”
“It’s a secret of the Prince, isn’t it?” Her heart began to race again, though this time, it was for a different reason. Was this the information that Dagen wanted? Did Rafe hold the knowledge that could get her set free? She hated the idea of betraying his trust. It was one thing to weasel things out of the Prince, and it was another thing entirely to do it to Rafe.
“I would not call it a secret but more of a lie that he told only to you.”
Bree frowned. “Another lie? I’m not surprised. He’s been feeding them to me since the moment we met.”
“He did not order that arrow to be shot at you,” he said, suddenly and all in one breath. “That was not your punishment. Hell, he did not even want to punish you in the first place. Some of the Court think the arrow was meant for him while others are convinced it was intended for you. As the Prince’s champion, any opponents of his would want you dead.”
Bree blinked and stepped back, her mind tripping over Rafe’s words. “I don’t understand. He said he ordered a guard to shoot that arrow at me to make me suffer. To scare me into doing whatever he said.”
“He lied,” Rafe said. “He thought if he told you that then it would make you stay in line. He will not say as much, but I am convinced he is worried about your well-being. He is scared the attacker will try again if given the chance.”
“That’s why he was so angry I showed up tonight,” Bree murmured, almost to herself.
All of this was almost impossible to believe. Bree had formed such a clear picture of Prince Taveon in her head. A cruel monster, one who would do anything to make her suffer. One who didn’t care what happened to her. One who took joy in seeing the pain in her eyes. But all of that had been dependent on one thing and one thing only: his order to shoot that arrow.
And it had been all a lie.
“He should have told me the truth,” Bree said. “It would have made the last few days a hell of a lot more bearable. For me and for him.”
“He is not interested in his life being bearable. He cares far more about keeping you safe than his own comfort.”
“I’m sorry. I’m finding all of this very hard to believe.” In fact, Bree kind of wanted to sit down. “He’s been nothing but an asshole to me. He’s keeping me here as his slave, for fuck’s sake.”
“I never said he was perfect,” Rafe said, running a hand down his face. “He should have told you the truth, and your involvement in the Battle for the Crown should be voluntary. But...he did not have you shot with the arrow. I just thought you should know.”
Bree loosed a breath. “Well, I’m not going to just forgive him for everything else. One not-horrible thing doesn’t make him my best friend or anything.”
A ghost of a smile crossed Rafe’s face. “No, and I would not expect it to. Now, enough about Taveon. Would you like to see our realm?”
“More than you could possibly understand.”
But as excited as she was to leave the castle, Bree couldn’t drag her thoughts away from Prince Taveon. All this time, he’d let
her think that he was the asshole who wanted her shot. And he did it in a bizarre attempt to keep her safe. To find out that he was actually worried about her? Well, she never would have guessed it. He’d made a pretty clear picture for her, one that had been etched so deeply into her mind that it was difficult to let it go now.
Rafe stepped back, smiling as his entire body began to tremble. A pair of ebony wings exploded from his back, tearing through the embroidered tunic he’d worn to the ball. Bree widened her eyes and gasped, placing a hand over her heart. She hadn’t expected...that. Those large black wings stretched wide on either side of his tall frame, his tightly-coiled muscles rippling with every beat. The moonlight glistened across his chest, highlighting every ridge, every dip of his abs, the way his pants hung low around his hips.
Bree swallowed hard. He was absolutely mesmerizing. She had never seen anyone like him before, and she’d seen thousands of people in the city on a daily basis. She tried to imagine him walking through Manhattan with those powerful black wings and those silver eyes.
Girls would crumble to their knees. Boys, too.
“So, we’re flying?” she asked in a small voice. She was impressed she’d managed to say any words at all.
“That was the idea,” he said, pursing his lips into a smile.
“I don’t have wings though.”
“No, only Dark Fae have wings. The Light Fae have not been gifted with this particular ability.”
“All Dark Fae?”
Why was she still talking? She was stalling, she realized. Regardless of her babbling, she knew exactly what Rafe had in mind. He was going to hold her and fly her through the skies, a fact that made her more than a teensy bit nervous. Heights had never been her favorite thing in the world. But more than that, she would have to be pressed up so close against him, and her blood was roaring from the thought of it.
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