Solitary Fae (Humans vs Fae Book 2)

by Charlotte Royalin

  The elk seemed to understand what I was doing, yanking itself backward. But it still couldn’t completely free itself. It managed to pull back about two inches. But any further help, we couldn't do it. I fell to my ass, panting. The elk also began to pant as well, putting its weight onto its hindlegs and resting. Its forelegs tucking underneath its chest, head remaining downward. Its eyes creepily still on me.

  "Thank you." I wept. Finding myself, while strangely at ease, finally crying in relief. Tears fell from my eyes in a steady stream of thanks. I reached forward to the elk. It instinctually pulled away from me, but settled, with nowhere to go so long as it was stuck. I gently pressed my hand into the thick fur surrounding the creatures neck that led down its breast. Its breathing eased slightly, and I took it as opportunity to press my face into it as well. Sobbing.

  "You saved me."

  I was in the woods of the fae. Not even a day, and I had almost been killed. I wanted Rolun to come from the village and take me back to the hut where I was supposed to follow him. I shouldn't have run.

  The elk began to mew now. Mewing softly before it turned into loud abrupt barks. I pulled back from the animal, wiping my eyes with my forearm as I heard sounds of approaching feet. I turned my back around just in time to spot that familiar bronze pressing through the woods. Blonde hair shining with some unknown gleam within, and an extremely furious look on his face. I froze, that calmness over me nearly fading as I focused on him.

  I expected an immediate lecture from him as he approached, but he only passed me by, standing on the other side of the elk, and dropping to a single knee. He grabbed an engraved dagger from his bandolier and jammed it into the horse’s soft stomach. I saw what he was doing, as did the elk, who began to rise to its feet. Vethari began to saw upward, the cracking of bones heard as his muscle flexed, forcing the blade to cut and saw through.

  The sound of the gore sloshing out, the sawing of the bone made my stomach begin to turn, but I had to see through that this animal was free. So, while it yanked, and Vethari cut, I began to continue pushing forward as I did before. Within minutes the elk stumbled backward, not falling at all. Rather, it quickly righted itself, shaking its head. Vethari huffed, tossing his dagger to the ground, and turning to look back at the creature which remained still. Their eyes seemed to lock for a while, then the white beast darted back off into the woods. Not so much as a glance at me.

  Though I did receive a look full of hate from Vethari. His individually sharpened teeth baring at me, reaching down, and grabbing me by the wrist, pulling me up to my feet. "Ouch, that hurts!" I complained, as he allowed me to snatch my hand back from him, rubbing it gently. "Do you have any idea what could have happened?" he put his index finger in my face. Quite rude. "Yes, I do!" I took a step away from him. "I could have died!"

  He slowly turned his head back and forth in frustration, his hands beginning to rummage through his pouch. When I thought he was going to pull out something to tether me again, he surprised me by pulling out an oddly-shaped stone, with a wide hole in the middle. Just like my mother had given me as a gift. My hand went to my throat for a moment, only realizing that I hadn't been wearing the necklace I had made from it. He grabbed me once more, pulling me against his warm chest.

  He turned me around, back still against him, keeping me against him with one arm, while the other hand held the stone up to my eye, pushing it close enough that the cold smooth surface rested against my cheekbone and eyebrow, the hole fixed right over my eye. I gasped.

  Through the hole, I could see the horse. Only, it wasn't exactly the carcass of what was once there. Its fur replaced with slimy, sickly, black-green skin, its mane still a tangled wet mass of black hair, only with spines sticking out of it, like a fish. Its mouth lacked a proper bottom jaw, with crooked, jagged teeth protruding from the top of its maw.

  "That! That is what you climbed on to take you away," Vethari yelled, my ear aching at the sheer volume of his voice. "That is what was taking you to your watery grave." I quaked in fear at the possibility of that thing pulling me into the river, drowning me.

  "What is it?" I muttered softly, my voice shivering from the prospect of being so close to death. Not only from the horselike monster, but from the fae pressed against my back. "A kelpie. And there are many creatures like this in our world. Many benevolent, and many you cannot trust." His grip on me slackened enough for me to push away from him, spinning around to look him in his eyes. His swirling golden optics fixed on me. Moving down to peer at the hands clutched against my bust in hesitation.

  "Can I trust you?" I retorted hastily, my eyes widening as I willed myself to calm once more. He was a fae, and he could not lie.

  A moment of silence passed as Vethari placed the stone back into his pouch, straightening his back, and puffing his chest outward. His chin raised slightly as he held my gaze, seeming almost conflicted as to whether he should answer.

  Another passing moment.

  "No."

  7

  I sat silently in the burrow of Vethari's home. Rolun and Ke were nowhere to be found, most likely expecting the wrath of their master for me getting away. I sat on the pallet of furs, knees tucked up with my face pressed against them as I groaned. "Ohhh, how could I be so stupid," I grumbled. Not only did I get them in trouble, I could have died.

  I let out a huff of air, looking into the shadowy abode while Vethari sat, far off in the corner on the roots turned to chairs. The mass of documents he had in his hands seemed to be of importance as he scanned over them. I sat watching him for a while in silence. A deafening, ongoing silence apart from the shuffling of parchments.

  I continued to look around the home he had made for himself, looking at the divots in the clay, the lack of any prominent decor. I finally fixed my eyes on the side of Vethari's face.

  "What?" he inquired in a monotone. not once turning toward me, instead keeping focus on whatever it was he was reading. I was a bit taken aback by the abrupt question.

  "Just looking around," I scoffed, acting high and mighty with no real right to do so, I knew in my heart. The bravado faded away the longer I watched him.

  "I thought staring was rude in your... Human customs," he said, still not giving me a glance.

  My lips pursed, focusing now onto the floor. "Why did you take me?" It was quiet, spoken on the exhale of a breath, and I was unsure if I really wanted to know the answer, or that he would give me one.

  The fae cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair, revealing his elongated, pointed ears that almost seemed to twitch. His eyes closed for a while, letting the papers fall from his hand and drift toward the floor before turning to face me fully. "I need you."

  I flushed almost instantly, confused. "You what?"

  "I need you as a bargaining chip."

  Ah, there it was. I only stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

  "I shouldn't say too much, not this soon. But if we are to get any leverage over the humans behind the white walls, I intend to use you to bargain with them. I want then to retreat from their searches that grow ever closer and continue their search for materials and nature to destroy elsewhere." His brows slowly began to furrow as he spoke, a look of frustration more than anger I thought. "They get closer and closer to our home. The fae here fear humans and using a human from their land may help."

  He rose, his right hand making a come-hither motion toward the papers that magically seemed to float upward, rearranging themselves into a perfectly neat pile. I watched him, slowly standing to get to eye level as best as possible despite our height differences. "So, you really won't kill me?"

  Deafening silence once more. "I have no intention or need to kill you. That decision will ultimately be decided by Faariin."

  I blinked, "Faariin?" Vethari stepped close toward me, slowly. I held my ground. "His word is the most trusted here."

  "So, he leads your court?" I asked, my interest starting to pique. The many things I'd learned from the fairy tales seemed to hold
some sort of semblance in truth, and I had read about the courts of fae. This seemed to amuse my captor as he began to smirk. "What do you know of courts and the dalliances of fae?"

  He chuckled. It's the first time I hadn't seen him so serious since leaving Orléa. It made my heart beat a bit quicker.

  I flipped my hair back. "I know many things of courts, human as well as faerie. I did read a bit about your people." He took another step toward me, but I remained, feet planted firmly.

  "Endearing. But my lady, we are courtless. We have no hierarchy here." This took me aback. I was dumbfounded. "But you just said Faariin makes the final decisions."

  He was standing so close to me, I could feel the abnormal warmth from his person. He shook his head, placing a hand onto my shoulder. I jumped a little at the contact, but made no move to retreat. "I said his word is most trusted, but not final. Come, it's time to meet him. Then we'll decide whether your life will be forfeit." He laughed half-heartedly, and my face fell pale. Removing his grasp, he turned and began to tread upward through the dug-out, expecting me to follow. And I did.

  It was completely dark. Stars littered the sky and the waning moon shined down upon us. The outdoors enclosure was lit by a single, giant flame from a central bonfire. Several other village fae were standing, or sitting, around the outskirts of it, close to the trees that created almost a circular barrier. The smooth stones outlying the perimeter of it. That and something else that was smooth and round, though I was pulled to the side before I could get a close look at the other stones or wood.

  To our front, another grand tree. One that seemed just as large as the one that protected the entrance to the village, only this one didn't appear to be alive. At least, not just yet. The tree had a multitude of carvings throughout its trunk. Carvings and markings that I couldn't understand. Though at the base, dead center in the middle of this tree, was a throne, carved from the tree, attached to it at the back. Elegant, smooth, and simple in its design.

  Vethari finally released my arm, putting two fingers to his mouth and blowing hard. The whistle seemed to resound through this enclosure louder than would be feasibly possible for a human. I had to cover my left ear to keep it from ringing. With this whistle, however, from either side of the throne, the wind began to pick up. The fallen leaves began to swirl around specifically in place. Then, where there was nothing, two beings appeared as the leaves tumbled back down to the ground.

  The two fae from earlier! I recognized them almost immediately, although this time they had spears in their hands. Standing at attention in a military manner with their feet wide apart, and their free hand tucked behind their backs. They stood not more than thirty feet in front of us, though their eyes remained straight ahead. I turned my eyes to the rustling that sounded from the thick shrubbery on the right side of this open enclosure, and I also noticed that we were beginning to gain even more of an audience. The villagers that we had passed through to get here gathering far behind at a distance to watch.

  The rustling grew louder, until the source revealed itself.

  There from deep within the brushes leapt out one of the most beautiful animals I had ever beheld. One that was familiar to me. The white elk from earlier, the one who had bested the kelpie and protected me. It shook, fluffing out its brightly shining white fur, displaying its massive rack of cream toned antlers. The animal then raised its head high, the massive sprawl and tangle of antlers on its head must have been heavy, so it was a strong beast. But as soon as its eyes focused on me, my skin began to crawl.

  Something was not right about this animal.

  Its eyes remained focused on me as it stepped forward, slowly but reassuring until it stood in front of the throne looking on at us. "What the!" I exclaimed as I felt myself pulled down to the ground by Vethari, who immediately took a knee at my side, though much more gracefully, his head bowing down so deep it almost brushed against the leaves that coated the floor of these woods. I focused my eyes on the creature, not bowing my head to it.

  Then the leaves picked up and swirled again, the wind blowing so hard that my hair began to blow wildly, whipping painfully around my face. I winced through the debris that also began to blow roughly against my skin. I wanted to see what was happening. Formalities of these fae be damned. Then just as when the two fae that were familiar to me appeared, the leaves slowly swayed back and forth, hiding the buck until they stopped and there before me stood not an elk.

  It was a man.

  A tall fae, with whitest hair I'd seen, with unbelievably pale, ruddy, crystal-like skin, long alabaster lashes, and pursed lips. His clothing was different to Vethari’s. It appeared almost humanlike in make. A simple cotton blouse that billowed at the sleeves and black leathered pants tailored tightly to his gaunt body. He was built well, but obviously much thinner than two humanoid fae that had revealed themselves thus far. The man stood taller than Vethari, however, and his eyes stayed unnaturally focused on us as he slowly took a seat onto the throne set before us.

  "Vethari. Ley and Batik have informed me of your arrival with your... human." His eyes flitted to the side to find purchase onto the tanned fae to my left. Still kneeling in his display of submission, head continuing to remain bowed even as he spoke to this new man. "Yes, brother." I glanced between the two of them. The way this white-haired fae addressed us was eerie and cold. No emotion in his voice that I could pick up.

  Faariin relaxed in his oversized throne, resting an elbow onto the side of the chair, and resting a cheek in his palm. Long thin fingers tapping gently against it as he seemed to be contemplating. Though, yet again, there was no emotion to be read on his face. And his dark eyes, wholly encompassed in blackness with no iris or pupil did nothing to help me gauge him from this distance. A few moments of silence seemed to pass as he was thinking. "Why shouldn't I have her killed? She seems eager to return home to warn the humans of our location," he said coldly, still relaxing with calm demeanor.

  "Wait! No, you can't!" I clambered to my feet and shaking slightly. His brows raised just slightly in what seemed amusement. "I—I won't tell anyone! I swear that to you! All I want to do is get home to my mother. She's sick. She's sick! I swear it!" I was yanked hard to Vethari's side, causing me to release an "oof" as I smacked into his hard body once he stood as well. He glared down at me, as if trying to tell me to be silent. I'd seen that look many a times as well from my father and silenced myself instantly. Maybe he could get me out of this. But what reason would I have to trust this stranger?

  "You know just as well as I, that what she speaks is true." Vethari spoke loudly, Faariin nodded slowly, leaning back into his throne with perfect posture, fingertips just barely touching each other and resting against his chin as he sat in thought. "Do you not want to kill her? Much better if she were dead. Having her kind around leads to the death of our own. As you too know as well as I."

  "What would Jaruth think of you saying such things?" Vethari growled.

  Silence, again. I looked around at each of the fae presented before me and could hear the mumbling of many others far behind me, watching this spectacle. "Oh, Vethari. Even an ibisa could smell your trickery from here." Vethari tightened himself as I looked up at him, hoping with some semblance of hope that he could get me out of this situation. "Perhaps it is you who should be punished then, for making contact with a human." The serious look on the pale fae turned light-hearted, and a soft chuckle broke out under his breath. So, he could feel something after all.

  Vethari let a small smile creep over his face as well, though his seemed to be much more forced. "Very well. That," Faariin motioned toward me casually, "will be under your supervision. Since you make the point she can't return home, and you don't wish to sully your hands with her blood. Now you have a pet."

  The other fae that had begun encircling us began to laugh with high-pitched shrills at the absurdity of it all. I would too if it wasn't my own life in the hands of this cold, calculating faerie sitting upon the throne. He was obviously a big en
ough threat that even Vethari was afraid of him. And if I was afraid of Vethari, then that was saying something. "Now leave. See me this sunrise so we can discuss the ceremony of return tomorrow for our friend whom was butchered by her kind." The fae upon the throne narrowed his eyes at me, and I thought my heart would stop that instant. I don't know how, but I could tell, I could feel the power he had emanating from him and it frightened me.

  The heavy breeze picked up, lifting the infinite amount of leaves, and blowing them over Faariin. It whisked him away as they drifted off into the wind, along with the two fae who stood guard by his side, the throne, now empty and bereft of fae. Just like that, my life had been laid in front of me, and easily could have been taken. And in some small semblance, it was. Because now I belonged to... him.

  Once more I looked up at Vethari, who continued to look on at the throne, his shoulders slackening in relief as he sighed, giving me a sharp, pointed grin.

  8

  I looked down at Rolun as he continued at my side. He was hesitant about returning my gaze. I could tell he was a bit frustrated. It had only been a few days since my official status of being Vethari's new servant. Pet. Whatever Faariin had royally dubbed me. I couldn't understand his motive. He seemed so different when he helped to defend me from the kelpie even though he didn't speak to me. But that essence of calm and ease came over me when he was there, antlers stuck in its guts that he spilt just to help a human.

  But when he wanted to serve judgement, the fact he even offered for Vethari to kill me, he just seemed different. A tug at the hem of my makeshift dress brought me out of such thoughts. Turning down to look at Rolun, he pointed ahead. There was the small little shoppe of sorts. It was out in the open, like the other businesses that surrounded us, within the base and arched roots of a tree. "That's where we're going?" I asked. There was a sign outside that seemed to grip onto the tree without anything to fix it to the trunk.