by Lumtrexa
"So what are the people like there? Did they like the commander?" I ask.
"The people of the town are very loyal to the commander and more open to outsiders. When we reach the town it might seem a little...disorderly though." He finishes.
"I see." I say.
A few hours pass and we face no trouble. Maybe Colt's too intimidating for the creepy fae of these woods, who knows.
"So what's this town called anyway?" I chirp. The sun is starting to set and my growling stomach is starting to be a hindrance
"Banexul. We will be there soon. Do not stray away from me. They might be open to strangers, but believe me when I say it is for the wrong reason." Colt grumbles.
Now it sounds like this town is more on the shady side, I'm starting to wonder what Colt's definition of "safe" is.
Soon enough, I start to notice how the forest is thinning out. From a distance I can see a rather large town surrounded by a crumbling dark stone wall. I see clouds of smoke trail into the sky, then the sound of loud yelling reaches us.
A fae with orange wings and greasy looking black hair stands by a huge iron gate.
He wears a long red shirt and simple brown pants. His boots, however, are mud free and rather sharp looking.
The grass of the forest floor thins out and a stone path leads us down the hill towards the town and the fairy man.
I don't have to ask to know this is Banexul.
Colt and I finally reach the gate of the town.
"Like I'm going to let the likes of you in here. Master hasn't come back yet and you think you can just waltz in here without so much as stating who you are. Pathetic." The town guard sneers.
"Open the gate, now." Colt growls from behind me.
"Make me." The skinny, surprisingly brave, guard taunts. Suddenly, Colt rushes past me and grabs the guard by the throat. Colt is nearly twice as tall as the guard, he holds the guard menacingly. The guard claws helplessly at Colt's hands.
"Do it." Colt says dangerously calm.
"Never." The guard chokes out. I hurry around them, the guard is only doing his job. I search for a lever, a button, anything that could open the gate.
"Ugly dumb girl. I'm the only one who can open and close this gate. Soon no one will be able to, if this idiot doesn't release me." The guard rasps. Couldn't we just fly over? Oh maybe they would shoot us or attack us if we did.
Colt throws the guard violently against the wall.
"Don't you remember me?" Colt says sternly.
"Trust me, I would remember you. Fish eyes." The guard hisses, while wiping blood from the back of his head.
I watch Colt nervously, as murky shadows begin shifting through the small pebbles on the ground.
"Colt?" I say trying to get his attention. However, he begins walking toward the guard and away from me. His stance is like that of a predator, as the guard quivers helplessly.
Suddenly, Colt vanishes without a trace. I whip my left, then right. Then, I remember the shadows on the ground. Panicked, I look at the guard in front of me.
The guard's eyes are widened in shock, his jaw quivers and he scuttles to his feet desperately. I follow the guard's gaze, which lands above my head. I look upward, seeing nothing, I turn around.
My heart jolts, I hold my breath as I quickly take in what's behind me. A tall inky shadowy figure stands hovering right behind me, if I were to move just an inch it would touch me. It looks almost spiky.
"C-Colt?" I ask trying to calm down. I know it’s him, but why is he using his fae power? He could easily defeat the guard with his strength. Maybe he thinks this will make the guard panic...
"Oh I d-didn't, I m-mean...of course, c-come on in." The guard stutters trying to recover from his shock. However, Colt remains still behind me. Maybe he's in a trance or something like Lorcan goes into. I'm skeptical, but I decide if we don't get moving soon we might draw more attention.
I hesitantly reach out to where I think Colt's arm might be. It’s just shadows, I remind myself.
"The guard's letting us in." I say gently to Colt. When my arm meets Colt's shadowy figure, a brief feeling of cold meets my fingertips, but other than that I feel nothing.
A few seconds pass and the shadows withdrawal, creeping back to the ground they scatter in all directions. Then, I can finally see Colt.
"Good. Let's go." Colt grunts.
I glance at the guard who is looking at me as if I have two heads. Then I realize I'm still touching Colt's arm.
I quickly release my hand from his arm in embarrassment. The ground below me vibrates, suddenly the gate opens. The guard now stands between the entrance to the town and us.
Colt and I begin walking past the gate, the guard steps to the side and nods his head at us.
"P-please forgive me, I'm truly sorry-" The guard pleads. Colt sends the guard a cold look, just like that, the guard shuts his mouth.
"That was a good idea Colt, he actually let us through." I say relieved as the iron gate behind us slams shut. Also, he didn't kill the guard either.
"I guess." Colt grumbles.
Hearing a loud shout, I turn my head in the direction of the sound.
"Hurry up! They'll catch on soon!" A laughing fae says running past us with...someone's head. I'm starting to understand what Colt meant by disorderly town.
I nearly gag in my mouth at the awful bloody sight. I immediately jump right to Colt's side, grabbing onto his muscular arm tightly.
He looks down at me as if he's taken aback by my closeness.
I then step away from him distracted by the headless body on the far corner of the town street. A few fae start to gather around it.
"It’s safer in the center of town, come on." Colt grunts. Then, he looks left, toward the lifeless body. His pale eyes look down to meet me. I'm surprised to see him extending his arm towards me. I have to admit I'm relieved, I quickly place my hand in his.
Chapter 35-Mickin’s Inn
After a few minutes of making quick turns and walking down narrow streets, we finally reach the center of town. At least, I assume it is, since the streets are much busier. The fae here are more diverse, I'm glad we aren't drawing much attention, if any. Everyone rushes by us, the houses here remind me a lot of town houses. However, they are all made of stone and look much more older. The smell of fresh baked goods makes my stomach grumble.
"So I take it you're from here, where exactly are we going to stay?" I ask Colt loudly over the chatter of the fae.
"The cheapest place we can find." He replies. Suddenly, he yanks me around a bend in the street and comes to a halt.
A sturdy looking building with moldy stone stands before us. There is an old wooden fence surrounding it and a gigantic smoking chimney.
"This will have do." Colt says to me from over his shoulder. I nod my head, thinking I've stayed in worse conditions for sure. As long as there's a roof over my head I can't really complain. Colt's the one with the money anyway, not me.
Colt and I quickly walk up onto the front porch, he knocks on the door twice. I hear the sound of someone walking down the stairs from inside the house. I look up over the rusting red door, to find a sign reading, Mickin's Inn.
The door pops open, an elderly looking man opens the door. His beady eyes squint at Colt, then he looks at me.
"How long are you staying?" The old man says in a scratchy voice. He turns around without another word, we quickly follow him inside the inn.
"A few days." Colt says. The old man shuts the door behind us, then walks around a dusty counter. On the other side of the room is a sitting area, a middle aged fae sits on a chair reading what looks to be a newspaper. Her hair is short and curly, she wears a long simple dress, that matches her orange tail.
Colt hands the man a small pile of coins. Then the old man opens up a drawer and hands me a small silver key.
"Top floor, last door on the left." The old man says.
"Thank you." I reply. I then walk to the back of the room and start to head up the stairs.
It isn't long before I reach the third floor. I glance down the right and left side of the hall, seeing no more stairs I conclude this must be the top floor.
"Well, this is the top floor." I say quietly.
"Must be down this way." Colt grumbles. I follow after him down the left side of the hallway. The hallway is eerily quiet, we pass four other rooms before we reach ours. Maybe most people are staying on the floors below.
When we reach the last door on the left, I walk in front of Colt to open the door. I slide the key in the lock and turn it, the old doorknob unlocks and I open up the door.
The wallpaper of the room is a light brown color and there are two twin sized beds in the room. The room reminds me a motel room. It isn't the cleanest, there's grime on the walls, but the floor and sheets on the bed look decent enough.
There is a tiny bathroom too which I'm relieved to find. I could really use a bath.
Colt locks the door, then takes takes a sledge hammer from out of nowhere and slides it under the bed on the farthest side of the small room. I really have no idea where he could of even hid that...
"Adding some homey touches?" I say amused.
I'm surprised to see a brief smirk form on his face. He doesn't say anything though. Instead, he sits on top of the bed. I guess it makes sense that he sleeps on top of the bed he put the sledge hammer under. That leaves me sleeping on the bed closest to the door.
"I'm going to get a bath." I say while walking toward the bathroom.
"Okay. When you're done, we can start to figure out what type of fae you are." He replies.
"Alright." I say. Then I shut the bathroom door with a click. I lock the door and quickly start the bath. The warm water against my skin is soothing. I quickly wash myself not wanting to take too long. Soon enough, I let the water drain and dry off. I put my clothes on and shake off my cloak over the tub. A few pieces of grass and dirt fall to the bottom of the tub. I then rinse out the tub. I finish getting the worst of the tangles out of my hair and slide my cloak back over me.
I step out of the bathroom, feeling suddenly cold, my wet hair only makes me feel more freezing. I guess I didn't notice how cold the room was before.
I step over to my bed and sit down.
Colt seems to be in deep thought as I watch his pale eyes linger on the floor.
"I'm ready to start." I say watching him. He lifts his head up and his eyes meet mine.
"First let's start by you showing me your wings, we can't do anything until I see them." He says. The faint light of the room makes his dark blue hair almost look black.
"Okay." I say. I shut my eyes and concentrate on making them appear. I try to remember what they feel like. After a moment, I open my eyes. I look behind me, to my dismay I see nothing.
"Try again." Colt grunts.
"I will." I say. Again, I try to make my wings appear, but they won't come out. Frustrated, I open my eyes again and shake my head in defeat.
"I lost them, didn't I?" I whisper while resting my chin on my hand.
"No, it might be a while...until they come back. Let's give it another try tomorrow." Colt says carefully. It’s almost like he's avoiding saying something. Then again, I don't think he really knows the side effects of unmating someone, so maybe he just really isn't sure about what's happening to me.
"Alright." I huff like a child. I plop on my back feeling the springs of my bed press uncomfortably against me. The pillow is lumpy, but it will have to do.
"Do you prefer the attic?" Colt says out of the blue. I turn over on my side, facing him.
"No." I reply quickly. He mirrors me on his bed. The bed looks tiny under him. In fact, I'm surprised he even fits on the bed. It actually looks quite funny, seeing his legs hang off the end of his bed. A laugh escapes me, but I quickly cover my mouth to muffle it.
"What?" He says confused.
"Nothing." I mutter, turning away from him with a small smile.
I pull the itchy covers over me, in attempt to get more comfy. I hear Colt move to turn the light off.
I tuck my legs up against me and cradle my arms. I end up in a fetal position.
I wonder if my wings really will ever come back again. Suddenly, I feel a strange fuzzy warm sensation on my wrists. The feeling grows more intense and turns into tickling. I start laughing hysterically at the annoying thing vibrating against my wrists. I pull my wrists closer to my face, but the darkness of the room blinds me to whatever is on them. A few minutes pass as I try to brush off whatever is on them, but the tickling continues. I turn on my other side to face who I assume to be the culprit.
"S-stop." I manage to say through laughter. Colt says nothing, I decide to turn on a light so I can see for myself what's tickling me. I reach over toward the direction of the small lamp on the night stand. I find the switch and turn the lamp on.
The moment the light of the lamp glows, the tickling stops. I glance down at my wrists and nothing is there. I look over to Colt's bed, I jump slightly when I see Colt is standing right next to my bed. His pale eyes stare down at me with mischief.
"You really need to stop sneaking up on me like that." I say slightly annoyed.
He lets out an evil chuckle and goes back to his bed.
"Really? What was that?" I ask curious. What was on my wrists?
"Nothing." Colt says mockingly.
Suddenly, I hear a clicking noise, like someone is unlocking the door of our room. Then the door bursts open. A blindingly bright light floods the room. A hunched over figure of someone appears holding a lantern, it must be the old man.
"We have one rule at Mickin's Inn." The old man says sharply. His beady eyes glare at us.
"Be respectful of the other guests. In your case, keep it down!" he screeches.
The old man turns to leave, but Colt makes a grunting noise and the old man turns back toward us. I'm tempted to just hide under my covers.
"The townspeople don't have sharp eyes like me. I may be an old one, but don't take me for a fool. Goodnight." The old man hisses under his breath. Then he slams the door shut.
Immediately, Colt and I burst out laughing.
Chapter 36-Free Food
"Why did you leave me?" Lorcan accuses me. He stands across from me in a room I've never been in before holding Silvia's hand. I can feel someone standing behind me, but when I try to turn my body around to see who it is, I'm unable to. Its like I'm frozen in place with something wrapped around me, immobilizing me. I can't even move my head, I'm forced to look at Lorcan and Silvia.
"I waited for you. Did you even notice I was gone? What was I suppose to do?" I reply angrily.
"You're my mate." He replies, like it’s the most obvious thing.
"I'm not your mate anymore." I say.
"Well, I'm not letting you leave me. You won't leave me for...him!" He yells at me. Silvia looks at me briefly and narrows her eyes in disgust.
"What are you talking about?" I say confused. I want to march right up to Lorcan and demand answers, but whatever is holding me back is preventing that.
"You don't know what he is, stay away from him Elaine." Lorcan warns me. He must be genuinely serious, he rarely ever calls me by my name.
"I don't know exactly what you are either." I fire back.
"I can't get to you where you are now. Just be careful, if not for me, for yourself." Lorcan says gently. I feel like laughing at him, if he cared so much about me he shouldn't have left me on my own outside the bar for so long.
"I'm fine." I retort. Lorcan shakes his head at me, like he's disappointed.
Suddenly, Lorcan and Silvia fade away, leaving me by myself.
"Please let me go..." I say into the quiet room. Whoever is standing behind me must be the one keeping me still.
The air around me grows thicker. Since I'm only able to stare forward, it leaves my mind to obsess over what's behind me. I feel completely vulnerable.
Even though I can't see what's behind me, I feel it come closer. I hear a faint creaking of a floorboard beh
ind me, my face heats up in anxiousness. I feel my hands grow sweaty, I glance sharply to the side.
Sensing someone less than inch behind me, I keep silent. Suddenly, the sensation of heavy breathing brushes against my neck, sending prickles along my arms. The strange warmth of their breathing brands my skin, I dare not make a sound.
Then I feel unrestrained at last, automatically I whip around. My blood runs cold when I find no one behind me. Desperate, I squint my eyes in attempt to see farther back into the room. I stare intensely into the shadows of the far wall.
"Hello?" I ask shakily. I then see something very dark rush passed me in the corner of my eye.
A cold hand lands on my shoulder and I let out a startled scream.
__________________________________________
"Quiet down. You're alright." Colt whispers, he releases my shoulder watching me. I sit up in bed blinking my drowsy eyes. I glance up at Colt to see dark circles under his pale eyes.
"Sorry I woke you up. I just had a bad dream." I say trying to sound calm.
"Some dream..." Colt grumbles, then he turns around to sit on his bed across from me.
"I take it you didn't sleep that much either." I reply.
Colt makes a grunting noise and rests his head on his hand, cocking his head at me.
His intense stare makes me fidget with my covers, I decide it’s probably time I get out of bed anyway. So I stretch my arms, with a yawn I stand up and start to make my bed.
"Your fae powers probably haven't surfaced yet, but for all I know, you might have already used them maybe without even knowing it." Colt says.
"That might be true." I say while trying to remember anything that I might have done that could have been my fae power.
"Do you feel like you ever manipulated an element, like water? Have you ever destroyed something easily?" He asks.
"No." I reply.
"Interesting. It would be pointless for me to ask any more questions. Its obvious you don't remember anything so it is more than likely that you have just yet to discover them." He says quickly.
"That's it? Isn't there some way you can narrow down what fae power I have? We could do tests or something like that..." I mumble.