“Now can you hear it?”
“Yes!” I laughed, as Laphaniel grabbed my arms and swung me around, forcing me to dance. My feet moved, stepping with his in a frenzied dance that I didn't know the steps to, but my soul seemed to know by heart. The world became a blur, the feral choir joined by the sounds of my laughter pushing itself from my lips. I could have danced forever, laughed forever and forgotten everything that needed to be remembered.
His hands were warm against mine, curling around my fingers as he led me in a waltz between the roses. I rested my head against his chest and closed my eyes, letting my feet move without thinking. Laphaniel's hand came around my waist, his other lifting my arm so I could twirl and twirl until I laughed with dizziness.
His fingers traced my cheeks, his touch as gentle as the words he spoke to me, ghosting past his lips so that I barely heard them. His eyes flashed wicked, betraying the softness of his hands on me.
“You're almost as good a dancer as your sister.”
My head snapped up, all music suddenly forgotten. “What?”
He stared at me, all gentleness melting away to reveal what I already knew lingered just below those pretty eyes. I froze, wondering if maybe I had misheard him...hoping I had misheard him.
His thumb moved along my hand, a soft caress as he pulled me closer, his lips against my ear. "Niven was a wonderful dancer for such a spiteful creature."
I tried to pull away, but his hand tightened keeping me close. His words whispered like kisses against my skin, their meaning spiked and poisonous. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing him to stop.
“She wasn't afraid,” he continued. “But you were, weren't you? While Niven swirled around us, you huddled and wept.”
“You were there when Niven was taken,” I said, realisation hitting me hard and leaving me breathless.
“Oh, I was there, Teya,” he said. “And when I took her hand, she skipped beside me as I led her into the woods.”
I tore myself away from him, choking on a scream as I fled away from the garden and collapsed at the edge of the woods, not daring to go any further. Beneath the lengthening shadows of the trees, I broke down and wept until there was nothing left but the sounds of my ragged breath. I had never felt so utterly desolate in my life, and the terrible, the most awful thing was, I cried for the loss of a friendship I believed was blooming, more than the horror of losing Niven.
Chapter Twelve
Watching the slow sunset catch the sky alight, I tried to name some of the constellations as the stars began to shine in the deepening black, but everything looked different in the alien sky and there was no comfort to be found within it. I wondered if the sky I was looking at was so different from the one at home, if the stars wished upon up there were the same as those that fell over our skies.
A long time ago my father and I had spotted a shooting star and we had both wished upon it. He had wished for Niven back, I wished Luthien had taken me instead.
I had envied my sister for dancing so boldly under the enchanted trees, while I only trembled from their shadows, and I hated myself for envying her...for wanting to be more like her. Closing my eyes against the sparkling night, I remembered Luthien's smooth touch against my shoulder, the way her lips sang poisonous whispers to me under the old oaks. I remembered Niven’s name on those lips, along with the bitter taste on my tongue as I sold my sister, so I could dance with faeries.
Perhaps she deserved it.
As perhaps I deserved the nights of broken sleep, the gnawing guilt in my stomach, and the aching, crippling fear of the dark that threatened to tear me down even as I stood under the moonlight. It was that very fear that stopped me from running into the woods, even though I didn't feel safe lingering in the shadows of Laphaniel's home. I was stuck in a limbo, trying vainly to determine what...or who I was more frightened of.
I watched as a star flew across the sky, racing past the others as they remained stuck in the midnight. I didn't make a wish; there was nothing to gain from wishing on a memory of dead light. I leant against the garden wall and slowly slid my body down until I was sitting on the ground. I fiddled with a loose thread on my borrowed shirt and fought the urge to start crying again. Cold settled around my body like a disease.
He had taken her.
Charming, beautiful, cruel and dangerous Laphaniel had taken Niven away as I huddled out of sight. All this time, it had been him. I had slept in the bed of my sister’s kidnapper, had imagined how his lips would feel against mine...and I should have felt something like hate, but I could feel nothing but a deep and pathetic wish that it had been anyone...anything, but him.
I slowly rose to my feet as I noticed Laphaniel walk toward me, his feet barely making a sound as he moved. He made no attempt to stop me as I slapped him hard across his face, and with my palm stinging, I made to hit him again.
“No,” he said, catching my hand. “Strike me again, and I will hit you back.”
“I don't doubt you,” I hissed, yanking my hand away. “Leave me alone.”
“Wait. Teya.”
“Why?” I spun around, taking a step towards him, watching with a bitter smile as he took a single step away from me. “What have you got left to say to me? Do you think I have anything left for you to destroy?”
“Please...” He moved closer, taking my other hand. “Would you just...”
“No!” I spat, struggling against his hold. “Let me go!”
“Just wait...”
“Leave me alone!” I screamed at him. “You stole my sister away; you tore my entire family apart and left me to sift through the remains. What on earth do you think you can say that will make me hate you any less?”
Something resembling regret flickered over his face and for just a moment all traces of his wicked confidence was gone. He shifted, lifting a shoulder.
“Could you say no to Luthien?”
I turned away from him, closing my eyes as I remembered how desperate I was to please her, how I wanted nothing but to see Luthien smile at me...and she did. She lit the world alight with that smile and beneath its welcoming glow, I didn't think twice about handing over my own flesh and blood. I could still remember the melody of Luthien’s voice as she sang my name and asked for my sister. She promised me music and dancing and tiny sprites that would braid my hair with wildflowers. She would show me a glimpse of her magical world, in return for a dance with Niven...and I didn't think twice.
“There was nothing you could have done, Teya,” Laphaniel said from behind me. “She would have taken her, with or without your help.”
“She could have taken me.”
“Luthien didn't want you.”
Though he was blunt, there was no coldness to Laphaniel's voice, he was just stating a fact that I had known all along. Though the unintentional cruelty didn't make it sting any less.
“Can I ask why?”
“You can.”
I sighed as he dodged my question. “But you won't tell me?”
“If I told you, would it make you stop looking for her?”
I turned and caught his gaze and tried to hold onto it, though it was me that broke away first. “Yes.”
“You are a shocking liar.”
I felt my rebellious lips twitch into the ghost of a smile, as my heart danced a little faster against my ribs, but all the while my brain screamed at me to stop...
“Where the hell is Niven?” I snapped over the mess in my head. “Please?” I added hastily.
“Luthien has your sister, Teya, and she will be keeping her. There is no way for you to get her back now. I'm sorry.”
“Why tell me?” I asked, bitterness creeping into my voice. “You could have carried on without me knowing what you did. Did you do it just to hurt me more?”
He took a breath, not meeting my eyes, and I wondered if he regretted telling me at all. “I didn’t do it to hurt you. Would you believe I simply wanted to ease some of the guilt I feel?”
“It’s pretty selfish, actu
ally,” I bit back, recoiling from him. “You knew it would upset me, and you still did it.”
“I wanted you to trust me. That wouldn’t work if I were hiding something from you.” He paused, looking uncomfortable. “I wanted to see your reaction, to see if you would stay or run.”
“I have nowhere else to go,” I snapped. “I’m actually a little less afraid of you, than I am of the monsters in the woods.”
Laphaniel placed a hand carefully on my shoulder, and I leant into his touch, moving against him until I was wrapped in his strong arms. It wasn't okay...it was so far from being okay, but as he ran his hand over my hair, I allowed myself a moment before I pulled away.
“We're cursed.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Please just come back inside, and I'll explain everything,” Laphaniel said, giving my hand a little tug.
“Why can't you just tell me out here?”
“Because it's getting dark and cold, and I'm hungry.”
I hesitated, weighing up whether or not it was safer to go back inside with him, or stay out as night began to fall. Laphaniel dropped my hand and walked away, shooting a quick glance into the nearby trees.
“The wolves will be out soon.”
“Oh, for Christ sake!” I growled, storming beside him. “This had better be a good story.”
“I'll even cook for you.”
I held my hand over my heart and sighed deeply. “Dinner and fairytales, what more could a girl possibly want?”
“Not to be strung up and left for the dogs?”
I couldn't tell if he was joking or not, and I wasn't keen to test him, so I followed behind as he led me back into his house and into the kitchen. It was oddly rustic, with huge bare beams stretching along the ceiling, with pots, pans and dried herbs hanging from hooks. The room was dominated by a fireplace set deep within an inglenook, a heavy pot hanging over the grate. A worn leather armchair sat in the corner, a tatty blanket hanging over the back, and I could imagine him curled up there, book in hand…I stopped myself; I didn’t need to think of him as anything but a cold, heartless monster.
Sitting down at a weathered old table I watched as Laphaniel prepared dinner, plucking the vibrant feathers of some strange bird he had hanging from the rafters. He cleaned it with skilled hands, before adding it to the pot, alongside an array of deliciously scented ingredients that made my mouth water. I really hadn't realised how hungry I was until the prospect of a proper meal was in front of me.
“Do you cook often?” I asked, feeling the awkwardness of the silence that lingered over us.
“If I want to eat.”
“And you need to?” He gave me a funny look. “I mean, you don't live off sunlight or the nectar of flowers? Perhaps the laughter of children?”
“Why would you think I lived off the laughter of children?”
“Their screams then?”
Laphaniel laughed, and just like that, some of the tension between us lifted away. It made eating with him much more bearable. It was almost less awkward than sitting to dinner with my mother and her ghostly dinner guests, though not quite.
“Smells good,” I said, as he handed me a bowl filled with enticing food. “What is this?”
“Marsh bird, they flock down by the lake in their hundreds.”
I barely noticed I had finished my bowl until Laphaniel re-filled it, and I smiled guiltily as I wolfed that one down too. It tasted amazing, creamy and spicy and filled with flavours I had never tried before. The meat was tender and perfectly cooked and had a delicate sweetness to it that balanced the warmth of the spices. Feeling wonderfully full, I pushed my empty bowl away, leaning forward towards Laphaniel. He gazed back, chewed and swallowed before lifting an eyebrow.
“So....cursed?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Do tell me.”
Laphaniel sighed. “How much do you know about faeries, Teya?”
“Not much.”
“Did you know there are two Courts?” I shook my head, and he continued. “The Seelie and Unseelie are the two Courts of Faerie. Brianna ruled over the Court of Light...the Seelie with her Consort, and Soren, the Barren Queen, ruled over the shadow Court of the Unseelie. There had been no wars for centuries, the boundaries between each court were clear, and as long as each court remained on its side, no one was killed.”
“What Court are you from?” I asked, flinching as his eyes blackened at the question.
“If I were Unseelie, you would have been flayed alive,” he said, a chill seeping into his voice.
“Right. Good to know,” I said. “Please continue.”
Still glaring at me with narrowed eyes, Laphaniel poured himself some wine before offering me the blood red liquor. I took a wary sip, tasting ripe blackberries dance on my tongue alongside the subtle warmth of chocolate. I could have easily drained the cup.
“Ciaran, the King of Seelie went missing. The Queen was desolate and sent out searches that spanned as far as the northern mountains. Most of the parties never returned, most likely picked off by giants or caught by the ice witches up in the caverns. She sent knights into the Unseelie lands, some refused to go and were executed in the courtyards, the ones that did go never came back either.” Laphaniel poured himself more wine. “I have no idea why Ciaran would trespass into the Shadow Court; perhaps he was so arrogant that he believed he would be left untouched, and that the Unseelie wouldn't peel him apart and send him back to his beloved in bits.”
“They chopped him up?” I asked, closing my eyes against such brutality. “Oh, God.”
“The Unseelie have an incredibly talented surgeon, and she would have made sure he was kept alive and knew exactly where he was being posted to.”
“She?” I shuddered at the thought of such a monster, silently praying I would never be unlucky enough to meet her.
“Charlotte is the demon that fey mothers warn their children about. They whisper stories around the fire, of the spider that can carve you up without the use of a blade.”
I shuddered. “A faerie bogie-woman that scares even the likes of you?”
“Don't creep past the old oaks when the moon is full, else the spider-witch will eat you.” Laphaniel grinned, and I found myself smiling back.
“So, she killed the Seelie King?” I asked, taking another sip of my wine, enjoying the warmth it left behind.
“Eventually. His heart was the last thing to be sent to the Queen,” Laphaniel replied. “She didn't take it well, and strung herself up from the willows down by the lake with Ciaran's heart in her hands.”
“What a beautiful love story,” I said dryly. “So why did you need Niven?”
“Will you let me finish?”
“Okay, go on. What happened after your King and Queen died?”
Laphaniel poured himself yet another drink, giving me a look as I held out my own empty cup. With a small shrug, he filled mine to the top.
“The Queen had two daughters, Teya. We were left with two princesses, the eldest was Sorcha and naturally destined for the throne. And then there was her sister.”
“Luthien,” I breathed. Laphaniel nodded.
“There were many that felt that Luthien was better suited to rule, myself included. So the Seelie went to war amongst ourselves.”
“For how long?”
“Too long.”
Laphaniel closed his eyes briefly, losing himself to a memory I played no part in. His fingers played with the cup, and for just a moment he looked uncomfortable...almost restless.
“War ravaged on for years,” he continued, flicking his fingers over a candle stub and instantly bringing the flame to life. “Though finally, Luthien’s army began to get an advantage, and a few of us were able to take the Castle. We tore our way through the corridors, merciless...exhausted...bitter, and finally found Sorcha in the west tower, unguarded and alone save for a human child she bounced on her lap.
“Sorcha barely looked up as we surrounded her, but she was smiling. Then sh
e reached up, took the crown from her head, and placed it upon the child, whilst whispering words none of us understood. She then cut her own throat before we had a chance to stop her.”
“What happened to the child?” I asked.
“Sorcha had made her our Queen. Knowing she was outnumbered and was losing the war, she chose to curse her own people with a human ruler, not caring that it would weaken them. Just as long as her sister never gained the throne.”
“What did you do with the little girl?” I asked, not sure if I really wanted to know the answer. I wasn't really expecting a happy ending to his story.
“Luthien killed her in the vain hope it would allow her to rule. Obviously, it didn't work and soon we had Unseelie sniffing over our borders, picking off the weaker fey. Sorcha ensured that only a human girl would rule the Seelie Court, and as they would wither and die every fifty years, they would always need replacing. We would always try to source those that had some potential at creating a stronger court...a certain coldness or detachment from those around them, a lack of empathy...”
“Cruel and heartless, just like Niven,” I blurted out, and smacked my hand over my mouth as if I could just shove the words back in. “I didn't mean that. Niven could be a bully, but she wasn't heartless.”
Laphaniel looked at me, and I scowled back as I noticed the pity in his violet eyes. “We wouldn't have taken her if she was anything less.”
“You made my sister your queen?”
“Now can you understand why we cannot give her back to you?”
I dragged my hands through my hair and rubbed at my eyes, feeling the weight of a few too many drinks press against my temples. I took a breath, trying to take in everything he had told me, but I couldn't...I didn't know where to start. I was tired, emotionally and physically. The whole story had left me with a pounding headache.
“Perhaps it's all the wine you've had,” Laphaniel offered when I complained, grinning slightly as he tipped back the last of his drink.
Darling, There Are Wolves in the Woods Page 9