by Rebecca Grey
A few of those hidden coins jingled in my pocket as it bounced against my leg with each step. The night was getting brisk and a bitter cold wind, blowing over from the Twinity Court, was dusting everything in a heavy frost. Even in that cold, these clothes were still too much. Apparently, from what I’d learned so far though, if I were to strip down back into the cloth of my queen’s guard it would be mildly alarming to everyone else around me. A highly sensitive people that the right to be naked was saved for special occasions and the pathetic musings of the king.
Ahead of me bushes rustled, probably just the stirrings of a nocturnal animal. Slowly, as I neared, I could hear the hushed voices. Whispers fast and frantic amongst the trees. I was far ahead of where the guards that usually made their rounds to watch the castle grounds stopped. It was a mile ago I gave a nod to the last of them as I pushed forward.
I slowed my step, ready to eavesdrop like the best of them. But the whispering stalled. The night released its usual quietness and mystery. On gentle footing, I edged closer but only silence greeted me.
That was until I made my next step.
The brush rustled again in a whirl of hushed tones until someone emerged, stumbled, from the dense trees and onto the cleared path. A servant I recognized immediately. Each pointed feature on her face that lead to that fiery tongue I hated to bicker with. Red.
Red stood in my path, the moonlight revealing her as she clung to herself. Her arms were wrapped so tightly over the pathetic pieces of cloth they called clothing. That was her only sign of vulnerability. Everything else was mean and calculated, from the scowl on her lips to the wide defensive stance she took.
“What are you doing out here?” I finally managed.
Red cleared her throat glancing back at where she came from, then at the trail under our feet. As she began to speak I could hear whoever she was whispering to attempting to scurry off. I should have stopped them. I should have, but really I didn’t care. Who was I to monitor the servants so closely? A guard, oh yes, a keeper, that’s right. I had to remind myself of the ridiculous job I had taken since coming here.
“I was out to get some herbs for the king’s dinner tomorrow.” Satisfied with her lie, Red pursed her lips.
“There is none in the king’s personal gardens?” I knew I should be pushing this, grabbing her frail arms and dragging her back to her chambers with the other nymphs. But my mind was still spinning on other thoughts. What would Eydis do in this situation? Eydis would forgive and hide the small endeavor as best she could to save the hide of someone else. Eydis was pure and kind.
“I, uh, no. It’s a very rare herb that can only be found closer to the border.” She pointed in the direction I was facing.
“And you have not found some?” I asked. Eydis was pure and kind but I was not. I stepped closer to her reaching out for her arm.
Red flinched away. “No, I have not found some you nasty keeper. It’s a rare herb. It’s rare,” she repeated, shaking her head. She was lying, I knew it, felt it deep in my bones.
“Whatever you say. Let me escort you back.”
She swallowed, bringing her hands down in front of her and wringing her fingers. Apparently, Red wasn’t always confident and mouthy. Her steps were small as she made her way to my side. I had to slow my own pace to keep her next to me. Was she thinking of making a run for it? Surely, not. From what I could tell, the fae were much more powerful than these creatures they owned.
It was quiet as we walked back toward the castle and its main grounds. Too quiet, it bothered me. It bothered me to not know what she was thinking, what she was really doing out here. It couldn’t be anything good.
“Tell me about your people,” I began.
Red glanced up at me, a smile playing on her parted lips. “Are you not bothering to hide the fact that you are not one of them now?”
The reserved quiet reared up again.
“I traveled a lot, I told you.” I looked back, holding her gaze.
“That can’t be true. If you traveled so much in your life you would have seen my people. You would know and be friends with us. We had no home. We lived on the road just as you suggest that you had.” Her eyes lit up as she thought back on the memories fondly. “Not one court would hold us down. We weren’t bound to a king or a people. The sun of the Heathern Court was as much ours as the fluffy snow in the Twinity Court.”
“What changed?” I knew I was giving myself away, but I had already done that with my ignorance of this place and its people.
Red’s smirk was telling. “The fae. Supposedly, they were threatened by us. Though we never envied what was theirs nor did we have hate for it. My people are peaceful.”
“You don’t seem all that peaceful,” I snorted.
Her eyes narrowed on me. “The king of this court and the others took away my peace.”
I stopped before we got close enough we would be met by the rest of the patrol guard. I needed to know more. Birds of the night cawed and cooed around us as the breeze lifted, blowing my hair into my face. I brushed the strands away from my eyes.
“Why would fae be threatened by you? You have nothing.”
Red looked appalled, her mouth falling open and her eyes wide with anger. “We had everything,” she hissed. “We had powers that would rival your own. Strong power gifted to us by the Mother of Nature herself.”
“This.” She pointed, running her fingers through her hair. It wasn’t till she parted her hair at different places did I notice the ridges and dark pattern of skin on her scalp. Like a tattoo. “This is our tell. Even if we don’t have markings of our powers,” She brushed her fingers along the black smears of ash that had always stained her skin. “It’s what physically tells the difference between you and I.”
“What does it mean?” I questioned but I didn’t know how long she would freely give me these answers. I wasn’t sure why she was giving them to me now.
“It means I am gifted with air” She paused lifting her hand up slowly before she quickly folded both arms over her chest. “Do you have gifts? I assumed not since you are a keeper. Most keepers are just run of the mill fae.”
“Are you trying to find my weakness?” I chuckled softly. “I’m gifted in torture, if that means anything. I have a good sense for when someone is lying.” I kept my eyes on her and she kept hers on mine. Even though I could tell she wanted to look away.
“Oh,” she whispered.
Yes, I knew. I knew she was lying about the herbs just as much as she knew I was lying about my travels.
“So you can tell when others are lying but you can’t lie very well yourself?” She bit her lip holding down a grin.
I huffed out air, trying to hold back my amusement. The moment was short lived. Someone had turned on the path toward us. I hadn’t a clue why I did it. Fear for Red? Mostly fear for myself?
In a flash, only the best eye could see, I tugged Red against a tree to shield us from the stranger's eyes. Under my touch, she went rigid.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“Someone is on the trail. I have secrets and you have secrets. Do you wish to share your fake story about herbs to this guard and hope he believes it?”
“No,” she sighed.
The steps of the guard grew closer. They must have seen us. Why else would they venture so far from their regular routes?
My eyes widened, at a loss as to what we should do. What could I do? How mad would they be that I was out on a stroll with a nymph when she should be locked away in her chambers? Would the king himself punish me for this?
Twigs on the trail crunched under nearing boots. The slightest even sound of breathing, much calmer than my own, traveled on the wind. The guard was so close now.
“Kiss me,” Red said in a panic.
“What? No.” I glared down at her. No way was my mouth going to touch her brazen lips.
“Just do it.” She reached up and gripped my cheeks, pulling me down to her in demand. She was hard as steel as
her mouth parted for me, no emotion put into this kiss. Nothing but necessity was in the embrace. The guard would see us at any second and she put on a show for him. Red weaved her hands through my hair gripping strands tightly as she pushed me closer to her yet.
I let my body align with hers, my lips moving in a fake passion against hers, but my arms were planted wide against the tree. I couldn’t bring myself to touch her, no matter the ruse.
I could feel the presence of the guard now. The man had stopped on the trail next to us. Finally, he coughed loudly.
Quickly, I pulled away from Red who was already continuing her performance as she gasped loudly at our visitor, her hands falling from my face to rest against my chest.
The guard was Marcus. Of course. Internally, I crumbled. I would not let them see it. But Red may have felt it in the intense beating of my heart.
“Milo?” Marcus questioned.
“Yes, sir?” I rasped out of the shadow of the tree.
He balanced his hands against his hips, looking down his nose at us. “We frown upon relations with the nymph.”
Red shifted next to me uncomfortable. Marcus looked between us at the way she still had her hand pressed against my heart. Perhaps the only thing that was keeping it from beating out of my chest was the pressure from her hands.
“Especially romantic connections.” He raised his eyebrows.
I stepped around some fallen sticks and stepped onto the trail again. “No, no romantic connections here.” Red stayed against the tree, her eyes cast down to her feet.
Marcus beamed at me. “Just primal urges, huh?”
Oh, this man was sick. But I knew that was the answer he wanted. He wanted to know I was just as messed up as he was, that I would take this woman from her bed and bring her out here against her will to serve me.
I nodded, slowly.
“Get her back to her chambers now and be on your way. Sorry to break it up.” Marcus slapped my arm and pushed past us and continued on the path I had just walked from.
Neither of us moved for a long moment as the distance between us and Marcus grew.
“How did you know that would work?” I finally asked, offering her my hand to help from the woods.
She kept her gaze against the ground. “You don’t think the guards don’t take us to these woods to meet their needs?”
I dropped her hand, knowing she had been touched in such an unwanted way. I fought to keep the bile down that wanted to race up my throat. I had done many evil and terrible things in the name of my queen, I had torn grown men to shreds under my knife, but never had I placed a hand on a woman that wasn’t asked for. Begged for even.
There was nothing like the tremble of a woman who needed you so urgently, wanted your touch so badly that she would say her needs in a hushed tone against your ear or shouted it until it rang out around you. Nothing better than knowing she wanted you.
Eydis had never asked for my touch.
I sucked in a deep breath. “Let’s just get you back to your bed now.”
EIGHTEEN
Ryker
I decided to skip dinner and made my way to my bed instead. My whole body was aching. I knew it could be worse. I’d had worse pain in the Heathern Court, but I still babied my sore muscles and burning lungs. Even my magic felt sore, somehow.
With every step I dreamed of how my bed would welcome me. Not that I could sleep. My mind danced between ideas of how our rebellion could act. This was a real rebellion and it could do a number on how power was balanced.
At my bedroom door, I twisted the knob. My eyes fell straight to my bed, where I longed to be. Two scuffed boots rested on top of my covers, the owner wedged against the headboard staring at the ceiling. His shining eyes slowly lowered to me.
“I tried to tell him to leave.” Hattie coughed from behind her book.
Dace stood quickly, not even trying to be meek about slithering his way into my bed. Mother, that sounded bad. “Well it’s my last night before I need to return home and I want to spend it... Well, how I want to spend it.”
“How princely of you. Now, tell me why that has anything to do with me?” I rubbed my neck trying to relieve some of the tension. Even the stretch of my arm could be felt down the back of my tricep and into my side.
“It has everything to do with you.” A wicked smile spread slowly over his cheeks. The smallest shiver ran down my spine at the sight of it. “Now turn back around and come with me.”
“I don’t want to go anywhere with you.”
Or any other fae in existence. Why me? Why did he want to spend time with me, on his last night?
Dace rolled his eyes like he didn't quite believe me. Did I really believe me? My interest peaked. But there was also an underlying layer of nerves at the thought of going.
Exasperated, I dropped my hands to my side letting them clap against my legs. “Where are we going?”
“Don’t worry, I got permission from mother hen, Hattie. So no need to fret about getting in trouble. You’ll get to sleep in tomorrow too, Graceson still owes me from the last bet that he lost. But it is a surprise. You’ll like it.” He tapped his head reminding me of his powers that he wouldn’t let me forget about.
I gritted my teeth as he sauntered by me and into the hallway. With one last fleeting look of bewilderment at Hattie, I sulked after him. My teeth cut into my lip as I bit down. I wanted to assess each turn we took, my mind churning on the possibilities of where we would go.
Slowly, Dace fell into step next to me. His shoulder brushed mine. It was comforting in a way knowing I wasn’t alone. It reminded me of how Daethian and I had walked together in the Heathern Court.
But I wasn’t in the Heathern Court any more. I was here, in the Acture Court, walking free. Almost free.
Free within the confines of this little bunker in the Acture Court at least. While we were here working through the days to learn what we needed to fight back against our oppressors, using the evenings for fun and relaxation, our people were suffering. It was an unsettling thought, a guilty one.
We made our way outside in silence until my boots ruffled the tall grass. He stopped, turning to me.
“Shouldn’t you say thank you?”
My mouth nearly fell open. “Thank you for what? We haven't done anything yet.”
“Oh, I’m looking for a thank you for what I did for you in the Heathern Court.”
“Seriously? Did you drag me out of my room for that? To pry a thank you out of me?”
“No.” His hand came up to rub his chin for a moment. “I still have a surprise but I figured we could get the more awkward part out of the way now if you wanted.”
“No, I don’t want to.” Stubborn, I was being stubborn. In my defense he was being absolutely ridiculous trying to force me to say thank you. He did not deserve my manners. Not while the nymphs in his court were still slaves.
The night air had a nice cool breeze that tossed my hair in my face. It created a slight chill in the evening that was pleasant enough to be outside in but still a few degrees colder than it had been during the day.
“The night is still young, there is plenty of time to thank me later. You trust me?" Dace asked.
“Not at all...” I finally smiled.
“Jump on my back, close your eyes, and don’t peek.” He squatted before me, offering me his wide muscled back.
“Isn’t your royal family gifted with travel manipulation?” I paused wondering why I needed to climb his back. His magic should be able to take us wherever he wanted in one instant.
Dace coughed. “Yes.”
“So do I need to climb your back so I don’t get bucked off in the instant travel?”
“I, uh,” His voice sounded uncertain. “I’m not practiced enough to use that ability and take someone with me. I was just going to carry you and run so it could remain a surprise.”
A grin lifted my lips at the idea that there was something the prince wasn’t good at. I was dubious as I placed my hand between
his shoulders, hidden by another suit jacket. Momentarily, I traced the bright threads woven into the jacket before climbing onto his back. I clung to him wishing away all of my ill feelings as I dropped my face into his neck and let his scent wash over me. He didn’t wait for me to confirm I was ready before he took off in a full out sprint.
I squeezed my eyes so tight blurred spots appeared behind my eyelids. I only knew we were making our way through a forest because I could feel the trees whipping us as we ran along. Gingerly, I let small bits of my magic loose. It wasn’t as much as I wanted to do or was trying to do, but it helped. A tree limb here, a bush there. My magic tossed them to the side clearing parts of a path as we surged forward.
“All right, we’re here.”
I blinked into the evening as he set me back to my feet. Still water, black as the night, started at the end of a small beach. The surface was the perfect still image, a crystal mirror of the twinkling sky above. Fireflies danced opposite us like a string of lights. Trees surrounded the small pool, bloomed with large flowers that my magic yearned to recreate.
Next to me, Dace began shimmying out of his clothes, kicking off his boots into the sand. I gave him a narrowed look. My fingers skimmed over my own clothes indecisive if I should also be removing them.
“Well, we can’t swim in our clothes now can we?” He waved a hand toward me, raising his eyebrows in question.
I had a choice. I could take my insecurities and anger and head home or I could enjoy the night and forget my nerves.
“Why didn't you tell me to bring swimming clothes?”
“Because you have swimming clothes on already, under there.” He gestured toward the clothes that still covered my body.
I fought to tame the blood that rushed to my cheeks at the thought of him thinking about what I had on under my clothes. But he was right. I did have actual undergarments on, something that was new to me since coming to the Acture Court. They would work as swimming clothes. Removing the clothes that covered them was an entirely different thing though. It was vulnerable.