Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Iris

“ W ho are you waiting for?”

I jerk upright and away from the window like I was burnt. Turning to face Alaric, I press my hands to my chest as my cheeks flush at being caught pining. “What? No one. Why do you ask?” I wince internally at how guilty I sound.

Ever since Blaise and I returned to the room, I have been stealing glances out the window in the hopes that I might catch a glimpse of Nyx. Things had not been left in the best place between us, and uneasiness has taken up residence in my chest. After pacing the room like a captured animal, I settled into a nook of the window, staring out into the darkness. Honestly, I could not see much thanks to my weak human eyesight, but something tells me that even if I could see all the way into the forest, Nyx would be long gone.

Alaric raises his brows at my reaction. He sits at the small wooden table, his hands on top with his fingers steepled together. “It was a joke, Iris. I know you probably miss your family. We did not leave in the best circumstances.” Pausing, he tilts his head to one side and presses his hands to the table as he stands, his movements feline. “Unless there is someone else you are pining after? There was that human male in your village. Were you particularly attached to him?”

Given the little display of possessiveness in the mayor’s home when we first met, he knows that Robert was far more than just a passing crush. It was made clear that we were betrothed, so why is he probing for more information?

“No,” I answer immediately, then wince and slowly shake my head. He is right, I should be thinking about my family, but instead, my thoughts are jumbled over a male I only just learned the name of. Besides, my quick answer regarding Robert deserves more of an explanation. I am not the type of woman to jump from betrothed to betrothed. That is a bond I take seriously, and for some reason, I do not want Alaric thinking otherwise.

“I was asked to pose as his betrothed for the meeting,” I clarify, my voice quiet as though revealing a secret. “I had not given him my answer.”

“What would your answer have been?” he asks, his predatory gaze locked on my face.

“I do not know,” I reply. My body is reacting to his increasing proximity, every fibre of my being coming alive and alert with each of his steps. A prickling sensation across the back of my neck has me biting down on my lip as my body seems to heat up in his presence.

Coming to a stop only inches away, he stares down at me with a knowing look, his intense eyes boring into me. “I think you do.”

He is right. In my heart of hearts, I know the answer and have for a long while. Robert has barely crossed my mind since we left Brine, and if he were truly my sweetheart, then I should be pining for him, right? Robert was a friend and welcome distraction in my village, but I quickly realised that he saw marriage to me as something to benefit him, rather than the strength of his feelings towards me.

I suppose the speed of my response should be a good indication of my answer, a subconscious part of me already knowing that any marriage to Robert would never be due to love. I pull my courage together to put my feelings into words.

“I would have said no.”

There is a heavy moment where the two of us stare at each other, only a hairsbreadth away from the other. Hearing the words aloud is a shock, making them all the more real. I would have rejected Robert. Would that always have been the case, or have my feelings only changed since a certain fae prince walked into my life? Instead of being concerned about this, I feel warm, like a light is shining within me and spreading its rays through every pore. The feeling is pleasant, and I get the strongest urge to reach out and touch Alaric to see if I can pass over the warmth, needing to share it with him.

Before I can do anything, he frowns and inhales sharply.

“Good.” He steps back from me, breaking the moment and putting space between us. “That would make things more difficult.”

He might as well have thrown a bucket of ice water over me for how quickly I was shocked out of the moment we just had. What just happened here?

My heart soared for a moment when he started speaking, thinking he was pleased I would refuse Robert’s proposal, only for it to crash as I realised the true reason he was asking—to make sure it is not going to cause them any issues going forward. Of course this was the case. Why would he have any interest in me otherwise? I obviously read too many fairy tales and have let my mind run away with me.

Unsure how to react and feeling the sting of rejection, I bite down on my lip and lean back against the window awning. Alaric turns away, sorting a pile of documents on the table, yet I feel him watching me from the corner of his eye.

“You should get some sleep,” he suggests, not looking away from his task. “We have a long day of travel tomorrow.”

My mind is wired, and the last thing I will be able to do is fall asleep right now, but at least preparing for bed will give me something to do rather than awkwardly hovering in this room. All of a sudden, I wish it were Blaise in here with me tonight and Alaric on guard duty.

Going through the motions, I take the small pile of clothes that have been found for me and head out into the bathroom. Aware of how many others are here at the inn, I do not linger, keeping my underwear on as I slide a dated but clean nightdress over my frame. It obviously belongs to an older woman, but I am very grateful not to have to sleep in my underwear. Washing my face and cleaning my teeth as best as I can with some stolen toothpaste and my finger, I take a deep breath and look in the mirror.

Dark circles ring my eyes, my exhaustion from the last few days having an effect on me. However, something about my eyes catches my attention. Frowning, I lean forward so I can see better in the dim light. The hazel irises are the same, yet something is… different . Standing back, I examine my reflection again. I seem sharper, more focused perhaps, which makes sense after everything that happened.

Perturbed, I quickly finish up and hustle back to the room. Thankfully the atmosphere seems to have settled down, and Alaric is reading a book on the other side of the room, one leg crossed over the other. He glances up as I enter, smiling slightly as he tracks my movement with his eyes. Flustered, I smile back and hurry over to the bed. Placing my dress on the bedside table, I slide beneath the covers, suddenly feeling self-conscious. His eyes linger on me for a moment longer and then go back to his book.

I attempt to make myself comfortable, shifting on the mattress and plumping up the pillows. This is not going to work. I am too worked up to sleep, and I need more answers. Clearing the lump at the back of my throat, I shift my focus to the prince.

“What is the Seelie Court like?” If anyone can tell me about their land, it will be the heir to the throne. I’m hoping that finding out more about where he is taking me will help calm my turbulent anxiety. “Until the other day, I had never left Brine, and I am starting to realise just how sheltered my life was.”

Alaric doesn’t say anything for a moment, and I think he’s not going to answer me, but he puts his book down. Sighing quietly, he rubs his eyes before meeting my gaze.

“It is nothing like your human city.”

To some, this may sound like an insult, especially with the clipped way he said it, but I do not take it harshly. Today was the first time I had ever seen the city, and I thought it was impressive and foreboding with its dark walls and tall towers. I cannot even imagine what his court is like.

He shifts in his seat, leaning forward as he continues. “The Seelie are creatures of light, magic, and beauty. We want unity with the humans, not war, and believe that we can all benefit if we work together. The Unseelie are the complete opposite.” His voice becomes heavy with warning and disgust, and his lips pull back to expose his sharp incisors. “Creatures of the night are only interested in mayhem and destruction. Many of them are ghastly to look upon and the source of the scary stories they tell in your land. However, it is the beautiful cold Unseelie that you need to watch out for.”

A chill zips through me, and the hair on my arms stands on end. I’m suddenly glad to be up here with my back to the wall where it feels safer than by the large window.

“How can I protect myself against them?” My voice cracks a little, my fear showing.

Tilting his head to one side, he considers me. “Can you fight?”

I shake my head. Fighting was never encouraged for the women of Brine, and since most of us would never leave the village, it was deemed unnecessary. After all, that is a job for the husbands, as they are supposed to protect what is theirs. Besides, I have never been truly interested in learning to fight. I am a gentle soul and prefer to discuss my way out of a situation than use my fists. Now that my life has turned on its head so dramatically, though, that is beginning to feel like a poor decision.

None of this seems to surprise Alaric, who nods firmly. “Then you run. Get to a place of sunlight or light or cross running water, which they cannot pass. The Unseelie love to make deals, so never accept one unless you have no other choice. There are some things in life that are worse than death.”

Taking his warning seriously, I nod and pull my legs up to my chest in comfort. Everything he is telling me just makes me even more fearful of the Unseelie and my current situation. This was supposed to be a way of calming my nerves, and somehow, I have managed to achieve the opposite.

“In relation to your first question, the Seelie Court is unlike anything in the human realm, so it is difficult for me to explain. Magic is woven into everything we do. Many different races call the court home, yet it is run by the higher fae, like myself.”

A frown twists my face. Higher fae? Does that mean the rest are considered lower because of their race? The concept doesn’t sit right with me, but I cannot judge until I see for myself. Besides, humans are no better. With more questions than answers, I clear my throat and try again.

“Your father is the king?”

“Yes, and I carry the weight of being the heir. It is an honour, something that is taken incredibly seriously within our court.” A shadow passes over Alaric’s face, somehow at odds with what he speaks. He stands in a movement too fast for me to register and walks to the end of the bed, leaning against the wooden bedframe.

Heat flares in me, and I have the sudden urge to press my thighs together against the need that suddenly courses through my body. My life has been pretty sheltered, and I may not have had sex with anyone, but I have explored my body in the cover of night, so this sensation is nothing new to me. What is new is that it is someone else causing it.

Alaric’s nostrils flare, and I watch as his eyes widen as he scents my arousal. “You really should get some sleep,” he says quickly, clearing his throat as he backs away. “I shall be on the couch. Good night, Iris.”

“Good night,” I respond, mortified as I lie down, curling up in the large bed and feeling strangely hollow inside. It takes a long time for the warmth between my legs to fade and for my mind to stop thinking of the topless fae sleeping on the couch just meters away.

Eventually, I fall into an exhausted sleep.