Page 14 of The Witch & the Grizzly

Of course, that could have been a lie.

Ahead, the brown smudge he’d seen unfolded into a twisted little cottage. It didn’t have the architecture that humans preferred, straight and uniform. It was uneven, crooked, woven out of branches that were slotted together, forming a house.

The potion burned within him as he walked to the cottage.

I assume this is where I’m supposed to go. I guess I’ll find out one way or another.

Hopefully, he wouldn’t be gutted like a fish. That might make for an awkward greeting.

It was probably best if he didn’t voice any misgivings, either. You never knew what might be listening in the fae realm. Taking a deep breath and rolling his shoulder until he heard a satisfying, he went straight to the door, no dithering, and knocked sharply.

There was no answer. He waited patiently. If someone were inside, they would definitely have heard him knock. He waited one minute, then two. It was a long time to wait, but he didn’t knock again. Instead, he listened for any sound and looked around to see if he could spot any movement.

The door creaked open. An astonishingly beautiful but old female fae stood before him. She had dark blue skin, deep silver eyes, white hair, and tribal-like tattoos on her face. She wore a robe that seemed translucent, almost teasing the shape within but still leaving a decent amount to the imagination.

He had a very, very strong suspicion that she was a succubus.

I absolutely hate Morgryn. I hate, hate, hate that piece of shit, just wait until I get back and –

While his thoughts raged internally, outwardly, he smiled and bowed. “Greetings. I understand that you are the lady of this house, and your name is Greer. I did not ask for your full name.”

The Unseelie examined him intently without changing her expression. Nathan didn’t sense a glamour on the Unseelie. She was naturally like this. He waited, sensing it best not to speak further until she had examined him and said her piece.

“Yes, that would be me,” she said in a rich, reverberating voice like someone used to public speaking or singing, possibly. “And who are you, mortal? You smell of both the mortal realm and the fae realm.”

“Nathan,” he said, careful not to give his surname. While Morgryn knew it, Nathan didn’t plan on giving it to any other full-blooded fae he encountered. The risk was simply too great. “I am indeed half of this realm, half of the mortal realm,” he said.” May I come inside so we can talk further?” He flashed his most brilliant, charming smile, feeling the soft thrum of his magic and the pulse of Eva’s potion, giving him extra insight into the interaction.

After a pause, Greer inclined her head and invited him in. The cottage was both orderly and chaotic at the same time. While everything was neat, nothing really matched. Colors clashed, and things were not in logical places. The table they sat around was in a glassy alcove, which also appeared to be a bedroom. The bed itself was shaped like a cocoon, the bedding fluffy and warm.

“I assume you’re not foolish enough to drink or eat something a fae would offer,” Greer said, sitting opposite him, clasping her hands and thrusting out her chest. “Or maybe you are, and I’ve played my hand already.”

Again, he smiled, his green eyes meeting her gray ones. “My task is not an urgent one, so I hope not to interrupt you for too long,” he said while her eyes trailed over his form, taking in his physique. Already, he sensed a physical interest there.

“Well, what brings a pup like you to my door?” she asked, an easy smile on her lips. She likely believed herself too powerful to worry about someone like him.

“Thank you. As you’ve already sensed and I’ve mentioned – there is fae in me. My quest is a simple yet exhausting one. A few years ago, I was questioning who might be my ancestor. I have asked, cajoled, and wheedled for information. I believe I have a grandfather who was a full-blooded fae, but I never knew him, my mother never knew him, and my grandmother remembers nothing. Most likely, she was glamoured, and her memories were lost forever. Ever since I was able, I’ve been seeking a way into the fae realms, exploring, and trying to find out who my grandfather was. He most likely doesn’t even know I exist.”

“Oh, how exciting,” Greer said, biting her lower lip in a way that Nathan knew was meant to affect him. “Unknown children of such strong blood always create quite a stir in our societies. We did dabble more with mortals in the past – after all, almost all magic that exists today is because of direct and indirect interactions between your realm and the fae realms.

He sensed she was telling the truth. He had piqued her interest and felt confident enough to continue. “That was the impression I had. Hopefully, whoever I may be related to would be interested in knowing me. I don’t know, of course. But there is only one way to find out. One lead I have, which I was led to understand you might be able to assist with, is that the fae I may be related to had some involvement in the mortal realm about forty or so more years ago. I understand your kind do not visit much anymore,” he said, noting the intense flash of anger in her eyes, “so I’m seeking the individual who signed the separation treaty back then. I don’t really have any other leads, though any would be appreciated.”

At the mention of the separation treaty, the fae’s nostrils flared slightly, and she sat back, her hands gripping the table.

“And,” she said carefully, “you have heard that I might know of this? Do tell.”

“Well, anyone in the Unseelie realm potentially,” he said, smiling and trying to appear as genuine and guileless as possible. His magic told him she wasn’t quite buying it. She was cautious now, and he wondered if she was one of those who turned their back on Morgryn. Still, he had to persist with his deception. Morgryn had made it very clear that there’d be consequences if he didn’t follow through. “Your name came up. I will find others. I will visit them, too. I do not even expect you to have the answer I seek. But if you can tell me anything about the person who signed the treaty – if you know where he is, that’d make my journey a lot shorter.”

He leaned forward, implying with his body language that he found her mesmerizing and alluring. Even though he actually didn’t. Still, he needed to play the part.

“I see,” she said, though her body remained tense and cautious. “Yes, I suppose it is known in the mortal realm that one of us signed the treaty. I assume you’re looking for everyone who was involved, yes?”

“Yes. But… I confess I wanted to start with the Unseelie. They’ve always been the most mysterious, the most intriguing of the courts to me. The mortals paint you as evil, wicked. But you just operate on a completely different level of morality. You are free, even more than the others. And it would please me greatly if my grandfather was, in fact, Unseelie.”

His attempt at flattery appeared to work. He likely seemed like a vapid human drunk on tales of the fae without knowing the true ways they operated. Certainly, her posture relaxed, her hands became less like claws, and her playful smile returned.

“I can tell you something of the one you’re searching for, but I’m afraid it may not be the best news,” she said, coolly examining her perfectly manicured nails. “I will expect something in return for the information, of course.”

“Naturally,” Nathan said, his throat going dry. God, if he needed to bed the fae, it wouldn’t look good to Eva, especially now when he wanted to try and develop something with her, even if he’d done such things in the past.

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