Page 15 of Of Wind and Terror

We must’ve stopped walking at some point. The sun beats down on my skin, but I barely feel the blistering rays. All of my attention is consumed by Aleksander and his story.

“Thanatos and Gaia combined their powers and put Order and Chaos to sleep. Nobody knows where, and nobody knows for how long.” A frown takes over his face. “That mark on your wrist… It’s only been seen once before.”

“Where?” I sign, but he isn’t looking in my direction.

Instead, he’s focused on the contingent of fae hurrying down the steep hillside, all holding swords and spears.

Faye—a Summer fae I met and befriended earlier—leads the charge, and she smiles when she sees me.

“Death Whisperer,” she greets reverently. “It’s good to see you again. And this is…?” She jerks her chin towards Aleksander.

“I don’t know,” I confess. “Not a friend, but I’m not sure he’s a foe either.”

Her army begins to surround Aleksander, who has gone very, very still. But instead of looking furious or betrayed, he appears…proud. A smile curls up his lips as he glances down at me.

“You tricked me, my beautiful cherub.” Amusement rings clear in his voice.

One of the fae forces Aleksander to his knees while another places handcuffs around both of his wrists. I wince, hoping they don’t hurt him and unsure why I care so much.

“I knew there was a reason why you were made for me,” Aleksander whispers huskily as the fae hauls him back to his feet.

His eyes never leave mine, ensnaring them, holding them hostage, enveloping me in heat stronger than the sun’s rays. “If you wanted to play a game, cherub, you should’ve just told me.”

Just before the fae can lead him away, he leans in close, his lips a hair’s breadth away from my ear—fortunately, the ear that has maintained its hearing. Shivers work their way down my spine at his proximity.

“I love playing games, but I love winning even more. And I have a feeling this particular reward will make the game that much sweeter.”

6

KASSANDRA

”Not that I’m necessarily complaining,” Faye says a few ticks later as she reclines back in her chair.

The two of us sit in her sparsely furnished living room. Well, Faye sits. I pace incessantly. Relentlessly. Almost obsessively. My slippers wear a hole in the multicolored rug.

“But why do we have an elf in our dungeon? And what happened to the Winter fae who was hanging off of you?”

I don’t know how to respond to either of those questions.

An uneasy feeling twists and writhes in my gut, and that foreign sensation grows and grows the longer I pace. I want nothing more than to go to Aleksander and demand answers, but I have a feeling he won’t be so forthcoming after my “betrayal.”

Honestly, I wasn’t even sure my plan would work. Everything hinged on Faye recognizing me and taking immediate action against Aleksander. I was relieved when I saw her and her followers marching down the sandy hill, their swords and spears drawn and held at the ready. But that relief quickly transitioned into guilt when they carted Aleksander away.

At the same time, there’s no reason for me to feel guilty. I did absolutely nothing wrong. Aleksander was the one who stalked me. Aleksander was the one who murdered two males. Aleksander was the one who sought to kidnap me.

So why does this sinking, nagging feeling persist?

Instinctively, I lower my gaze to the strange brand on my bicep. The Mark of Chaos, if I’m to believe Aleksander.

Is he telling the truth?

What reason would he even have to lie?

I realize Faye’s staring at me, patiently waiting for an answer, so I stop my pacing and swivel on my heel. I don’t know how much to tell her, mainly because I don’t know if she’s sincere or not. Apparently, I’m horrible at judging a fae’s true intentions.

Yet something in my gut tells me that Faye is a friend, not an enemy. It’s the same voice that told me to put my trust in Cayetana and Serena.

I decide to give her an abridged version of the events that transpired.

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