Page 65 of Fire of the Fox

He suddenly glared at me, anger rolling off him in waves. “They aren’t people, Bria. They’re evil beings with no regard for anyone other than their own kind. But yes, I killed a lot of them, and in the end, it was a losing fight for them. A Water Fae with centuries under his belt wasn’t able to stand a chance against me or any Canine Fae.

“Some Land Fae weren’t powerful enough to win against the Water Fae. For a high-ranking Canine Fae, like a Fox, the only ones who stood a chance against us were elite soldiers and those of royal birth. The royalty were obviously the most powerful among the Water Fae. Not even their own people could use their water magic against them. It came from centuries of breeding the most talented of Water Fae together to continue the strongest, purest line of raw power. Still, in the end, the king and queen knew there was no chance for their kind, so in a last attempt to save the Water Fae, they hid the prince. The remaining Water Fae followed suit, hiding like the cowards they are.”

Trying to picture the two classes of Fae going to war with each other was bizarre to think about, yet it had really happened and had only ended eighteen years ago, all because the prince was hidden away. Rune had even participated for a majority of it. That was a bitter idea to swallow, but he was from a different world than me. A lot of this stuff was hard for me to fathom, despite the fact that humans had plenty of war, too. This war felt much closer to home for some reason.

I turned back to Rune. His eyes seemed so far away, and I could tell his mind was elsewhere. I had no idea what he was thinking about, but he seemed almost wistful. This was one of the few times I’d seen a truly somber look on his face, and it pained me. I wanted him to smile, even if it was one of his mischievous or sarcastic grins. I didn’t want him reliving the pain, blood, and loss of life from long-ago nightmares.

I was looking for something to say that could lighten the mood when he mumbled, “The Water Fae King was the one who killed my father.”

My heart ripped open at the grief laced in his voice. Rune clutched the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His gaze was fixated on the road, but his eyes were still unfocused and bleary. His kind hated the Water Fae due to their own issues, but now, I realized his personal reasons for hating them ran deeper than I’d previously thought. They had taken something precious from him.

Not knowing what to say or do, I whispered, “I-I’m so sorry.”

His eyes grew dark then. I had seen his eyes cloud over before, but this was something completely different. It was as if an actual dark veil came over him as he sneered, “The king got what he deserved.”

Fear brewed deep in the pit of my stomach. I had been afraid of Rune before, but this was entirely different. He seemed so far away from me at that moment. It felt like no matter how far I reached or how loud I called, I’d never be able to get him back from wherever he’d gone. He was corrupted by a need for vengeance, and it was chilling to see.

As soon as the look was there, it disappeared just as quickly. He shook his head, as if coming out of a trance. He glanced at me and gave me a small, forced smile. “Sorry. I bet that scared you a little. The guys say I seem different when I talk about Water Fae.”

I tried putting on a pleasant face, but it fell short. I was still too shaken by that drastic change in character, so I just looked out the window. I could understand that he wanted to avenge his father, but that anger-fueled side of him was frightening. Akira, Bassel, and Marlow definitely had it right—he was a completely different person when it came to Water Fae, and it wasn’t someone I wanted to meet again.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

THE AIR BECAME more lighthearted as we finished the hour’s drive to the restaurant, although I didn’t know if I could call it a restaurant. When we pulled up to a river’s edge, my breath caught. A large, white riverboat sat docked in the water in front of me. Lights were strung along the upper railing, casting a beautiful glow upon the deck. A small ramp connected the entryway to the dock, allowing people to board, but the only car I saw was Rune’s.

I looked from the boat to Rune, my face still frozen in complete wonder. Rune’s eyes brightened as he watched me, which sent my heart reeling. It was that genuine smile of his again. My cheeks colored, but I didn’t care. I suddenly wished that I had dressed nicer for such a place.

I looked back at the boat and shook my head. “We can’t eat here, Rune. It’s probably crazy expensive!”

He gave a small laugh, the sound so foreign. It, like the delight painted on his face now, was so real. My heart wanted to dance to the sound and commit it to memory. He looked away from me with a nervous glint in his eyes, and something in my chest tightened, seeing how charming he looked when hesitant.

Was it getting hot in here?

I swallowed, trying to keep my own nerves out of my voice. “What? What’s so funny?”

He gave me a sheepish grin. “It won’t be expensive. I own the boat.”

My wide eyes traced the large vessel, then met Rune’s again. Now I was the one with the nervous laugh. He owned a freaking riverboat? Something I’d started picking up on was that money didn’t seem to be an issue for Rune or the others. Bassel owned a gym, which is where we trained. Avana was an entrepreneur who owned dozens of clothing boutiques, mystic shops, and all-natural spa services. And that was just the start.

My eyes were transfixed on the giant boat, so Rune nudged me with his elbow. “Are you just going to stare at it all night, or would you like to actually get on?”

I nodded my head, a bit too eagerly. “I’d like to get on.”

“Then try opening the door and getting out. You’ll be able to board better that way.”

Rolling my eyes at him, I was quick to open the door and jump out. My gaze was still trained on the boat as we approached it together. Its clean body gleamed a beautiful white, and all the railings and borders shined in a sleek black. It was a stunning vessel that demanded attention and reverence.

When we reached the ramp, Rune let me go first. I smiled at him before slowly walking up the inclined wood until I was inside the second floor of the boat. I gasped the minute I laid eyes on the interior. The room was large and open, spanning from one end of the boat to the other. A set of beautiful marble steps led onto the upper deck to my left and another set went lower into the boat on my right.

The floors were a beautiful and intricate design, made up of gold and red patterns. Brown leather chairs sat throughout the room in small arranged seating areas. Across from me, in the center of the room, was a 360-degree mahogany bar. An array of brandies and wines stocked the shelves. A large, crystal chandelier hung above it. Its gold branches swung out and upward, allowing strands of crystals to hang down. On the other side of the bar sat a couch that faced a large wall made of glass, which allowed people to look out onto the river.

My mouth practically dragged across the floor as I walked further into the room. Rune watched me with amusement playing at his lips. I beamed at him as I spun around in slow circles to take in the room.

“This is incredible.”

A mixture of pride and relief flooded his features. “I’m glad you like it.”

“Lord Rune.”

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