Page 88 of Fire of the Fox

My mouth fell open, and my breath quickened as panic set in. I whipped out my spray and pointed it at him. “Is-is that supposed to make me feel better? Newsflash: it doesn’t!”

Groaning, he clutched his forehead. “I’m just going to stop talking now since I’m an idiot.” He met my eyes briefly then looked at the water that poured out of the spout on the sink. When he looked at me again, he let out a heavy breath. “Close your eyes.”

My body moved away from him until my back pressed against the wall. My lip quivered as memories of the knife being held to my throat came rushing back. Cold, sharp metal. The threat of it slicing my neck like a warm blade through butter. Bile rose up my stomach.

Frowning, Blake whispered, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

I shook my head. “I don’t believe you!”

“Please. Just close your eyes.”

I shook, terror sinking its claws into my chest. My stomach was in knots, and I was seconds away from being sick. I had to use the wall for support when my knees buckled slightly. Raw fear pumped through me and shattered my mind, reaching deep within me to tear at my sanity. It chilled my skin and stole my ability to breathe and think calmly, but I had to try to focus. I had to push past my panic so that should I need to put up a fight, I could.

My eyes fell to the tiled floor, and I gripped the pepper spray canister with trembling hands as if my life depended on it. While fear begged me to dart from the room, another more alluring sound called me to remain calm and to listen.

“P-please don’t hurt me. If-if I close my eyes, don’t come near me, or else I won’t hesitate to use this.”

I glanced up at him and watched him nod. My heart hammered in my chest. I didn’t trust this bastard as far as I could throw him. Still, I let my eyes flutter shut with that soft lullaby creeping its way back into my mind. I held my pepper spray out, waiting for something. I didn’t know what I was expecting. The feel of a knife slicing through me? An evil laugh before a declaration that I’d been tricked?

I could have never expected what did.

With my eyes still firmly shut, I heard the gentle sound of moving water. The trickling whisper of it drifted closer until I felt the cold touch of the water kissing every inch of my face. It cupped my cheeks and forehead, clinging to me. Instantly, its riveting current soothed the pain from my face. It didn’t stop there. The liquid traced along my skin and under my clothes, relieving all the pain in my ribs and back. Finally, the water dripped away, falling from me in small drops.

My eyes fluttered open. I expected to see Blake standing before me with a hose or something he could’ve used to run the water over my face, but he stood on the other side of the room by the sink. His grin was large and bright as he took in every inch of me.

“There’s that beautiful face,” he said. He stepped away from the sink and gestured to the mirror hanging on the wall above it. “Come look.”

At a loss for what had happened, I watched him carefully. I chose to ignore his calling me beautiful, and instead, approached the mirror. When I peered into it, my eyes went wide. The canister of pepper spray slipped from my fingers as my hands flew to cover my mouth in astonishment. All the bruises, cuts, everything was gone. I was completely healed.

Blake stood behind me, looking at me through the mirror. His smile never faltered. “I told you I could help your injuries.”

I was so shocked to see myself healed and to feel no pain that my mind stuttered as it worked to process how this could happen. I looked down at the water, which was still running, and my heart stopped as it dawned on me.

Water.

Ability to heal.

Slowly, I turned around to face Blake. My hands fell back down to my sides, and my voice caught in my throat. “This can’t be happening. You’re Water Fae, aren’t you?”

Chapter Thirty-Seven

IT WAS BLAKE’S turn to look at me in surprise. The look was quickly replaced by excitement. “So, you are Fae, right? I knew it! I always thought there was something special about you. After what you said back there, I wasn’t sure, but seeing as how you know what I am, you must be Fae, too.”

I gave a nervous laugh and leaned against the sink for support. Was the room spinning, or was that just me? “Sorry to disappoint, but no. I’m not Water Fae, but apparently, everyone else around me is.”

He frowned. “You aren’t? I could’ve sworn you were.”

I sighed and shook my head. I couldn’t believe this was happening. “I’m human.”

“Why’d a Bat Fae attack you then?”

I shrugged. “That’s the million-dollar question. Maybe because I have a lot of friends who are Fae?”

His eyes went wide. “You’re friends with other Water Fae? Is Rune one? I couldn’t sense if he was Water Fae when I saw him.”

Curious, I narrowed my eyes at him. “What did you sense he was?”

“Nothing. As far as I could tell, he was just a human with a wicked right hook. A lot of Fae conceal their magical auras to avoid being detected by the enemy, so it’s hard to tell if someone you meet is Fae or not. You, on the other hand, I could vaguely sense your aura, so I thought you were maybe one of us.”

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