Page 2 of Dark Fate

My pulse races with suspicion. Is this some game to him? A sinister ploy? I can't afford to let my guard down until I findRhyland. Every unknown face is a question mark, a potential threat in disguise.

"You're quite the enigma," he muses, curiosity sharpening his features. "A human, yet your aura tells tales of hidden magic."

I raise an eyebrow, not loving how he's eyeing me like I'm some puzzle he's just dying to solve. Hand over my aces to this guy? Yeah, that's a hard pass. Suppressing an eye roll is a Herculean effort. "Oh, please. I'm nobody special," I chide, my sarcasm as thick as molasses.

His brow quirks in disbelief. "Just a regular human who defies deadly rapids and survives?"

Silence is my shield as I guard my secret closely against his perceptive gaze. The odds I've overcome gnaw at me—how the hell did I survive such a fall?

"And you are...?" he gently prods.

I reluctantly offer my name. "Dani."

"Dani," he intones with a certain reverence that makes me want to squirm. "My name is Faderyn." He eyes me with a measured intensity that sets my nerves on edge. "Your arrival here isn't by happenstance. What brings a human to the Fae Realm, especially one cloaked in such mystery?"

Danica

2

Ihesitate, weighing my options. On one hand, spilling my guts to a complete stranger—even a ridiculously attractive one—goes against every instinct I have. But on the other, I'm lost, alone, and in desperate need of answers. And right now, Faderyn is the only lifeline I've got.

I wrestle with my hair, which seems to have declared war on my crown and turned into a tangle of knots.

"I'm looking for someone," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "Someone important to me."

Faderyn's expression softens a flicker of understanding in those ancient eyes. "I see. And you believe they may be here, in theShadow Court?"

I wiggle nervously, his intense gaze prompting discomfort. "It's complicated," I sidestep the full truth.

Faderyn's anticipation doesn't falter, and eventually, I relent, dishing out the Reader's Digest version of Azrael's assault, the unexpected portal, and my plummet into this mess.

His brows furrow, etching lines of worry. "Portals? That's ancient history, practically myths now. We thought those pathways extinct, forgotten by all."

I can sense the empathy radiating off Faderyn like a warm breeze, but I'm no wide-eyed ingénue ready to swoon at the first sign of kindness. I've been around the block a few times, and I know better than to let my guard down just because he's flashing me a sympathetic smile and a set of killer cheekbones.

It's obvious that Faderyn is flying blind when it comes to the true extent of my abilities and the role I play in this whole cosmic cluster-fuck. He may think he's dealing with just another damsel in distress, but little does he know, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve that would make even the jaded Fae double-take.

But I'm not about to lay all my cards on the table—yet. I'll play along with his little sympathy parade, but I'm keeping one eye open and my bullshit detector set to maximum sensitivity. If he thinks he can lead me down the primrose path with a few well-placed platitudes and a dazzling smile, he's got another thing coming.

"That old portal? Just my ridiculous luck," I say with a shrug, masking the lie with breezy nonchalance.

I maintain a façade of indifference, my fib game strong.

But it seems he's got a nose for authenticity. His emerald eyes are fixed on mine, disconcerting intent within their depths. "Portals don't just pop up uninvited, especially for humans. What potent forces could've torn through realities?"

Damn. He's sharp. I squirm, panic rising like the tide—if the word spreads about my power-up...

"I wish I knew," I say, playing the card of confusion. That's not even a stretch.

He watches me, an unreadable expression in place. "Mysteries seem to flock to you," he muses.

A thud of adrenaline hits. I need to tread carefully; this Fae's academic curiosity could swerve into dangerous territory faster than a rollercoaster off its rails.

Faintly nodding, he gives me space—well, sort of. His eagle eyes still pin me, clearly earmarking our chat for further scrutiny.

I'm mentally thumbing through my talks withAdrian—his Fae for Dummies didn't include a chapter on shadow kings or moonlit courts. "So, the whole Fae shindig's just a fab five?" I venture eyebrows arched to invite an explanation.

He exhales, the response coming after a deliberate pause. "There used to be a wide assortment of courts," he details, "but strife has a way of crafting history. Only the strongest courts, Sun and Shadow, claim dominion now."

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