Page 52 of Shade of Ruin

Cole’s standing so close to me I can barely focus on the massive steel topped stone walls that loom in front of us. The heat of his body is like a furnace next to mine, and it washes over me in waves, reminding me far too much of last night. With how close we’re standing, we keep brushing against each other, and each time we do, there are flashes of our betrothal ritual.

Flashes of being one with him. Of feeling the world through his body. Of seeing with his eyes. Of wanting so much more than I ever have.

And that strange obsidian tower.

The world around the city of Draenyth is different from the rest of the walk. It’s… civilized. There’s an obvious effort to keep almost a thousand yards clear of any kind of brush or debris. Even the grass has been cut down so low that no one could sneak up to the walls at night.

The road to the city gates is busier than any place I’ve ever been in my life. It’s overwhelming to me after having lived n a place where we’d never had more than fifty people in one place. The amount of movement has my hunter’s brain having trouble keeping track. All those details and all that movement have me seeing a blur. The sounds of wagons and people and animals are like thunder that won’t ever end.

And the smells… I can’t make out any of them. There’s so many. Even sitting around a fire with almost forty people, I could make out nearly every distinct scent. But this? This is like walking into a spice trader’s tent and trying to describe it.

Cole is silent as we walk, even though Darian and Lee keep up a steady conversation. They just pretend like he’s not there. I try to chat with them, to take my mind off the fact that I feel like I should run away and hide in a hole until I can concentrate on anything, but I can’t focus enough. Underneath everything, that magical drumbeat inside me is pounding heavily. My breath comes out even only because I force it. Just being this close to Cole is making things difficult for me.

I never would have believed that leashing my desire for a man I don’t particularly enjoy would be a life or death issue. More than that, I never would have believed that I’d have such a hard time doing it.

The gate to the city is open wide, and travelers, merchants, and every type of Fae walk through it without questions or hesitations. None of them are humans, though. So many different creatures. Wings, tails, fur, and claws are the image that I see as we walk toward the crowd at the gate. I’m so thankful that I spent that time in Aerwyn. It’s almost like Cole knew what he was doing or had a plan.

It's something from a nightmare. Everything that has terrified me of the Fae is standing in front of me. If I hadn’t been to Aerwyn and gotten used to the idea that not every Fae wants to eat me, I would have run as fast as I could.

“There really aren’t any humans?” I ask.

Finally, Cole turns to me. “There are some humans in Draenyth, but almost none that you’d want to trade places with. Remember this, Maeve. You are not a human. You are a Wyrdling, and that’s a far cry from a human. Even if your powers are minimal, you have rights here. Humans do not.”

Darian turns to me, just as seriously as Cole, “But that doesn’t mean you’re safe. Don’t go running around without one of us. You may smell like Cole, but there are many people who absolutely hate Cole and his father, and they’d do anything theycould to hurt his betrothed. Laws here are… complicated. It’s better to trust one of us to keep you safe than it is to trust the law to do so.”

I nod again.

Just like so many times before, I have to trust Cole and his friends even though they have so many secrets. But I’m standing within sight of Skycrest, the home of Calyr. I’m so close to the place I need to get to. The mountain rises so high that it’s almost hard to believe it’s real.

Cole has his reasons for protecting me, and while I’m not entirely sure I believe him, I know I wouldn’t have gotten this far without him. The only genuine option I have is to continue to keep my own secrets, just like him, and use them if he ever tries to force me into anything.

Which only makes it more important for me to keep the shadows hidden in my fingertips under control. He may know that I havesomeshadow magic, but he doesn’t know that I’ve learned to use it.

Then Cole stops, and his hands go to my waist. Immediately, I want to pull away, but I don’t. He holds me so lightly that it’s hard for my mind to believe that those are the same hands that did their best to crush me while he trained me with sticks.

“Kiss me,” he mouths, and that drum inside me rivals a thunderstorm. He leans down, and I stand on my toes, moving toward the kiss that he demands.

Just as our lips touch, I hear, “Cole Cyrus,” from a voice coming from behind Cole. “It’s been, what? Fifteen years?” Cole’s lips brush against mine for just a moment. It’s so brief I barely feel them, but it’s enough that darkness leaks from my fingers.

Cole whirls around, pushing me behind him and hiding whoever is addressing him from my view. “Rhion.” The wordcomes out almost like a slur, but not even one of anger. Just one of such insignificance that he’s bored.

The name of the little boy from the story. The Prince of Steel.

I hide my hands in my pockets, hoping the thin trickles of shadows can’t be seen by anyone. “Who do you have there?” Rhion’s voice asks, and I can feel Cole’s body stiffen in front of me.

“Why don’t you stop looking for gossip, Rhion,” Lee says from beside Cole.

“You look beautiful as always, Ainslee. Maybe when my father receives the Painted Crown, I can request you as my personal slave. I’m sure he’d give you to me. They say that the House of Light Immortals are the best slaves. You’d look gorgeous with a steel collar around your neck. And nothing else on.”

Darian snarls from the other side of Cole. “Try it. I would love to see your body shredded and hanging from your father’s ramparts.”

Rhion pauses for a moment, and I can hear him sniffing the air, completely ignoring Darian’s comment. “Oh… OH! Cole Cyrus, you’re betrothed? Or are you already wed? To… I can’t quite make out a scent. Is that a human? Did Cole Cyrus, Prince of Flames, marry a human? Your father’s going to burn you alive. Again.” He cackles.

I peek my head out from behind Cole, standing between him and Lee, and see Rhion. A blonde Fae who’s wearing a brocade tunic and fluffy pants. I’m almost certain that his clothes are made of literal gold, and there’s a dark steel sword at his hip, but it’s encrusted with jewels where Cole, Darian, and Lee’s weapons are all extremely functional.

He’s enormous. A mountain of a Fae that towers over Cole by at least a foot. Not slender at all, he’s covered in muscles and probably weighs nearly as much as all four of us put together. The thought of physically fighting someone like that is terrifying.

He’s a handsome male with deep gray eyes that shine with laughter. If I hadn’t heard that comment about Lee becoming his slave, I’d almost think he was someone I’d want to get to know. Then the advice I’d heard in Blackgrove resonates in my mind.Don’t let their prettiness get to you. They’re cold-hearted bastards, and they’ll watch an entire village burn if it helps them get whatever they’re looking for.

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