Page 16 of Troll Charming

“We can only hope. Let me show you the fountain—it is the heart of this place.” I take her along the much older back streets to the heart of the village. I want to avoid more attention from gawking eyes.

Alexandra doesn’t seem to mind or notice that we are avoiding the main streets. I watch her eyes light up as we pass the old medieval three-story houses. Each one is more lopsided than the next, but they are freshly painted traditionally, white with black trim, and bright flowers and vines grow and are hung under the windows. She walks carefully along the cobbled streets, stopping occasionally to admire a garden or smell a flower. I am pleased that she is enjoying herself and feeling a bit more relaxed once again. I love this little human.

When we reach the fountain, she gasps again. It is quite a sight to behold. It stands taller than Troth, with stone carvings of fairies, trolls, elves, and the perfect likeness of our village founder, Ameline Monitor the Fae, pouring water from a golden chalice while the creatures surrounding her watch the water pour into the crystalline pool at her feet forever.

My mate stops to read the carved plaque under the feet of our lady.

“So that’s why it’s called ‘Monitor’?”

“Yup,” I answer, “Monitor Township, but far and wide, it’s just ‘Monstertown.’”

She gives a laugh. “That’s funny. I wouldn’t think you would call yourselves that, I mean…”

“Oh, come, just because we are magical and mythical doesn’t mean we don’t have a sense of humor!”

She laughs that delightful laugh of hers again.

“How old is Monstertown?” she asks.“The plaque reads 1452. Is that right?”

“Our village has survived centuries without a human ever walking these streets before.”

“And now, here I am,” she says, her face shiny and wondering. “I am the first.”

“Yes, my love.” I kneel and press her tiny hands to my heart. “And if we have children, they will be part human and walk here, too.”

I try to read the expression on her face at this bold assertion but cannot. Is it excitement? Hope? Maybe doubt? I don’t know. Whatever the look on her face, it quickly disappears behind her bright smile.

“Won’t that be nice.” I press her to me, lifting her feet off the ground, and kiss her soundly on the lips. I am so happy, I can feel my heart bursting with love.

Someone clears their throat behind me. I turn my head to see Troth standing there. It can be unnerving to feel a ten-foot-tall ogre has crept up on you, but I keep my composure. I gently set Alexandra on her feet.

“A word in your ear,” Troth says in a low whisper. “Alone.”

I nod—this is not good.

I show Alexandra to a bench beside the fountain where she can watch the little fish that swim while I join Troth on the other side, the splashing water muffling our words.

“You and your human must present yourselves to the elders.”

My heart sinks into my stomach.“Her name is Alexandra, and I expected as much.”

“They demand to know why the human woman is still alive, let alone walking through our village as if she belongs here.”

“Shh,” I say, glancing to be sure she cannot hear any of this. “She is with me, where she belongs.”

“You’re going to have to convince them of that, then.” He lowers his voice to a whisper. “And keep my name out of it. I want nothing to do with the elders’ wrath.”

I grit my teeth. “They expect me to kill her when she’s done nothing wrong.”

“Those have been the rules for the last—” He looks up at the sky. “—five hundred years, give or take a decade. Unless you can convince them otherwise.” Troth places his large hand on my shoulder. “My advice is that you say goodbye to your little plaything and do your duty.”

Anger rises in my chest.

“She is my fated mate, I am sure of it. There will be no killing,”I growl.

Troth is one of only a handful who is unbothered by my show of aggression. He does have a good three feet over me, after all. “Yes. There are no mates to be had here. All the unmated males can appreciate your situation. It can only be called divine providence that you have had this female practically fall into your lap.”

At that, I suddenly remember the little ceremony and the scarf Tabitha gave me. “I guess so… but it feels like even more than that, Troth. It feels like fate.”

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