Page 4 of The Fae King's Labyrinth

Calypso

The confusion that crossed his handsome face appeared sincere. But then, the fae were masters of deception. “There are more than one kind of fae,” he pointed out.

Tall, elegantly slender, yet with a breadth of shoulders that spoke of strength and solidity, he embodied masculine appeal. However, his movements, too smooth and quick, made it impossible to mistake him for a human. Besides, he was far too tall.

“I know.” The panicked thumping of my heart hadn’t slowed despite the fact he hadn’t made a move toward me. I struggled to breathe evenly. The sensation of vines felt wrapped around my throat. I knew they were gone. Still—

I sat up. Not letting my gaze stray from the fae, I put a hand to my throat. My fingertips brushed the friction-burned skin beneath my jaw, and I swallowed painfully. “But all fae treat us the same, like playthings meant to entertain you until we break.” Tears burned my eyes, but I resisted letting them free.

His features tightened ever so slightly. “Not all fae do such.” Standing there, elegant and lean in his fine linen shirt and leather jerkin, he gave the impression of regal wealth. His thick hair fell back from a smooth forehead in loose waves that artfully curled about his ears. I couldn’t tell if it was brown or darkblond in the light of the strange magic flame above his head. The sharply handsome angles, unusually large eyes, and overall icy coolness about his expression gave him a cruel, unworldly air. Then, if nothing else betrayed him, the male radiated magic so strongly it reminded me of the charge in the air before a rainstorm.

I almost laughed to dispel my nervousness. “Do such? Who speaks like that?”

He tilted his head infinitesimally. “I did.”

“I heard. But isn’t it an odd phrase?”

“Not where I come from.” His dark eyes, their color indistinguishable in the shadow of his brows, narrowed. “Are you hurt? You keep touching your neck.”

“No.” I immediately dropped my hand to my waist and pressed it against my middle. “Raw skin, perhaps. Nothing serious.”

A twitch in his mouth seemed to indicate he didn’t believe me, but instead of speaking, he turned his attention to scanning our surroundings. “How long were you here before I arrived?”

“Minutes, hours. It is hard to guess. I spent most of it wrapped up in that vine.” I risked a glance at my feet. No shoes—I must’ve lost them in the scuffle with the nasty plant. I glanced back toward the mess of leaves and stalks where I had been freed.

“Come. We need to explore this place.” He approached with liquid speed. The light, a flame hanging above his head, came with him, making the shadows on all the surfaces around us jump and contort.

I scrambled away from him, getting to my feet as I did. “Why?”

He paused and looked down his straight nose at me imperiously. I wasn’t particularly tall as humans went, and he was taller than most humans. “Do you have an alternativeproposal? Perhaps you would prefer to sit here in the darkness and wait for your demise?” He peered over my shoulder. “I prefer to know the limits of my prison before the next challenge appears.”

“What challenge?”

“There are always multiple challenges. I see no wall in this direction.” He strode toward the maw of blackness behind me, taking the flame of light with him.

For the barest of moments, I considered my options. Stay where I was in the darkness, alone. Or go with him, an unknown fae stranger of dubious character. I chose the latter.

Running to catch up with him, I just managed to keep within his circle of light. “What do you mean by challenges? Have you been down here before?”

“Down here?” He paused for a moment, as though the idea of being underground hadn’t occurred to him.

“Didn’t the ground swallow you whole?” I asked. “Or is there a passage down to this place?” If there was a way out, then I could escape and return to my village, my family, and my home. I glanced upward. Nothing but inky blackness pressed down on us. The ceiling might be miles up or just beyond the reach of the light.

“Neither.” He resumed walking. I followed, barely avoiding stubbing my toes on the heels of his leather boots when he adjusted his pace to match mine. Maneuvering so we walked side by side, we traveled in silence for a time.

The walls of our prison narrowed, both sides coming in to brush the edges of his circle of light. Moss-covered stone—damp and smelling of loam—passed in uniform rows as we walked. The path ahead remained dark. Ahead I caught a glimpse of similar blackness. With no break in uniformity, there was no way to know for sure if we were coming or going. I edged closer to the fae, unease settling over me.

“There is light up ahead,” he commented.

I peered ahead. “Where?”

“There.” He pointed off to the left, far ahead. “A slight glow, as though the reflection of a lamp.” The flame above his head bobbed slightly with his movement.

“Might it be your light?” I asked. “It moved with you just now.” He halted so abruptly that I stumbled past him. “What are you doing?”

“Testing it. Watch the light down there.” He indicated the glimmer ahead.

I did.

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