Page 46 of Deliverance

He isn’t offering from the goodness of his heart. I remember Nyx’s warning—never make a deal with a fae unless you have no other choice.

Is escaping really what I want to do though? It could just make the whole situation worse. If I break out, I’ll have to live my life on the run. Alaric would then have to decide between me and his kingdom, not to mention I am far more likely to be captured by the Unseelie. What I want is for the king to release me so I can be with Alaric as we work out our next steps.

“What do you want in return?” My curiosity gets the better of me, and I can’t help but ask, butterflies fluttering in my chest. There is a restless part of me that wants to accept, to take the chance and grab onto my own destiny rather than let the king dictate my life. I could never do that to Alaric, but for a moment, I let myself ponder the possibility.

The sprite appears almost giddy with excitement, although he’s attempting to keep it back. “All I ask for is a single lock of your hair.”

This sounds too good to be true, and my inner alarm bells are ringing, warning me there is more to this. Of all the things he could have asked from me, he asks for hair. How could my hair possibly be of worth to him? There is something he isn’t telling me. I have been warned about giving anything to them, less they bewitch you with it and put you under their spell.

I start to notice something as I think on his offer. The longer I ponder, the more agitated he becomes, hopping from one foot to the other like a grasshopper. His brow furrows, and he glances over his shoulder to make sure the guards haven’t noticed him. Even if I did want to escape, I wouldn’t take him up on his offer. It is too vague, and I don’t like how shifty he seems. Why would he risk helping me out of here for some hair, unless the hair had a worth I was unaware of?

“No, thank you.” Taking a step back, I shake my head. “I don’t wish to escape today.”

Like the flip of a switch, his expression shifts into one of anger, his sharp pointed teeth on display. He no longer looks like a child, but a vicious creature that could tear you apart with his sharp claws.

“You will not be saying that in a week’s time, lady. You shall wish you took my offer while you could.” His words echo through my room, and I know I will hear his voice in my dreams. I won’t still be here in a week. No, Alaric won’t allow it.Iwon’tallow it. Even if I was still here, I know better than to accept a fae’s bargain.

Suddenly, the sprite’s body seems to stiffen, his eyes widening with fear, and then he disappears in a puff of smoke.

Confused, I automatically take a step away from the doorway. Straining my hearing, I listen for anything that might have caused the sprite to flee. My chest tightens with anticipation, and I stand on alert. What just happened? I glance out the doorway and see nothing has changed.

Actually, that is not true. Nothing outside the cave seems to have changed, but the darkness in my room suddenly feels more intense and familiar in a way I didn’t think possible.

There are many types of darkness. The darkness of peace and resting, of danger and secrets, of fear and monsters. There is also the darkness of lovers, both familiar and forbidden. This darkness reminds me of a person, of Nyx, which is obviously impossible, but the mixture of protection and possession has an essence about it that makes me think of him. It is probably because he is already on my mind from my little daydream.

“You made the right decision to reject his deal.”

“Nyx!” Spinning around, I see him standing in the far corner of the room, his body so wrapped in shadows that I can only make out his face. Without thinking, I race forward and wrap my arms around him. In hindsight, this was probably a stupid thing to do seeing as I don’t know if his body is corporeal or not, but I am so happy to see him. His eyes widen slightly as I throw myself towards him, and I thud into his very solid body. Instantly wrapping his arms around me, he pulls me against him, draping his shadows over me like a blanket.

I had no idea when I would get to see him again, and I didn’t think it would be for a very long time. He’s also been giving me mixed signals, yet I am just so happy to have him here that my eyes prick with tears.

“Hello, Iris.” He kisses the top of my head, sending tingles through my entire body. “Deals with the fae are complex and often only favour the one making the deal,” he explains, slowly pulling back enough so he can look down at my face, his eyes mapping every inch. “The sprite said he would help you escape, but he didn’t specifywhen. If you gave him what he wanted, he might not have upheld his end of the deal for fifty years.”

There is a distant part of me that is horrified at this prospect and grateful I trusted my instincts, but really, I am focused entirely onhim. I want to reach up and brush my fingers over his neat beard, trace his high cheekbones, and run my hands through his hair, which is buzzed short on the sides with the long, styled locks brushed back.

Unable to hold back any longer, I reach up and touch his cheek. “You’re here,” I whisper in awe. He is reallyhere. This isn’t a dream.

His deep, dark eyes seem to swallow me whole, his gaze never straying from my face. He reaches out and draws a slow line from my neck up to my jaw, his caress so gentle it is like the brush of a butterfly’s wing. “You are special to me, Iris. I am done staying away.”

I am struggling to accept that this is real. He’s saying everything I dreamed of him saying, but there is so much that stands between us. My feelings towards him are bright and hopeful, yet intense and overwhelming. Each thought, touch, breath, and movement is for him. We have been separated for too long, the feeling in my chest making me realise just how empty I felt without him. There is no pretending there is nothing between us any longer. Being with Alaric is magical and fulfilling, but he offers me something different to what Nyx provides me with. Each relationship is unique, yet I am incomplete without them both. They are my addiction.

I force myself to think rationally, remembering the last few times I saw him since I fled Brine. “What about what you said before? That we couldn’t be together?” Unable to think properly while he’s touching me, I untangle myself from his arms, forcing my hand to let go of his shirt. I hardly move, but he’s watching me as though I’m about to flee. I know I have to tell him about Alaric before I lose my nerve. “I have a mate now.”

Darkness seems to flicker around him as though it has a life of its own, and I swear his eyes get darker despite already being pitch black. “I know about the prince,” he responds, and although his expression doesn’t change, his words are tight. He blows out a frustrated breath and brushes his hair from his face. “The gods are messing with us, but I will not let that stop me any longer. Take my hand, and I will get you out of here.”

He sounds desperate, his extended hand waiting between us. It feels like more than a simple gesture, though, and as his magic fills the room, I get the distinct impression that whatever spell he is weaving requires me to touch his hand.

I don’t understand a lot of what he’s saying. How did he know about Alaric and me, and what does he mean about the gods messing with us? The humans don’t really pray to the gods of old anymore, but I know the fae mention them in some of their ceremonies. My own knowledge on them is limited. There is one major thing holding me back though.

“What about Alaric?”

What am I expecting him to say? That he will get the prince on our way out? No, that would never happen, and Nyx is not the type to share. I can’t leave without Alaric though, so I have to know what the plan is.

Nyx scoffs. “Alaric seems happy to let his father lock you up.” Anger ripples through him, his darkness expanding, yet it still feels like a gentle caress around me. I feel so safe in his arms. He closes the miniscule gap between us, the air so tense that I findit hard to breathe. “I would never dream of treating you like a criminal. You would be my queen, Iris. I will give you my entire world.”

Every word is seductive, and I believe him. I long for him to take me away from this place of judgement and confinement. My hand reaches out and hovers between us, my gaze on his face as I try to decide what to do. I can’t leave Alaric, but I don’t know how long I can stay down here on my own. Nyx can give that to me, and if I leave now, that will not stop me from coming back for Alaric. There is, however, still something I need to know before I accept his hand.

“How did you find me here?”

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