Page 12 of Deliverance

Blinking at the path my thoughts wander down, I frown, thinking the fae is putting me under his spell, but no, there is no scent of magic or pull of power like I experienced in the forest. Mysteriously, there is a connection between us, one that neither of us knew about until now, and from the intense look in his eyes, I know he knows it too.

Breaking eye contact, I quickly look at his companion. They both have the same magical ambiance about them, the sense of beingother, but otherwise, they look completely different. He has long chestnut hair, half of which is up in a bun, and he carries a more impish, playful feel about him. A dark, neatly groomed beard covers the lower half of his face, but I can still see his mischievous smile beneath. His hazel eyes gleam as he slowly looks between me and the first male, his expression suggesting he knows exactly what we are thinking.

My heart flutters in my chest like a startled bird, so small and fragile compared to the imposing fae males before me. I was taught that fae are impossibly strong, and looking at the two of them, I would agree. However, what I find the strangest aboutall of this is the fact that I feel no fear. Anticipation and concern have my body on full alert, ready to react should I need to, but no fear. Am I damaged? Has my sense of self-preservation disappeared?

My encounter in the forest earlier suggests otherwise. The fae in the forest caused a fear in me so violent that I almost completely froze up. That type of fear could have gotten me killed. What is different about these two that places my feelings on opposite ends of the spectrum?

Oh, I am fully aware of how dangerous either of them could be, I can see their violent potential in every line of their muscular bodies, predator-like eyes, and sharp pointed teeth. If I respect that, though, and always keep in mind how hostile they could be, then I do not think they would hurt me maliciously.

How do I know all of this? It is impossible to explain to anyone as they would think that I had gone mad or was consorting with fae, but there is a certainty inside me and I justknow.

“Iris?” Robert asks, confused at the fact that I have frozen in front of the fae. Perhaps he will think that I am simply scared. That would be the best thing for him to believe, as I have no answers for why I am reacting this way.

“Yes, sorry.” Clearing my throat, I smile tightly and gesture for the fae to go ahead of us. The bearded fae, Blaise, smirks again and spins with immortal grace, walking down the corridor after their human companions.

The fiery-haired male, whom I still do not know the name of, doesn’t move, staring at me for several seconds. The weight of his gaze is immense, and I am grateful that Robert is touching me, grounding me, otherwise I might do something stupid.

Thankfully, he finally pulls his gaze away, and I can think clearly again. My body does not seem to get the memo, though, as it is still on full alert, reacting to having a predator so close.Small zapping sensations travel along my skin, not painful or unpleasant, just unusual. They seem to ease as the male turns away and follows Blaise down the hallway.

As soon as we are alone, Robert turns to me, examining me from head to foot as though expecting to see a physical wound. “Iris, are you okay?” Not giving me a chance to reply, he looks at the retreating fae and scowls. “I don’t like the way that fae looked at you.” He bristles, his hand tightening around mine possessively.

Smiling reassuringly, I rub my thumb over the back of his hand. “I am fine. We should join them.”

He seems like he wants to say more, but he concedes, bowing his head and leading me forward. Although the grand corridor appears to be impossibly long thanks to the strategically placed windows and mirrors to make it seem bigger, it doesn’t take much time for us to reach the reception room where everyone waits. I’ve not been in this room before. Essentially, it looks like the mayor’s office upstairs, but bigger, and seats are placed around the room for visitors. The walls are lined with bookshelves, and the back wall has two huge bay windows that look out onto the garden beyond.

The mayor sits in a large chair behind a desk, and his advisors are similarly seated in a semicircle around him, staring at the visitors. The humans from the city sit in a huddle, the leader of the group at the front as expected. The fae stand at the back.

I try not to look, but my eyes are drawn to him without meaning to. Blaise is leaning against the bookshelf, flipping through a thick leather tome, looking bored. However, the other male is standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes tracking my every movement. He doesn’t smile nor frown, his expression remaining neutral, and it is throwing me off. Why is he so fixated on me?

Robert guides me to a chair at the side of the room, straddling the line between the two factions. He moves behind me, standing just to the left, a hand draped over my shoulder. The staring fae notices, the gesture evoking an emotion in him as he frowns at my friend. It is the kind of frown that promises violence. Thankfully Robert does not seem to notice. The last thing we need is a fight between those two. Sooner or later, though, someone is going to notice the fae staring at me. It makes me uncomfortable. I don’t even know his name, and he watches me with such intensity that someone is going to question it.

“We are all present now,” Mayor Marshal comments, waving his hand towards the guests. “You can begin to explain why you came to my home with the very creatures that threaten our lives on a daily basis.”

Some of the males on the other side of the room look offended at the mayor’s clear sign of disrespect. However, the male at the front clears his throat, and the whispers die down.

Standing, he bows his head in greeting. “I am Minister Karrow, and I am one of the king’s advisors. I have been tasked with arranging a treaty between the human territories and the fae.” A wry smile stretches across his face. “As you can imagine, this is no easy task, and I have been travelling from village to village to discuss what we planned to keep everyone safe.”

My gaze turns to the fae once more as the minister speaks, wanting to see his reaction to what is being said. I still do not understand why the fae would agree to an alliance. What could they possibly get out of it? They are far more powerful than us and live much longer, their abilities that of myth. How do humans come into all this?

The mayor shifts in his seat, his frown mirrored by the advisors behind him. “I was under the impression that we were to be assessed for the suitability of a new weapon againstthe fae.” He does not sound impressed, and I suppose I can understand why. He thought they were coming to help us and feels tricked because they actually needhishelp and have brought his enemy into his house.

Karrow winces slightly and inclines his head in acknowledgement of the miscommunication. “You are right, in a sense…” Seeming to struggle for words, he brushes back his short dark hair and gestures towards the fae. “I should let them explain, then it will make sense.”

The auburn-haired fae steps forward, the tension rising with each fall of his foot. It is a vicious circle of fear and anger—the closer he gets, the more the mayor feels he needs to protect himself, puffing up to seem larger. The visiting advisors then feel threatened and reach for their weapons, which in turn only makes the situation worse. When he pauses at the halfway point, he bows his head ever so slightly to the mayor.

“I am Prince Alaric, and my companion is Blaise, my protector, advisor, and friend.” Jerking his head towards his fellow fae, he keeps his eyes on the threat ahead of him. There is no acknowledgement that he feels like we are a threat, yet somehow, I can feel the tightness within him, taut like a bowstring.

Prince. He is a fae prince. The sense of power that I get from him makes sense now, as does the way he carries himself. The human visitors have travelled with the son of the fae leader, so this alliance they speak of must be serious. As one of the highest ranking fae, the king would not have sent a prince if he thought everything would fall apart. This must be serious then. What doesn’t make any sense to me, though, is why I have this connection to a prince.

I quickly let that thought drop and focus back on the prince and what he’s saying. There’s something so magical about his voice, lyrical yet masculine. I could listen to it all day, and Imight have suspected he is using magic, but I think this is just part of the prince’s allure. Everyone seems to react to it, but unlike my fascination, they seem afraid and angry.

Mayor Marshal stands and braces his hands against the desk, his face turning a shade of red as he stares down the fae. “Why should I listen to you when your kind are killing us and taking our women? I do not care who or what you are.”

Frankly, I am surprised the mayor has it in him to stare down a fae like this, least of all a prince—not to mention he welcomed them into his house as a guest. He has always been fiercely protective of the village, doing what is best for us rather than what is expected, but this is a step further than I thought. In fact, it almost feels as though his hatred of the fae is beyond that of village protector, verging into personal territory. What did the fae do to incite this much hatred in him?

The air in the room turns icy, Karrow’s and his companions’ expressions tight and disapproving. Is that disapproval aimed towards the fae or the mayor? I might never have questioned that before, but it is clear that Mayor Marshal has a grudge against the fae, who are currently his guests. We do not have many traditions or actions of cultural significance, but the correct treatment of guests is one of the key rules we do follow. Glancing over my shoulder, I see that even Robert looks uncomfortable by his father’s behaviour.

All pleasantries are dropped, and any warmth that might have graced the prince’s face disappears, becoming hard and every inch the immortal fae. A tingling sensation runs over my skin, and from the reactions of the others in the room, I know they are all experiencing it too. It feels like how I imagine raw power would feel. My breath catches in my throat. That is exactly what we are feeling—Alaric’s unrestrained power. I thought of him as a threat before, but I had no idea the true extent of howstrong he was. He could level our whole village without even blinking.

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