Page 11 of Deliverance

He slowly slides the golden band onto my ring finger, the metal glinting in the light from the window. It’s delicate and beautiful, everything I have ever wanted. Why does it feel so… wrong?

This meeting today is supposed to be for the good of the village, and if it has anything to do with the fae and the forest, then being by Robert’s side will put me in a position to help, so I keep quiet, locking away my reservations.

Smiling, Robert takes my silence as confirmation and takes my hand in his once more, then he leads me through the house. I am in a complete daze, not taking in my surroundings or listening to the low chatter that is coming up from the hall below. It is not until we descend into the large greeting hall that a nudge in my chest brings me back into the present. Feigning interest, I blink several times and watch the group of finely dressed males in the foyer chatting with the mayor. They do not catch my attention though. Figures linger at the back of the group, the hoods of their cloaks still raised.

For some reason, this puts me on alert, and not just because they are breaking the rules of polite society. No, there is something else about them that I cannot put my finger on. No one else seems to notice anything unusual, so I simply keep an eye on them as I walk down the grand staircase with Robert on my arm.

In a flash of movement, one of the cloaked figures jerks his head around, and although the hood is hiding his face, I know he is looking directly at me. There is a heavy pause, and the whole room seems to hold its breath. A pair of tanned hands appear from the cloak and push the hood back. Everything seems to move in slow motion as everyone freezes, the hood falling back and revealing one of the most handsome faces I have ever seen.

“Well, well, Mayor Marshal,” the male begins, eyes locked on me the entire time, his mouth splitting into a terrifying smile. “It seems you have been keeping secrets.”

Fae. The male is fae.

Chapter Six

Fae. How is there a fully grown fae male here in Brine, away from the forest that binds them? How did they get this far while travelling with a group of humans? Movement at the back catches my attention as the other cloaked figure shrugs off his hood and grins with a menace that promises mischief—make that two fully grown male fae.

Everyone gasps, stepping back to put some distance between them and the fae. At least, those of us from Brine do. Their hands go to their weapons, yet all I know is that it would be pointless to try and fight two adult fae. None of the human visitors from the city react to this big reveal, knowing exactly whom they were travelling with. Several of them are wearing looks of discomfort though, suggesting this union between them is not as companionable as it first seemed. Either that or they can feel how the tension has risen in the room.

Fae working with humans. I have never heard of anything like it.

Robert and I have paused on the stairs, but he now takes a step forward, moving in front of me as if to protect me. My heartflutters at the gesture. There is no possible way he could protect me against the fae if they decided to attack, but he stepped between us despite knowing that.

“What is the meaning of this?” Mayor Marshal finally manages to blurt out, anger and fear present in his voice. He does a good job of trying to hide it though, rolling back his shoulders. His advisors have all shrunk backwards, displaying their cowardice, but not the mayor.

The human male at the front of the group of visitors smiles as he steps forward, his hands raised slightly in a gesture of peace. All of the males wear smart dark blue cloaks with golden detailing, their jackets flashing beneath with similar golden marks. This one appears to be in charge of the others.

“Mayor, you knew we had a new approach to peace between the humans and fae. That was the whole point of our visit, to discuss an alliance.”

How do the fae fit in with all this? They do not wear the colours of the humans, and I cannot imagine them following orders—then why are they here? Could they truly want an alliance? A memory of the two fae in the forest flashes through my mind, fear instantly flooding through me. Those fae did not want peace, and their intentions towards me were anything but nice.

The first fae is still staring at me, and I notice the subtle tilt of his head and flare of his nostrils, almost as though he is scenting the air. His pupils seem to blow at whatever he smells, his gaze becoming impossibly intense. He looks as though he is trying to hold himself back, and it is only when his companion whispers something to him that he seems to get himself under control.

No one else appears to notice, focused on the conversation between the mayor and our guests. “You want me to ally with fae when they are stealing our females?”

The humans startle, their expressions a mixture of surprise, anger, and concern. Low conversations break out between them as they whisper to each other. At first I think the guests are angry at the fae because of what he just said, but actually, they seem more frustrated by the comment itself. After all, we still don’t know for sure if the fae are taking the women and attacking villages. His accusation is serious, especially if he doesn’t have the proof to back it up.

Their leader holds up a hand, and they instantly fall silent. He does not even have to turn around, and they are in the palm of his hand. Who is this male to have so much control? He looks middle-aged, his salt and pepper hair cropped short, and a neat moustache coupled with the way he stands gives him a look of authority. There is nothing else about him that stands out to signal him as a leader. He might be just one of those rare people in the world who have an aura around them that makes you put faith in their ability to keep you safe and make the right decisions.

At the back of the group, the two fae males share a look, seeming to have a silent conversation, as if the mayor’s comment confirmed something they suspected.

Sighing, the human male presses a hand against his chest. “Please, let us explain. Is there somewhere we can all sit down? Our journey has been a long one.”

Scowling, the mayor looks over his shoulder and has a quick, quiet conversation with one of his advisors before turning back to his guests. His lips are pinched as he stares down the two fae. “Is anyone in my village at risk from these two…creatures,” the mayor sneers, waving a hand in the direction of the fae in question.

Shaking his head, the leader presses his hand to his chest once more. “No, they will not touch a soul. You have my word.”

“Oh, Mayor Marshal, you wound us,” the grinning fae remarks, making us all jerk at the lyrical sound of his voice. He does not move, keeping perfectly still, yet everything about him seems threatening. “We are guests, we would never dream of hurting you or yours,” he promises, although it feels entirely insincere thanks to the sneer plastered across his face.

“Blaise,” the first male snaps, authority ringing in his voice, yet he still does not take his eyes off me. This seems to be all the other fae needs, though, as he reins in his hostile looks.

The mayor weighs the decision as though his life depends on it, and when it comes to the fae, our lives could very well be in the balance. This is not a decision I envy him for having to make. One option could protect our village, at the risk of allowing fae into our lives, or we could banish them and continue as we are, trying to face the threat alone—a threat which I am still trying to wrap my head around. After my brush with the fae on the way here, I am certainly more open to the possibility. The forest has always been my haven, so until now, I have never feared it.

The moment the mayor makes his decision, he stands tall and dips his head ever so slightly. “Fine. Follow me.”

The human visitors and advisors follow the mayor from the entrance hall, through the grand corridors, and presumably to the large reception room. Robert turns to me and offers me his hand, helping me down the last few steps. As I do, I find that the two fae have not moved to follow the mayor, the leader of which is still staring at me. I look at him, taking in the handsome fae. His hair is the first thing to draw my eyes, and I cannot believe that I am only just noticing it now. Finger-length on top, his wavy locks look untameable, swept over to the right. It should make him seem messy and dishevelled, yet it seems to work for him. However, it is the gorgeous russet tone of his hair that makes me pause. It looks as though it is made of pure fire, the mixture of oranges and bronze throughout givingit a shimmering effect that makes me want to run my fingers through it.

He has tanned skin and a wide, clean-shaven jaw, and his cheekbones are prominent enough to make all the females jealous. His plush lips slowly spread into a wicked grin as he watches me in a way that makes me blush. Ignoring the heat in my cheeks, I continue my perusal of his face. He has a strong, straight nose and dark brows, which frame his emerald eyes. I’ve never seen eyes like his before, with the brightest green I’ve ever seen. There’s something about him that calls to me, and more than just because of his physical appearance. When he looks at me like this, I feel seen in a way that I’ve never experienced before. I just met him, afae,and somehow I feel complete with him here.

---