Page 26 of Deliverance

I watch him as I digest his words, and I cannot help but notice as he shifts his weight from foot to foot. “Do you need to go somewhere?” I ask with a raised brow, my tone heavily implying he looks as though he needs the bathroom.

It is his turn to roll his eyes before giving a dirty look at the gate beside us. “Please, can we move away from this awful gate now? My skin feels as though it is about to crawl off my body.”

Following his gaze, I frown at the object of his ire. It looks perfectly harmless to me.

“What is wrong with the gate?” A thought suddenly occurs to me, and I clutch my hands to my chest, imagining all sorts of terrible consequences from touching it. “Is it spelled?”

“It is made from iron.” He scowls, baring his teeth in a hiss. “While it wouldn’t kill fae as strong as myself or Alaric, it is still a repellent.”

“Wait, you can’t touch iron?”

As a villager from a place close to the forest, knowledge like this would have been exceedingly useful. It could have been built into our gates and houses to keep the fae away. Someone here obviously knew, otherwise the gate wouldn’t be here.

Blaise raises a brow when he sees my surprise. “You didn’t know this? It used to be common knowledge many years ago, but I suppose stories change and become obsolete over time.” Shrugging, he slowly moves towards the inn, putting distance between him and the gate. “Iron will kill weaker fae and burn someone like me. It used to be used in weapons and around human houses to keep us away.”

Why is this no longer common knowledge? I have heard many stories of the fae, but never anything about iron. What happened to wipe the story from the humans’ teachings?

This is not something I am going to get answers to tonight, but I am determined to discover more about this. If I can learn more about the fae while I am with the Seelie, then perhaps I can find out more answers and ways for my people to protect themselves.

Glancing towards the inn, I frown as something occurs to me, and I look up at Blaise. He is still wearing his hood, hiding his ears, yet it is pretty obvious just by looking at them that he and the prince are somethingother.

“Do they know you are fae here?”

“No. They suspect but look the other way. We have helped them fight off the Unseelie many times and have bought their reluctant acceptance.” Tilting his head back, he takes a deep inhale, as though savouring this quiet moment outside before returning to the hubbub of the inn. “Come, we should go inside. It shall be dark soon.”

Nodding, I turn to follow him into the inn despite my desire to stay out here. Just as I step into the building, I glance over my shoulder, hoping to catch sight of Nyx. I tell myself not to get myhopes up, that he will be gone. That doesn’t seem to prepare me for the disappointment I feel as I stare into the darkness.

No one is there.

Chapter Thirteen

Nyx

Stay away from her.

That was the one rule I set for myself, and I still broke it.

I cannot get involved in the dealings of the fae. If I step in, everything will change. That is not my role in life. I watch from the shadows, working in the place where no one looks.

When it became obvious that I could not keep away from her, I followed in the darkness, watching from afar. She would never know I was there, and I was not breaking any rules. However, as soon as I saw that her arm was in a sling and the wince that twisted her face as she moved, I could not stop myself.

I am completely obsessedwith her. My dead, withered heart comes alive when she is near, beating to the rhythm of her name.Iris. Iris. Iris. I do not sleep, but if I did, I know my dreams would be filled with her gorgeous, unassuming face and kind, innocent eyes. I am the total opposite, and my darkness would corrupt her, destroying the light inside her. It is one of the many reasons I must stay away from her.

She is like a poison in my veins, but instead of killing me, she is slowly bringing me to life.

It is agonising and yet wholly addictive.

Now that I know she was yearning for me, it will be impossible for me to keep away despite what I told her. I shall stay in the background, watching from the shadows but not getting involved.

My soul belongs to Iris now, even if she does not know it.

Chapter Fourteen

Iris

“Who are you waiting for?”

I jerk upright and away from the window like I was burnt. Turning to face Alaric, I press my hands to my chest as my cheeks flush at being caught pining. “What? No one. Why do you ask?” I wince internally at how guilty I sound.

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