Page 36 of Deliverance

Before I can panic any further, Blaise groans in my lap, shifting in discomfort. His eyelids slowly flutter open, flicking first to Alaric, and then to me.

With Alaric’s assistance, he is positioned on the edge of the rock beside me. Sitting up, he looks at me as though he doesn’t recognise me.

“You saved me,” he mutters.

My chest tightens at the gratitude I see in his eyes. Perhaps we really could be friends in the future. Clearing my throat, I decide to tell him about the naiad healing him, but he lurches forward and vomits violently right into my lap.

Chapter Nineteen

Nyx

Iris is fucking remarkable.

I knew it before, yet seeing her in action is something different entirely. The whole damn forest lit up as she sang over her companion’s body. Never before has anything like her ever existed. I am so obsessed, my whole wretched body aches for her. Her magic is the exact opposite of mine, and she has no idea what hides inside her.

The fae male was on the brink of death, his soul hovering between life and the darkness of death. I almost ended his life just for being in her lap, but I knew that would hurt her, so I stayed hidden in the shadow of the trees farther down the river.

If it wouldn’t destroy everything, then I would march right over and take her for myself. No, I must have patience. The time will come, and when it does, Iris will finally be mine.

Chapter Twenty

Iris

The land is changing around us. Sitting on the back of Daisy, I watch as the trees shift, their colours becoming brighter and so full of life. Birds sing as we trot down the flat road that steadily widens. Small dwellings begin to appear, and I stare in wonder at how diverse they are. Some are in the trees, while others are holes in the ground, only a glowing pair of eyes to be seen. There are many that look more like nests than what I would have expected, yet the farther we travel, the more substantial the dwellings become, such as cottages and houses made from the trees and plants themselves. It’s as though the trees have split open and grown as the fae willed it. This is not just a hole in a tree they have chosen to live in, these are extensive properties where the trunks have stretched to form the dwelling, even having holes for windows and doors.

This continues, the residences becoming larger, with staircases built into the trees, creating a second level above us, and bridges made of vines and wood connecting them. I don’tsee many fae, but I can almost feel them around me, their light and energy fuelling me as we move through the land.

We travel three abreast, Alaric on my right, and Blaise on my left. He insisted that he was capable of riding by himself now, but I cannot help the little worried glances I sneak his way. I am not the only one, as the prince constantly checks on both myself and his friend. On several occasions now I have caught Blaise looking at me, confusion etched into his expression.

From the corner of my eye, I can see him looking at me again. Is this what it is going to be like between us now, or will he return to his usual snarky self when he heals? Needing to focus on something else,anythingelse, I glance up at the houses grown out of the trees.

“This place is incredible.” My whisper is awed, my eyes wide as I try to take in every detail. I had no idea that places like this existed or even possible. It blows my little human mind. Do the others in Brine know how different everything is outside the village? Many of the villagers will never leave, their whole world existing within the wall surrounding them.

Alaric chuckles, drawing my attention to him. “Just wait until you see the city itself.”

It takes a moment for this to sink in, and my eyes widen as it does. “Wait, this isn’t it?”

How could this possibly get any better? I thought the human city was spectacular, but that was on a whole different scale than this. Alaric smiles at my excited disbelief, enjoying seeing the wonderment on my face. It is nice to see him smiling after all the difficulties we have experience over the past few days. Seeing him smile like this warms something in my chest, and I feel that pull towards him once more. His expression softens, indicating that he feels it too. I like to think that if the situation were different, I would reach out and brush my fingers down hisarm—a bold move for me, especially with aprince, yet this is my fantasy, and in it, I am a stronger person.

Alaric shifts his weight, reluctantly switching his gaze to his friend on my other side. “We should stop at Maria’s before meeting my father.”

Blaise raises a dark brow and leans forward to look around me. “The king will not be happy if he finds out we stopped before seeing him.” He doesn’t sound like he’s against the idea of stopping, he is simply warning the prince.

I don’t know who Maria is, but we have been riding for several hours, and I worry about Blaise after his brush with death. After being healed in the water, we retrieved the horses and left without pausing any longer than it took me to wash the vomit from my borrowed dress.

“We are all soaking wet and covered in dirt,” Alaric reasons, giving Blaise a pointed look. “Iris cannot meet my father covered in your vomit.”

This is very true. Turning up looking as though I have been in a fire and then half drowned is not going to portray the right impression of me. Most of the ride has been filled with me worrying over what Alaric’s father would be like. Nerves twist in my belly like it’s full of serpents fighting for space. Not only is he a king of the Seelie Court, but also Alaric’s father. While I am not trying to impress the king, I still want to make a good impression. I cannot imagine that many humans have been in the Seelie Court, so I will be representing them. A poor impression could go against my kind in the future. On a more personal note, this connection between Alaric and me is still in the very early stages, and knowing that I had his father on our side would certainly make it easier for us going forward, whatever that turns out to be.

I clear my throat loudly and manage to grab the attention of the two squabbling fae. “Who’s Maria?”

“She’s a friend,” Alaric explains, shooting Blaise a look that I don’t understand. “She owns an inn just on the outskirts of the city. You will be able to wash up and change your clothes.”

I nod my head in agreement, happy that I got an answer that makes sense as we continue onward. The rest of the trip to Maria’s passes in a blur, and I am so amazed by the city that my anxiety over meeting the king is pushed to the back of my mind. Creatures of all shapes and sizes pass by us, several stopping to bow to Alaric in a show of respect.

The inn is built like all of the other buildings, the plants and trees themselves becoming the structure. The buildings on the edge of the city are a little more sophisticated than the ones we have seen so far, and there are clearly elements that have been added by hand to enhance them. Double story, the building is made from several interconnecting trees. A twisting staircase winds its way up one of the trunks, leading to the second story, and the red door is cheery and welcoming. A matching red door waits for us on the ground floor, the glass windows spotless, and troughs of brightly coloured flowers hang from the exterior.

A sign proudly states, “Maria’s Tavern, all welcome,” above the door.

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