Page 8 of Between Realms

Oakes doesn’t seem to appreciate my joke. He stops and stares at me. “You don’t trust elves.”

Slowly, I turn to face him, frantically trying to think of what to say in response. My pulse races with the knowledge that elves are easily offended. “I trust Merlara. However, elves haven’t been overly friendly to me. Not that I was allowed out of the workshop often.” I pause and ask, “May I askwhy would you want to help me, anyway?”

“Do you have such a low opinion of my kind that you believe one of us wouldn’t be generous or helpful?” Oakes frowns. “Why would you want to stay in these lands if that is the case?”

Oh no.Now, I have insulted all fae. “I understand elves can be generous. Other than my keeper, no elf has ever helped me before. But I suppose I’ve never needed to rely on anyone besides Merlara. I have little experience outside of the workshop.” Opening my hands in surrender, I continue. “I enjoy working for Merlara, and I want to stay with her. I’ve never been to the mortal realm, and I’ve heard it’s brutal, especially to females.”

Oakes’ tension dissipates at my words. “No, you’re correct. It’s smart to be wary of strangers, so I won’t fault you for poking at my pride.” Oakes gently places his hand on my shoulder. “I was already heading to a traveler’s shelter that I have access to. You may join me if you wish.”

A jolt of energy rushes through me at his touch. I steady myself, wondering if the sensation is because of a magic that he possesses… or perhaps this is just what it feels like to be touched by an attractive male. My cheeks heat with something more than embarrassment. “That’s very gracious of you to offer, but I’m supposed to travel alone, according to my summon’s instructions. I don’t wish to be a burden.”

“You aren’t a burden.” Oakes winks conspiratorially.

My insides somersault with the small, friendly gesture.

“I won’t tell the court if you don’t. We can go our separate ways at the city gates,” Oakes states as if it is already decided and continues walking down the road. His swift gait becomes faster than before, and I quicken my steps to keep up.

A half-hour later on our walk, Oakes hasn’t engaged me in conversation, and I’m happy for it. The hurried pace winds me, and I don’t want to prove I am a burden after all. Besides, I’m horribly prone to being competitive even with a superior race.

Oakes turns off the road into the lush forest.

I freeze in my tracks, staying on the wide dirt path. “Where are you going?”

He waves me to follow him. “Come, little mortal. It’s safe. There’s a hidden shelter for traveling elves.”

I sigh. My apprehension is for nothing. He isn’t luring me out to murder me in the woods. He wouldn’t need to hide to kill me off, anyway.

Of course it makes sense that the dominant class of fae would have privileges, such as road shelters.

Just ten of his strides off of the main road, there is a small cabin masked by the heavy foliage. With a key, he lets himself in and holds the door open for me to enter, as if I were an equal and not a subservient class. I feel my cheeks heat with another blush.

The one-room shelter is small but well-maintained. Four stuffed sleeping pads are stacked in a corner. Each is big enough for one person. There’s a chill in the air, the temperature having dropped since the sun fell below the horizon.

Oakes flips the lock on the closed door.

Suddenly, I realize how intimate this setting is. I’m going to sleep next to an unfamiliar male.

Oakes places one mat at one wall and a second mat at the opposite wall of the cabin. With a bump of his foot, he scoots his sleeping mat tight against the wall. Watching me stand in the middle of the shelter as if I’m a stunned deer, he sits down, leans back, and opens his pack. “You have food?”

Snapping out of my shock, I adjust the other mat against the wall and sit as he does. “Merlara gave me provisions to last me the next couple of days.”

“Good.” Oakes rummages through his pack, retrieves an apple, and then bites into it.

“May I ask why you are headed to Ryven?” I ask, realizing now he hasn’t mentioned his business in the capital.

“I live there,” Oakes says curtly.

I hesitate to press for more answers. Is he already frustrated with his mortal tag along? Daring to be my curious self, I ask, “What were you doing so far away from home?”

“On an errand.” Oakes takes another bite of his meal.

I recognize the Elven evasion. While they aren’t known for outright lies, they will lie by omission. Perhaps he’s on a secret quest from the capital. Or maybe he is simply visiting relatives. Either way, he doesn’t wish to share that bit of information. I fantasize I’m an Elven female and he’s a rogue who will teach me the ways of the world before we part ways.

“I haven’t seen your bear,” Oakes says, almost implying I’m keeping a secret from him about the animal.

“Maybe you scared him off.” I nibble on my bread. Having lost some of my precious food during the ghoul attack, I need my supplies to last.

Oakes tilts his head, studying me closely, like I’m an oddity. “Do humans always eat so little?”

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