Page 26 of Luca

“Sadly, he would not be able to consume the food here without an enchantment.” Cair sounded apologetic. “Food in the Otherworld is only for the supernatural. You are only safe to eat and drink your fill because you are half Fae.”

Oh, I had read something about that, actually. Back when I was still a sheltered boy trying to learn all I could about creatures while my mother watched obsessively over my shoulder. I’d dismissed it not long after my first stint across the barrier, along with most of the information I had taken in back then. I’d come to the conclusion, after hearingrealstories fromactualsources, that most of it was varying degrees of untrue.

Or was it?

“But Tee gave Alex the radharc plant on their bonding night, right?” I said. “The one that let him see the city.”

“Kor had enchanted it, made it safe for him to eat.”

“Ah, of course.” I nodded in understanding. “So… what happens if a humandoeseat something from the Otherworld?” I had my guesses, assumptions I’d picked up from the pages of old folk tales, but if I’d learned anything from my twenty-six years among humans, it was that they loved to dramatize a story.

“That depends. If it is given to them by a creature, they will become enslaved to them for a short time. A thrall to do their bidding, though it would take a truly rotten soul to do such a thing.” Cair screwed up his nose as if the very idea was distasteful. “But if they ate it of their own accord, it could give the effects of an aphrodisiac, only heightened, though they would become immune to it over time. It is dangerous, either way, as once a human tastes the food here, nothing else will ever satisfy their appetites. If they became deprived of the source, they would eventually wither away.”

That wasn’t far off what I had expected, but it still stunned me to hear. It was a good job I hadn’t sent anything back already. “Okay, no food for Alex. Got it.”

“Unless you enchant it.”

I paused with the tip of the paper straw for my iced tea between my lips and cringed, showing my teeth. “Better to be safe and not bother.”

Cair tipped his own glass at me in a salute. “Wise decision.”

“So, can I ask you something?” I took one more gulp of my tea before setting it down. “Since we’re on the topic.” Not that a subject change would be out of the ordinary for me. Cair was used to it, but for once, I was actually keeping on track.

“Always.”

“As you know, I’ve been readinga lotsince you built me the nook back at the palace…” He nodded, though it wasn’t entirely necessary. “And I’ve been researching all types of creatures and their lore to get a better understanding of your—our—people, but for some reason, I haven’t read much on Fae. Typically, I’d ask you or Tee if I have a specific question, or I’d observe and learn for myself, and I thought that was enough, but what you just said has me questioning how much I actually know.

“Everything I used to believe about your kind was stuff I got from books I’d sneak away to read as a kid, or the folklore forums I’d skim on the internet. But I dismissed it all after meeting you because the majority of it felt fabricated. The bargains, your appearance, and being nature lovers are the only traits I’ve noted that are close to accurate. You can lie, for one.” I counted each point off on my fingers. “I told you my name and I didn’t magically become your servant.” Another finger. “You’re not exactly what I’d call ‘mischievous.’” Another. “And as far as I’m aware, you don’t swap human children for changelings. So my question is, how much of the information we have is actually a lie? I mean, if the food thing is true, what else is?”

“Most of the tales I’ve heard humans tell of us are used to frighten their young, to warn them away from us, much like their beliefs of the Veil.”

Ah, yes, how they thought crossing over would mean certain death—something I hadn’t doubted myself until I met Cair and learned the truth.

“Our traits are often taken out of context,” he continued. “Or exaggerated for entertainment or brainwashing purposes. We can lie, yes, but we prefer to avoid it or ‘spin the truth’ as it were, as breaking our word is seen as dishonorable, and the offense weighs heavily on our souls. As for being tricksters, that is not entirely untrue. The image that humans present is a little more demeaning—a way to paint us as strange and immoral—but we are an intelligent race, witty and charismatic. Our ability to talk our way out of any situation is often seen as ‘wicked’ or impish behavior.”

“Yeah, that doesn’t surprise me.” I rolled my eyes. “Humans are known for getting defensive and throwing tantrums when someone outsmarts them. It’s as if they can’t possibly imagine being in the wrong, so you and your intelligence can’t be anything other than the devil incarnate.”

“Yes.” Cair chuckled lightly at my sarcastic tone. “That said, my father has been around for thousands of years, and though the Veil between our worlds only came about within the last five hundred, he could still be the prototype for how humans see us. He enjoys tricking his people, he finds sport in it—making impossible bargains, using his power and cleverness to cause chaos. We’re not all the same. In fact,heis the rare breed, but being such an important figure, it is no wonder that your kind have such a low opinion of us.”

I huffed a bitter laugh. “Humans have low opinions of fellowhumans, so I doubt there was anything in particular you guys did to warrant that treatment, even if your dad is a dick. Being ‘different’ is usually all it takes.”

It wasn’t hard to remember how often I was teased as a kid for my looks, or shunned for being too ‘square,’ or too quiet. As I grew up, it hardly got better. I was rejected, ignored, and taken advantage of, and now that I knew about my parentage, it would be easy to take that to mean they’d sensed I was part Fae before I had. But based on how humans interacted with one another, it wouldn’t have mattered either way.

Thankfully, the waiter chose that moment to arrive with our food, halting the conversation. He dipped his head before setting a bowl filled with chunks of tender meat and vegetables in a thick brown gravy in front of me. I inhaled deeply. It smelled delicious, and though I had every intention of continuing with my questioning, all thoughts left my head as I abandoned propriety to eagerly fill my spoon and take a bite.

The moan I let out was possibly a little indecent for a Tuesday afternoon.

“Omygod, this is incredible. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to how amazing the food is here. It’s next level!”

“I’m glad you think so,” Cair said, an amused grin on his face as he elegantly cut into his burger, separating a small portion and transferring it onto his side plate. A few fries joined it before he placed the food in front of me without a word.

My heart swelled.

“You’re such a sap,” I said, grinning fondly like the fool in love that I was.

He didn’t deny it.

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