Page 26 of Trapped to Tame
They left their horses at the stable, Fie dismounting and helping the female down. He thought she might collapse to the ground. Not used to riding, her legs might be weak, but, of course, she was used to the fights. Her body was stronger than it looked.
They passed the first two inns that were not to Priest’s liking and Fie wished his Brother would lower his impossible standards before he fucking froze to death. They finally reached one on a respectable street and went in.
Although the hour was late, they had the coin to rouse the cook who set about making them something for supper. They crowded into a small private dining area and Fie stoked the fire. They all sat around the fine, clothed table and a serving girl came in, pouring them all a cup of wine.
Without a word, Drax replaced the female’s with water and Fie watched curiously, wondering if he was denying the wench, but Eve simply nodded her thanks and drank from the cup thirstily.
‘How is it, female,’ Priest began, ‘that you cannot ride a horse?’
Their Fourth drew into herself just a tiny bit before she answered. ‘I never needed to learn.’
‘So, by what means did you travel? On foot?’ he barked a laugh. ‘By cart like a beast to market?’
She levelled her gaze at him. ‘I never went anywhere.’
He looked incredulous. ‘Not anywhere?’
‘No.’
They lapsed into silence as a hearty venison stew with potatoes and bread was brought. Eve, of course, ate as quickly as possible, using the bread to mop her earthenware bowl clean and then looking at the door longingly, as if she wanted more already.
‘Do you have no regard for those around you?’ Priest muttered.
She locked eyes with him. ‘If you have a problem with me, break this bond or whatever it is and leave me here.’
Priest took a long drink of his wine, eyeing her before he spoke again. ‘I have no problem save that we have been forced to ally ourselves with ahumanwho eats like a pig and has the deportment of a wraith.’
He stared her down and she looked away, appearing confused rather than angry.
‘Enough,’ ordered Drax. ‘Leave the female be.’
Eve stared into her empty bowl with a small sigh as if it might refill by magick.
‘Why the Ice Plains?’ she asked, as if the question had just come to her.
‘Because that is where one of the entrances to the Underhill is,’ Drax answered.
She looked up in surprise. ‘The Underhill?’
‘You've heard of it?’ Fie asked.
She nodded slowly. ‘The fae realm.’
Drax picked up his cup. ‘The fae can be found in many of the Dark Realms; this realm as well, but the Underhill is something else. There are no other realms like it as far as we know. It’s a tiny place; a fold within this realm. There were only three portals to get to it. Two of them opened here into the Light Realm and a third in one of the Dark Realms, which made it a much more secure realm than any other.’
He took a long drink, setting his cup down on the table a moment later. ‘The Underhill is where our children are kept secure. Most of them stay there with their mother or a guardian until they are old enough. The Dark Realms are dangerous places.’
Eve leaned forward, focused completely on Drax.
‘Our problem is that all three portals to the Underhill collapsed.’
‘So, there are fae trapped there?’ she asked.
‘We don't know,’ Fie said, looking down at his bowl, his appetite disappearing.
For the first time, she looked empathetic to their plight. ‘Do you have children of your own there?’
‘No,’ said Drax, ‘but both Fie and Priest have siblings that we need to find.’
