Page 15 of Courting the Fae Captain
Beneath the kraken mask covering the top half of his face came a smile that was anything but kind. “There you are, little lark. Now give me one reason why I shouldn’t make you sing.”
CHAPTER NINE
‘Never turn your back on a Fae. They have centuries to imagine stabbing you in the back. Don’t allow them the opportunity to make it a reality.’
The Trials and Traditions of a Mithrian Fae
Raithe’s blade pressed against my throat as he shifted his free hand up to lean on the bark beside my head. I swallowed, all too aware of the close proximity of the enemy before me.
“Your father won’t be pleased if you kill one of his playthings without an audience to witness it,” I said with more confidence than I felt. It was only too typical I’d found myself in this position on the first damned day at this goddess forsaken place.
“My father would probably be proud,” Raithe said, flashing his teeth. The tip of the blade pressed firmer, drawing a drop of blood that trickled down my neck. “Try again.”
I glared up at deep blue eyes as I squirmed beneath the cool tip of metal. He seemed to be giving me the opportunity to talk my way out of the situation. “Okay, fine. You’re looking for your mother, right? And other females? I can help you.”
The pressure of the blade on my skin softened ever so slightly. “Go on,” he allowed.
My mind worked quickly, scrounging for something, anything, to keep me alive and convince him I was an asset. “Maybe you’re looking for your mother in the wrong places. People talk, Captain. Servants certainly have a lot to say when they think no one is watching. Before my arrival, I already heard whispers of what rumours your help is entertaining, so imagine what I’ll learn now that I’ll be working alongside them during my stay. I can report any useful gossip back to you.” I took his silence as contemplation and hurriedly continued. “Who better to feed information on what truly happens during and after the Rite than someone participating in it? The females from prior years must have stayed here. Maybe they left clues behind, Captain. A bread trail leading to your answers.”
“And how do I know I can trust you not to spill my secrets to the Pentad? Perhaps it is in my best interest to remove you now. I could, you know. I would be well within my rights.”
I lowered the tip of his blade and stepped forward, reclaiming my space and placing us on even ground. “And whyever would I do that? I am here for your hand, after all. It wouldn’t be the most promising start to an amicable marriage.”
He shoved me back against the tree effortlessly, his hand curling around my neck. “If you were really here to court me, you would be back at the ball, charming your way into the inner circle of the Pentad. But here you are, alone, hiding in a tree at the first sound of a male to come upon you.” His eyes drifted to the wall beyond the tree, as if keenly aware of what I’d really been doing out here. “I wouldn’t recommend scaling it, littlelark. The guards would surely clip your wings before you could take flight.”
“Then this little bird will peck out their eyes before they dare try,” I hissed. “But one way or another, I am getting out of here, lord. Try and stop me.”
He laughed at my challenge, but to my surprise, he released me and stepped back. His arms folded as he looked down at me, the picture of male arrogance. “You’d better get back to the ball if you plan on surviving long enough to try. They won’t accept your extended absence as an innocent loss of time.”
My brows knitted together. “You’re letting me go?”
He adjusted the buckle looped over his navy coat, then smoothed out his tunic before gesturing towards the ball. “For now.”
“You knew I was here all that time, yet you didn’t stop your company from continuing your conversation. Why?”
His brow rose. “Maybe I require a little bird to spill the castle secrets. Maybe I was curious why a female would be out here in the first place. Or maybe I was just bored. I guess we’ll see now, won’t we?”
I glared at him once more, then started back toward the ballroom with as much grace as I could muster. Before I could escape him entirely, though, he called out.
“Oh, and little lark? Tread lightly. I may be a fair male, but I can also be unforgiving. Do not give me reason to regret letting you live.”
I looked over my shoulder to find shadows misting along the ground towards me. His entire aura seemed to darken, and my heart raced as I felt the weight of his power. The age of it. I wasn’t able to see his face behind his mask, beyond a chiselled jawline and those deep blue eyes, but he couldn’t have appeared much older than 30 by the lunar year. In truth? He must have been hundreds of years old, if this sheer power was anything togo by.Fuck.And here I was, a mere 24 lunar years old, yet to discover what my power even was.
I turned my head and willed my feet to take one step, then another, until I was walking rather rigidly back to the castle. When he was well and truly behind me, I took a shuddering breath, the plume clouding before my face. It was only then that I realised I was shivering, whether from the threat of his existence or the cold, I didn’t know.What in hells had I gotten myself into?
It took a while, but with the aid of a few glasses of wine and the distracting chatter of Sherai and Akira, I was able to gather my wits once more … until the captain appeared in the ballroom.The obscene doors of the great hall once again groaned open to announce his entrance. My head snapped to the far end, where the hosts now stood, their glasses in hand. Time for the Pentad’s big reveal.
A herald preceded him and bowed, announcing loudly, “Captain Raithe Windaire, Lord of Cliffscote Castle and Soldier of the Shadow Court.”
I almost rolled my eyes. They certainly liked to inflate their egos here. But it seemed effective on the others. A few gasps echoed around the room as the captain entered, one of them coming from Akira of all people. I glared at her, and she shrugged.
“What? Just because I was forced to be here doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the merchandise. We’re fighting for it, after all.”
I snorted. It did help to think of the captain as a shiny object to fawn over, rather than the commanding and somewhat intimidating male I’d met earlier. Without a blade at my throat,I could actually take a moment to drink in the sight of him. And this time, he was maskless.
The captain was tall and broad, with short, tousled black hair. A scar cut through his left eyebrow, which somehow only enhanced his handsome features. The jawline was sharp as a blade, the lips full, the nose straight. But the eyes … they were the blue of storms and angry ocean swells. Those eyes had seen murder and malice and had weathered it. They werehard.I hadn’t yet decided if they housed the soul of a cruel male or simply a stoic one.
Though given his acceptance of this entire charade, even if somehow coerced or forced into it, I’d have to hazard a guess that he was not the kind of male one would want to wed. He was a captain of the court, for goodness' sake. Not a thing easily achieved by those with any moral compass. As I considered it, I realised it was odd that his father still held his seat.
