Page 11 of Courting the Fae Captain
She looked at me and smiled tentatively. “We have that in common. And really, I should be thanking you. You could have left me back there. You had the opportunity to run when you had that knife; instead, you stood up for me. It’s likely you’ve now painted a target on your back with stabby pants over there.”
I chuckled as I glanced at the female in question, who seemed to sense the attention and made a point of hissing and showing me her canines. “Stabby pants would have made her mark eventually. That one doesn’t care about the sanctity of life or others. She sees only obstacles in her way. Be careful around her, Sherai. We are never safe in a place like this.”
Sherai considered for a moment. “In the crypt, when she said your name … she seemed to know you. Or know of you. But you didn’t seem to know her. What’s that about?”
I grimaced. “I have no idea. But I’m betting nothing good.”
Sherai nodded at a mural I’d been studying earlier. “A rather macabre piece, don’t you think? What do you make of it?”
“I think,” I said slowly, “that the first test we survived was just a taste of what’s to come. I think I’m happy to have an ally moving forward.”
“An ally,” Sherai said with a nod. “And a friend?” The tone of her voice lifted at the latter, almost like she was asking for confirmation.
“Sure.” I smiled and, for the first time in a while, the notion felt genuine. Natural. I held out a hand. “Friends.”
She took it tentatively with hands that were soft and smooth, and relatively clean. It felt like a sin, somehow, to take that innocence in my bloodstained hands. Gods only knew what the other females thought of us right now. I’m sure we looked quite gruesome, with our faces painted scarlet. Our battle armour, of sorts. A mask to hide the real fear that lingered beneath. Because, as comforting as it was to have a friend in this place—to know I wasn’t alone—I couldn’t ignore the portraits that hadbeen struck out on the wall. And to know that there was a very real possibility that I could be next.
I must have dozed off at some point because I woke to find males in black robes flooding the room, their faces covered with their cowls. Each of us was plucked up from our resting places like spring chickens and dragged out of the room, some kicking and screaming. My instincts told me to fight them, but Sherai shook her head subtly. She was right, of course. Best to comply for now. There was nothing we could do except allow ourselves to be guided wherever we were led.
I took note of every room we passed and every turn, just in case. The place was gigantic, but the exits were few and far between, unless you counted the windows, which I, for one, did. Eventually, we were deposited into a large foyer, lit by decadent chandeliers and overlooked by an arched balcony above two grand staircases curving down from either side. The guards took up residence around the room, watching us with dark and glittering eyes barely perceptible from beneath their hoods.
The obvious wealth of this castle made my father’s look like a hovel by comparison. Lord Windaire and his son were clearly not wanting for anything except, oh, I don’t know, a harmless bout of bloodletting and butchery.Fuckers.
My eyes remained glued to the balcony while the other females shuffled awkwardly or huffed with impatience. I saw no reason to be impatient. Any second, and the hosts would make their appearance. Sure enough, five figures seemed to appear out of nowhere, their bodies swathed in robes, their heads also hooded. But hiding their faces were golden masks depicting various animals. A sea serpent, a lion, a wolf, a bear, and an eagle.
The sea serpent stood front and centre, breaking from the phalanx to stand at the balcony edge. He took a long minute to study us, our faces and dishevelled states. I felt his eyes like ascourge over my body. Cold and glittering, making my skin crawl the longer they lingered.
After another moment, dark shadows seeped out around the four other males from where they stood, drifting down the stairs like it was fog. I almost rolled my eyes at the display of magic. This waiting game was a purposeful show of drama and intrigue, and I didn’t care for it. My body was exhausted, my mind felt frayed, and my heart was feeling a little heavier than yesterday.We’ve already had enough excitement for one night. Get on with the fucking show already.
“Fifty females entered this sacred Wedding Rite, hoping to win the hand of a lord of noble blood and powerful magic. 50 of you entered, and only 38 remain after the first test. The Blood Rite. Many more of you will fall. Some might say the Blood Rite is a barbaric and unconscionable act, but we know better than to take stock of hearsay from common folk and lesser Fae. This is tradition. Strength. And there is none other than this great test to judge the merit, intelligence, and strength of its participants.” The male’s voice carried the slightest hint of pride. There was no doubt he believed every word he was saying.
‘Common folk and lesser Fae’. I almost snorted. If I weren’t in said Rite, I might very well have laughed. But there wasn’t anything remotely funny about this. Not for me and the 49 other females who had been forced to participate, nor the many who came before us. How many had been lost to the Rite? How many beautiful, strong, wonderful females had fallen because of a group of evil, egotistical Fae getting off on the pain and suffering of others?
Fuck them. Fuck all of them. I looked at the male with the serpent mask and decided at that moment that before this was done, I would stand over his dying body andsmile. I would root out the whole nest and destroy them all. Someday, somehow, they were going to pay. They wouldn’t be spouting this nonsenseabout tradition and merit if the tables were turned. They wouldn’t be saying anything at all.
The sea serpent looked down on us, the gilded mask glinting as the chandelier’s light reflected off it. “You have all done well to survive the first test, but know this: today was but the first of several to come over the winter and thaw. You will be fed, watered, and clothed, with comfortable quarters during your time here, but you will also earn your keep. You will each be assigned castle duties and will spend your days working and undergoing combat training in equal measure. Tardiness, dissent, and complaints will not be tolerated. These are your only rules. Listen to your masters and give your all in the Rite, and you will do well.”
He dipped his head once before swishing his robe and striding out of the room. The other masked males followed like silent wraiths, and then we were left once more with the guards. I hissed as one suddenly grabbed me roughly by the arm. But I allowed myself to be escorted once more. I tried to keep Sherai in my sights, but she was soon lost in a sea of grumbling females and surly guards, so I focused my attention once more on my surroundings. The castle spanned on and on, each room full of grandeur and wealth I’d never dreamed of.
It was a decent walk to reach the wing dedicated to the contesting females. The guard led me up a staircase spanning several floors before we finally came to a stop in a wide hallway with doors lining each side. He slid a brass key from his pocket, opened the door before us, then not so gently nudged me inside.
“Easy on the goods there, handsy,” I said with a wink.
He glared momentarily, then slammed the door in my face and locked me in.
I sighed and pressed my forehead against the cool wood. This was going to be a long few months, but perhaps that was a blessing in disguise. Time was my ally. Time allowed me to dosome digging on the mystery surrounding previous participants and the so-called asylum, or, at the very least, the next few tests. It made perfect sense that the hosts would want to keep everything about the Rite hush-hush. Locking females away, never to be seen again, was the perfect way to do that. Of course, they could simply throw all the losers in those underground tunnels and solve their problems that way, but droves of sudden disappearances would probably cause more questions than not. It was something to ponder.
I also had the distinct impression I wouldn’t be wandering around the castle freely anytime soon. Not if they had guards assigned to each of us. For now, the best thing to do was simply what they told us to. I had no issue with earning my keep or training my body. I desperately needed the latter if I were honest. I wanted to be able to protect myself as best as I could.
The hosts weren’t the only threats in this castle, but they were the biggest. I bet that this applied especially to the leader—the one with the sea serpent mask. He was no doubt running the whole thing. The others would likely look to his approval and leadership. Which meant if we really were in a viper’s den, then there was one simple solution to my conundrum. I had to cut the head off the snake.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘There has always been five leading the Rite. Five males, five hidden identities, creating a leadership known simply as the Pentad. In the years since conception, assassination attempts have occurred on numerous Pentad members. None have been successful.’
The Trials and Traditions of a Mithrian Fae
The room my newfound friend had locked me in was lavish. Obnoxiously so. I’d expected some kind of sick torture chamber or love dungeon to spend my days in upon arriving. Instead, I’d been dumped in the height of finery.
