Page 14 of Courting the Fae Captain
“The females from the temple I lived in have long served Valere, but they are not my family. I was taken from my true blood as a child when Mithrian Fae raided my homeland and stole many of us away across the seas. The religion and path the people of that temple walk is one I may have been raised in, but it is not one I chose to follow. Don’t, as you said, hold it against me.”
I cringed inwardly. Valere, God of Torment, was known by all as a cruel and hateful creature. It was said he gained his power through Fae sacrifice and dark ceremony. Those who followed him were often regarded as extreme cultists and were given a wide berth. Once someone was inducted into their ranks, it was almost impossible to get out, and many were sacrificed before they got the chance. From what I knew of their practices, Akira would have endured a hard life and much suffering. And it waslikely going to get worse.Valere didn’t release his worshippers to participate in marriage rites. It was a life ‘calling’, which meant…
“You ran away from the temple,” I said softly.
She raised her shoulders. “I took my life into my own hands before they could take it for their own. My sister was…” She took a composing breath. “I couldn’t save her in time.”
“I’m so sorry. I can understand why you’d run. But why run here?”
The hand resting on her fork tightened until the knuckles went white. “My adopted brother’s work. He assisted my escape under the pretence of helping me. Little did I know he’d bartered my life for a healthy sum to set himself up far away from the temple’s clutches. He might have saved me from the temple, but he condemned me to the Rite in its place. I traded fire for brimstone, I’m afraid.”
“My gods,” Sherai whispered. “So much pain has followed your footsteps. I will pray the light of Falane finds you here.” Falane was the Goddess of Nature and New Life. One of our more benevolent gods.It was said her light healed and purified all it touched, if one was so lucky.
Akira’s eyes narrowed. “It would be wasted breath. They stopped listening a long time ago, if they ever did, and do not care for the likes of us. The gods shroud me in darkness, so I learned to live in the shadows.”
I shook my head. “I’ll drink to that,” and I drained the whole glass. Akira was interesting, and Sherai was lovely, but I was better off not getting too attached. At the end of the day, we were all pitted against each other, whether we liked it or not. I didn’t want the captain’s hand, but I sure as hell wanted to keep my life. I liked these females, and that was a problem. I couldn’t afford distractions. “Excuse me, ladies, I’m going to get some air.”
I slipped out of my seat and headed for the gardens beyond the balcony doors, curious if the burly guards standing by would even allow me past. To my relief, they said nothing as I made my way outside, taking the stone stairs toward the gardens. More guards surrounded the perimeter, no doubt. Trying to escape would not be easy, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t assess my chances for another day.The air had a sharp bite to it, the flesh on my arms instantly prickling from the sharp lick of an ocean breeze. The first snow had not yet fallen here, but it wouldn’t be long before the castle grounds would host a blanket of fresh powder.
It was too cold to be wearing such a flimsy gown, but discomfort was far from my mind as my slippered feet crunched over the pebbled path. The castle grounds were beautiful, with perfectly manicured lawns and trees, and a lake dotted with elaborate fountains of sea animals. The stubborn remnants of wisteria vines clung to a long pergola covering a walkway to the east, which I headed towards casually. Anyone could be watching through the large windows from the banquet hall, so it wouldn’t do to appear suspicious, even though I was using this time to evaluate the area.
A wall snaked around the exterior of the grounds, effectively keeping everyone out—and all the females in. Not a problem, given my knack for climbing, but I knew guards would patrol it night and day, which meant if I were to attempt fleeing, I’d have to learn their schedules. Annoying, but not a complete barrier to freedom … My real obstacle would be the hounds the lord most certainly kept on the premises somewhere.
I turned towards the ocean and grimaced. I already knew the castle foundation was built into the very cliff, descending upon jagged rocks and rugged coastline on either side, but this angle revealed the lack of options this provided. There was no dock leading out, and even if there was, the waves were so violent Iwouldn’t get far.At least not farther than the island out at sea. It wouldn’t take long for the lord to notice my absence and send soldiers to come and collect me. This was their turf, and I was not a skilled sailor.
My gown swished over the pebbles, gently brushing some out of their bumpy bed. As I meandered around the grounds, pretending to explore and appreciate the flora to any assuming onlookers, I hummed a lilting beat, one my mother had sung to me as a girl. I was close to the end, nearing a large, bent tree with a hollow in its centre, when voices drifted toward me on the breeze. I stopped humming immediately and listened. They came from around the corner of the manor, and they were headed right toward me.Shit.I jumped into the tree hole without thinking. I cursed beneath my breath as a spider crawled over me and skittered out the entrance, leaving goosebumps over my skin.
“We used the Rite as an opportunity to search beneath the castle proper,” a male said in a gruff voice. “Nothing but blood and bones from those damned beasts your father keeps. The only prisons we found were pens for the Waiflings. If your father is holding them, it’s not here.”
Waiflings? That must have been what the creatures in the crypt were called.
A frustrated growl followed, along with the scraping of boots on gravel as the small group came to a halt. “If he’s holding her ransom, he’d want her close by, not to mention any others.”
“We can keep trying Domeratt,” another younger, eager voice said. “He could have made a deal with the pirates.”
“My father, make a deal with those thugs?” The second husky voice scoffed. “Thieves and murderers, the lot of them. He’d sooner slit my mother’s throat than allow one to lay a hand on her. Besides, they can’t be trusted not to extort himafterwards. What better person to publicly barter than the Lord of Domeratt’s wife?”
Holy shit. Am I hearing straight?My heart beat a little faster, because surely they weren’t talking about the lord of this castle holding his wife captive?Mother. Father. Lord Windaire.Gods. My skin prickled once more as I realised one of the males right outside my hiding place was the captain himself.Fuck. If he finds me…
“We’ll keep looking,” the first male reassured. “We have soldiers checking every ship headed out of port and others scouring every nook and cranny in the city. We’ll find her Raithe.”
The captain sighed. “Sooner than later, I hope. I can’t let them do this, Killian. I won’t stand by while she withers and dies.”
“Don’t even think about doing something stupid,” the first male said. “You do anything to interfere with the Rite, and your father won’t hesitate to kill her. Try to helpanyof the females he’s brought here, and your father will have them killed for sport.”
“You want me to let this play out and marry the victor? I am not in want of a wife. Especially not one who would volunteer to be here. I’d sooner stick my cock in a clam. But you, Killian … I didn’t take you for a coward.”
“And I didn’t take you for a fool. I have many years on you, boy, and I know your father well. He is a ruthless male, but he is damn smart. He will be watching you carefully, testing your loyalty. Don’t give him a reason to doubt it. You play the game and you play it well. If you’re clever enough, you might just be able to bend the rules without consequence.”
“I’ll help you, Raithe,” the younger one said. “We’ll get through this.”
“‘Atta boy,” Killian said. “Keep this one in line for me, Jaren. I need to get back or someone will notice my absence. You should return to your post, too, or the master will have you whipped.” A moment of silence followed, then he spoke up again. “Heed my words, Raithe, for all our sakes.”
Two pairs of boots crunched into the distance, and I waited in anticipation while one male remained, pacing in agitation before the tree I’d concealed myself in. The breeze ruffled my hair, and I twitched my nose as strands tickled my nostrils. The pacing came to a sudden stop.
“Are you going to hide in there all day? I can smell your perfume, and you’d best believe I heard you singing.”
I froze, not uttering a sound as Raithe’s deep voice pierced the stillness. The primal timbre of it had my hair stand on end, my body recognising danger instinctively. Begrudgingly, I clasped the bark and crawled out of the hole to find the captain towering over me. In an instant, he shoved me against the tree, slamming my injured shoulder against the harsh bark as his fingertips dug into my hip. In his other hand was a dagger glittering in the soft ray of moonlight that filtered through the branches, held just an inch from my throat.
