Page 25 of Fate and Flame
“Are we all riding, then?” Gaea asked.
“Do you ride much?” I asked in a really nice and not bitchy at all way.
“When I can. I use magic to travel most of the time.” Her dark brown hair fell like curtains over her pale face as she answered. Talking openly about magic for any fae was likely uncomfortable, but having been collected by the Wind Court king and essentially escaping him probably made it worse. If she was to be believed. But we would hold her secret close. She didn’t know that though.
“How does it work?” I prodded for more information. I was my mother’s child, after all.
“I can only travel to places I’ve been. I call it spiriting. Do you want me to show you?”
“So you can turn me over to Autus? Hard pass.”
Her gaze dropped to the ground.
That’s why.
What? Like you weren’t thinking it?
He didn’t answer. He would have never let me go with her, and we both knew that. His protective nature runs deep. I looked to Greeve for backup, but his dark eyes were locked on Gaea. Interesting. I wasn’t even sure he was breathing.
“I wouldn’t,” she said finally, as the huge black horses were brought from the stable. “I know it’s hard to trust me, but I’ve finally escaped him. I’ve left my entire life behind to try to find something better. To breathe.”
Fen stepped between us, taking the reins of the fae horses. “Thanks, Rah.” He motioned to Greeve. “Let’s get going.”
We mounted.
I stayed next to Fen while Gaea and Greeve rode next to each other. He was deadly silent and still as we moved. Not to say that wasn’t normal for him, but this was a whole new level of lethal. I couldn’t decide if he wanted to kill her or undress her.
“Are you nervous to meet my grandmother?” Fen asked.
I plucked a piece of lint from my shirt—Fen’s shirt. “Should I be?”
“Umari is a different character. Actually, no. She’s just like you and should come with a warning. Why did I agree to this?”
I flashed him a sultry look. “Because I asked.”
“Right.”
I sped my horse up and Fen followed until we traveled in a line with Fen and Greeve on the outside. The fae horses kept at a steady pace as we moved.
“What did you expect?” I asked Gaea.
“I’m sorry?”
“I mean coming here. What did you expect to happen? That we would welcome you with open arms?” I caught Fen’s rigid back at my blunt question, but he remained silent. Listening.
“Not at all. I expected your reservations more than I expected the kindness that Prince Fenlas showed me last night.”
My head snapped to him.How fucking kind were you?
As kind as we are to all the refugees, Princess. Calm your rage.
“Tell me something about Autus. Something that he would hate for others to know.”
“He’s an insecure asshole who hates nearly everyone but himself?”
“Something more than the obvious.”
She leaned down and patted the great neck of the beast below her as her mind worked. “He has no intention of marrying Morwena. He’s been killing her forces in the north so they know he’s still in charge. He’s using his betrothal to secure her army so he can move south and take out Coro. Then he plans to keep Coro’s soldiers and move south again.”
