Page 16 of Blackwarden
I’d mistakenly thought he’d only need to be in the human realm long enough to acquire a sacrifice for the Queen. Now I wondered if there was a far greater responsibility to being the Gatekeeper.
“Are you theonlyGatekeeper?”
“From the human world to the Unseelie Court, I am,” he said, his voice full of soft amusement. “And I’ve been the Gatekeeper for a considerable time.”
“And how long is considerable to you?”
He might have intended to answer but just stared at me instead before he glanced down at his plate. The muscles in his jaw flexed as he wrestled with whatever inner demon held his tongue. Silence stretched until I couldn’t look at him any longer, unsure if he’d ever answer. He cleared his throat.
“Tell me, Ms. Greene, how did you spend your days before coming here?”
“Before being dragged here, you mean?”
He smirked. “Semantics.”
I folded my arms, certain my frustration was plain on my face, but it didn’t seem to deter his intense gaze while he waited for an answer.
“I helped my parents with their farm.”
“That sounds like work. What did you do in your leisure time?”
“You act as though humans have all the leisure time in the world,” I snapped.
“And you seem to think Fae do nothing but participate in acts of cruelty.”
I took a sharp breath at how quickly he’d snapped back. My cheeks heated, and I dropped my hands into my lap below the table.
“What do you do in your leisure time then?” I asked, genuinely curious what a Dark Fae who was the Gatekeeper to the portalbetween the human world and the Unseelie Court could honestly find entertaining.
He smiled, resting his chin in his hand. “I believe I asked first, Ms. Greene.”
“Fine,” I said, glaring down at my wine glass. “I read, and sometimes I like to take my father’s horse for long rides, but seeing as how I’m not allowed to leave the Gatehouse, I don’t think that’s possible anymore.”
“I have a library,” he said, before taking a sip of wine. “If you’d like, I can show you. You’d be welcome to spend time there, if you aren’t too terrified to leave your suite.”
I was instantly reminded of the room he’d escorted me to after carrying me from wherever the Gatehouse had trapped me. I hadn’t had a chance to look around before he’d taken me back to my rooms.
“I’d like that very much.”
For the first time since coming to this dark place, I was genuinely excited. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like the way his face brightened with a pleasant smile. There was something so endearing in the way he dropped his eyes to his now-empty plate, which moments ago had been laden with what looked like the most delicious shepherd’s pie I’d ever seen.
He stood and with a smooth stride led the way, a kind calm settling over his face. He was a different Keres than I’d seen before. There was something genuine about this one that I wasn’t sure I liked. Mostly, because I could get used to him—dare I say, I could like him.
“I think you’ll love it,” he said, with an undeniable warmth to his voice. No seduction, no attempt to be something he wasn’t, just his true voice. It was like the first time he’d spoken as I stood cowering at the front doors of the Gatehouse and his voice had curled around me like a melody.
I tried to smother the shiver of longing that stirred in my blood and instead focused on the giddiness that washed over meas I followed him from the dining room. A library was something I understood. Not magical food, grotesque murals, or unnaturally attractive Fae. It was shelves of books and hopefully a comfortable place to sit that wasn’t my suite.
From the main hall we turned right instead of left and stopped in front of a door that hung open. Daylight splashed onto the floor and mingled with the gentle glow of the braziers. There was a freshness to the room that was immediately welcoming, and I hurried in, spinning in place like a little girl twirling in her best dress. My cheeks immediately grew hot as I realized Keres was still by the door, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He watched me with those dark eyes and a timid smirk.
I nearly ran to the window where I stood looking out at the strange black-leaved trees as they crowded against the sides of the Gatehouse. It was impossible to see much else, but at least there was daylight streaming in. I spun in place, walking back toward the center of the library and looked over the floor to ceiling shelves with wonder.
“This was where you brought me yesterday, wasn’t it.”
“The very same.”
“I wasn’t in the right frame of mind to appreciate it then.”
“The Gatehouse didn’t know I’d be bringing you then or it might have been a tad more welcoming.”
