Page 3 of The Rowan
“How did you come to be part of the House of Light and Karth?” he demands, his voice even, despite the power he’s wielding.
“Solandis is my guardian,” I reply shortly, without elaborating.
His head whips towards me. “You dare to call the Princess of the Light Fae by her given name?”
Despite a desperate need to roll my eyes, I maintain my composure. Barely. “It’s not her given name, as you well know. It’s the name she gives to herclosefamily and friends.” Arching a brow, I shift to face him more directly.
His eyes glint briefly with appreciation at my knowledge. The Fae would never give their true name to anyone, as it holds power over them. “Close, huh? How did a witch becomecloseto the Princess of the Light Fae, much less her ward?”
Pressing my lips together, I state, “It’s not important right now. Solandis is requesting a favor, and in return, she will absolve your life debt.”
Shock emanates from him, and his power retreats. “The entire life debt?”
While I want to sink to the floor with relief, I don’t give him the satisfaction. Steeling my shoulders straight, I pull out a thick cream envelope embossed with her official seal and hand it to him. “The details are in the letter.”
Palming the envelope, he turns towards the front of the elevator as the doors conveniently open. “My office is this way. We’ll have absolute privacy in there.”
Stepping out into a small but empty foyer, I notice a black door to my left.
What is it with all the black doors around here?
Lord Theron places his palm on the door while murmuring an incantation. The door opens quietly. “The combination of technology and magic you use for operations and security is astounding. I’d love to learn more about it.”
He glances at me but doesn’t reply. Sighing, I follow him down the hall and into his office.
It’s exactly what I’d expect from a Fae lord. Every piece of material in the room is organic, beautiful, and immaculate. A wood desk with raw edges sits squarely in the middle of the room, a black, tufted wool chair behind it and two luxurious green silk chairs in front. A gorgeous but muted cream and black wool rug sits beneath the desk and chairs. Matching wood shelves line the walls, books standing side by side like soldiers in a military lineup. Not one item is out of place, and not one iota of dust covers any surface.
Motioning me to a chair, he walks around, sits behind the desk, and pulls out the letter. While I wait for him to read the contents, I peruse the titles on the bookshelves.Fae Mythology,Ancient Fae Discoveries,The Harmony of Technology and Magic.
Hmm…I might have to borrow the last one.
Moments later, he drops the letter on the desk and stares at me. I can almost see the thoughts racing through his mind. If I could guess, I’m sure it would be something along the lines of,What’s so important about this girl? Will the Princess of the Light Fae really absolve me of my life debt? What am I missing?I wait patiently for him to come to the conclusion he’s going to help me.
“Let me get this straight. You need a job, magical training, and help in uncovering your past, correct?” He waits for my confirmation. “The favor hardly seems worth my life debt. I’m a Fae lord, and heir to two different courts. You’re a witch, a human, with moderate power. She could have asked for one of my kingdoms, given the magnitude of saving my life, but since she’s a princess, she doesn’t need a kingdom. She needs something only I can provide, right?” He ponders. “My two greatest advantages are this sanctuary and the power of my cadre. Which do you need?”
Staring at him steadily, I give him no additional clues. This is not a negotiation. “So does that mean you’ll help me in exchange for your life debt? It might take time and effort to uncover my past.”
His eyes are intense as they stare into mine. Finally, he answers, “Yes, I’ll honor this favor.”
Relief at his response pours through me, but I don’t let one ounce of it show. “I look forward to working here, training with your team, and researching my past.”
“My team? You mean the cadre?” He blinks. “I don’t think we need to involve them for a witch of your power. We should be able to get a decent witch to train you.”
“No witches,” I tell him, irritation tightening my voice.
He picks up the letter again to reread the details. “It says I need to provide you with a qualified trainer suitable to your needs.”
Irritation sweeps through me at his response. Essentially, in Fae terms, it means he’s going to do what he thinks is best. “Fine,” I reply curtly. I’ll find a way around it later.
Tapping the letter, he outlines our next steps. “Let’s go down and talk to Maya. She’s the manager of The Abbey, and I believe you met earlier. She’ll give you an interview and figure out where we can put you to work. In the meantime, I’ll work on setting up a training facility and a trainer.”
A job, something I’ve always wanted. I’ve trained tirelessly my entire life, physically, emotionally, and mentally preparing for my “destiny.” A job is normal wrapped in a pink bow with a unicorn on top. Excitement thrums through me.
I calmly follow him out the door, wanting so badly to sigh loudly in relief at passing this first hurdle, but I don’t dare. I need answers, and this is the first step towards finding them.
3
THERON
