Page 39 of Tempting the Fae Lord
“And you’re human. But from the other side, mayhap?”
“Yes.”
“You cross through the gate?” She doesn’t seem hostile, only curious.
“I did. Did you?”
“No.”
We stare at each other, I transfixed from my spot on the ground, she looking much the same from her spot in the air. A human from the fae side and a fae from the human side. What are the odds?
“May I come closer?” she asks. “I mean you no harm.”
I nod, and she flies forward and lands at a polite distance. I offer a bow to which she responds with a curtsy and a giggle.
“What’s your name?” I ask.
“Sonja. I need to know how you managed to pass through the gate. I have tried and failed more times than I can count. Baffling thing.”
She’s pretty. This close, I see the striking blue coloring not only decorates her wings, but it also streaks through her silver hair, shines brightly in jewel-like eyes, and gleams from gems on her ringed fingers. She wears a tunic of white fur and brown leather boots on small feet. She looks around my age, but with fae, age is impossible to decipher by appearance alone. She could be a hundred for all I know.
“I can tell you how I did it, but not why it worked. The gate baffles me too.”
Her upturned nose twitches. Her gaze narrows. Her lips part, and she takes a slow step backward, almost as if she’s afraid of me. “You’re protected.”
“What?”
“You’re his thrall.”
“Whose thrall?”
“The Gatekeeper’s. You reek of him.”
“I do?” I can’t exactly smell myself, but I know Ezra’s scent well. I find it comforting. If only I could smell it now.
“That surprises you?”
“Yes, though I am looking for him.”
She squints. “Why?”
A warning trickle of trepidation rolls down my spine. Perhaps less truth and more evasion until I’m sure she’s safe. She seems nice enough, but that could be a farce. “He’s been on this side longer than usual. Have you seen him? And what do you mean by ‘his thrall’?”
“You’ve imbibed on his blood.” Distaste flares in her expression.
I tense. Yes, I’ve licked it off the sticky iron bars and slurped up the red snow. What have I done? How does she know? Does that mean Ezra will know? And more importantly, how mad will he be?
My cheeks are hot. I don’t want to discuss this with her. “Is he here?”
Sonja studies me. Blinks. And smiles. “I don’t know where he is at present, but I’ve seen him. I’ll tell you about it if you tell me how you got through the gate.”
I’m wary, but I need to know what she knows. “All right.”
“All right.” She sticks out a dainty hand.
I shake it gently.
“Come with me. I’ll make tea. You look like you could use a place to rest.”
