Page 15 of Midwinter Wiles & Valerian Dreams
She runs a hand down her apron. “I’m afraid I have no coin at the moment to thank you.”
“Coin?” I blink before understanding. “No, no. I was just helping you get away from those creeps. No recompense necessary. We have to stick up for each other, am I right?”
She takes in my casual grin with a wary gaze. “Oh, um, right. Well, thank you.”
I’d like to say I’d do the same for anyone, but the surprise of seeing her there may have spurred me into a little more impulsivity than usual.
After all, it’s not every day you see a Point Fae princess in disguise working in the local tavern.
Yeah, I recognized Princess Talvie immediately. I just wasn’t expecting to see her again after she fled her royal entourage, let alone in a place like this, serving Wilder Fae while disguised as one of us. I assumed she fled to some royal friend who'd comfort her in luxury.
Her bad luck she stumbled across the only fae who can see through illusions.
My illusion magic has always been strong, honed from a young age with Frederik’s help. While most fae can cast simple glamors, I can create entire scenes, enough to fool audiences at our performances into believing they’re immersed in the settings I conjure. Sights, sounds, smells, even weather effects—I give them an experience they’ll never forget.
And like many of the strongest magics, mine also has a mirror effect. An opposite ability. Illusions don’t work on me.
Talvie's glamor is flawless to anyone else, perfectly crafted reflection magic if I were to guess. Everyone knows Princess Talvie of the Hinterlands has a moon companion capable of such magic, so where…ah, that must be the moonstone peeking out from her collar.Sorry, princess, I see through you.
Beneath her guise, the sharp points of her ears poke through snow-white locks, her aubergine eyes vibrant and bright beneath the blue—her true beauty, unmasked.
I’ll be keeping that insight to myself, though. No way am I trusting someone from the royal family with knowledge of my full power. My strength rivals the legendary Tinker pixies, and they’re often hunted and killed for what they can do.
Knowing her true nature, I can’t help but tease. “Can’t let the Pointy ears win.” I toss her a wink.
Her mouth opens on a retort, then snaps closed. I can practically see the war behind her eyes, but she holds her tongue and keeps her ruse intact. Part of me wants to offer her some acting tips.
Then again, why would I help a Point Fae? Even a princess.
No,especiallya princess.
Even if this one looks miserable in her ill-fitting clothes, and even if I might feel the slightest bit of pity for her after dealing with her own kind humiliating her back there. Reality looks to be biting her in the ass since she fled from the carriage, and I don’t blame it. It is a rather delicious-looking ass, not that I was looking.Okay, maybe a quick peek. But it's so perfectly round and…what was I doing again?
Behind her, Mikael approaches with Eevi in his arms.Right! I came to the inn for milk to warm up for her bedtime routine. The cheerful little girl spies me and reaches out with pudgy arms.
“Come here, baby girl,” I say instinctively, reaching out in return.
The princess steps back, misconstruing my action. “Oh, no, I—” Her worry hardens into a reproachful look. “Did you just save me in there only to accost me out here?”
Her angry outburst gives Mika pause. We lock eyes over her shoulder.
“Wait,” the pissy princess snaps, “I knew you looked familiar. It was you! You were in the forest. Isawyou! I saw you at the pond.”
Now she’s yelling?
This is some thank you.
I’m confused. If I wasn’t, I would point out that I wasn’t talking to her just now. Instead, I’m trying to figure out how she could have seen our troupe in the forest. And what pond?
“Have you been following me? What do you want? Get away from me, stalker!” The outburst is at full volume, so when she whirls to run away from me, she comes face to face with the scrunched-up face of my tousle-haired, sweet child.
Eevi’s little face collapses inward, and I know what’s coming before she unleashes her first wail. I lunge for her in Mika’s arms.
“Hey, hush, happy girl. You’re okay.” I smooth a hand over Eevi’s forehead and cuddle her to my chest. “She’s okay too, aren’t you?” I barely stop myself from adding a derisive “princess” to the end, but my words are plenty sharp enough.
Talvie recoils as she should. She made Eevi cry.
No one makes Eevi cry.
