Page 109 of The Shadow Fae Rhapsody
“Princess Rhianelle!” Governor Graysen’s voice filters through the air. “Come out, we just want to talk.”
Ice streams through my veins at the sound. My heart hammers in my chest wildly, locking me in place. It takes a long moment to finally be able to shake the fear paralyzing my nerve. I crawl carefully to the forest edge, weapon in hand.
The governor is dressed in his usual court attire and coat. His face and movements are casual as if he didn’t just kill Oscar, Loren, the twelfth, Jessica, and the priest a few nights ago.
“Your uncle will kill every single person in this village if you don’t write to him,” he shouts again.
I peer through the thick bushes to find the governor and several armed guards.
“I won’t harm you. We just need you to write a letter,” he promises,
Lies.
I do pity the villagers of Feywildra and Jessica’s family, but I know it’s a trap.
“Who are those people calling for you?” Salty Spider asks, scuttling closer to look.
I turn away from the village. “No one.”
Day5 in Astefar
Salty Spider yawns, waking up from her afternoon nap. Maybe I should call her lazy spider instead.
“Where did the golden thing on your head go?” she asks.
“I traded it last night with a traveling hermit crab,” I say, showing off what I have with me.
Salty Spider drools at the sight of the carps in my hands. “For those?”
“Don’t be silly.” I shake my head. “I bartered it in exchange for fishing lessons.”
“Fishing lessons…?” she mutters incredulously.
“I caught these myself.” I beam proudly. I cast one to her and she catches it easily with her fangs. “For you.”
She tilts her bulbous head curiously. “Why?”
“For the silk shoes you gave me… and I want to be your friend?” My cheeks heat with the request. I’m half afraid Salty Spider will refuse me.
But she just tilts her head further until she almost turns over. “Friend? What is that?”
How do I explain it to her?
“Friends are people who share their food.” I shrug, bending over to start a fire.
“They don’t hide treats from each other?” Salty Spider adds.
“Yeah…” I mutter absently, stoking the kindlingI gathered. For the first time, it works.
Salty Spider’s fur bristles and she stays far away from my fire. If I am lucky tomorrow, I can venture to the river again for food. But rivers and watering holes are the most dangerous place in the forest. There is an eight to ten chance one might die. The creatures there are quick to learn your habits. If I frequent that place too often to find food, the probability of me being the next meal is high. I eat my fish quietly while staring into the flames.
“What’s wrong? Why are you suddenly sad?” Salty Spider asks, noticing the change in my mood. She sits at the furthest edge of the fire’s orange light, hating the heat from the flames.
My heart punches my ribs at the question. I stare into the fire a little longer before answering her. “A week ago, a lord asked me if I had wanted to come live with him and his wife. They have no child. If I had just gone with him, I could have eaten every day.”
I’d never have to forage or hunt for food or start a fire.
“They’d let you eat every day?” Salty Spider is genuinely shocked.
