Page 24 of Cursed Evermore
I was certain that a shelf containing seashells and sculpted logs had been across from me. Emabelle had even commented on them when we first sat down.
The shelf had been right there up until moments ago when I saw this man.
Looking at him a little closer, I got the feeling that he’d been watching me for a while. Much longer than the few moments we shared in our silent exchange.
If I was right, then whyhadhe been watching me?
The streaks of silver that I’d seen in my mind suddenly materialized from the air and began curling around him. He noticed. Hesawthem, too.
Me and him and no one else.
A spiral zipped past two women, yet they were none the wiser. The same thing happened to one of the servers.
With a deep frown marring his handsome face, the mysterious Fae stranger looked back at me, but this time, the blue of his eyes turned to misty black, making my heart nearly jump out of my chest.
The silvery streaks evaporated into the air and something unseen shifted between us. It made the space tight and just as suffocating as if someone had smothered the air from my lungs.
He stood, tall as a giant, and then some. Gods, he had to be at least seven feet. His eyes stayed on me for a beat longer, pinning me in place before he turned and strode toward the door. His hood slid down as he moved, revealing more of his pointed ears… and those broad, warrior-cut shoulders.
The cloak flowed behind him like liquid darkness, revealing brief flashes of the dagger at his hip, its hilt worn from use.
I stared in utter shock as no one stopped him.
How in the hells could everyone carry on their laughter and hearty conversation while a warrior Fae man walked amongst them?
In this faith-fearing village, this was the sort of thing that would have the women screaming and the men reaching for their weapons. I would have even expected Chancellor Blackthorneto swoop in with Friar Jameson at his side ready with holy water.
But none of that happened.
It was like no one but me could see the mysterious Fae stranger.
Maybe that was what it was. OnlyIcould see him.
If so, why?
Magic.I said the spell in my mind and saw that silvery thing. Then I saw him.
Magic. I still had it. It hadn’t left me. Not completely.
And I’d seen a Fae male.
The mysterious stranger went through the door, leaving the tavern. It took me a moment before I could will my body to move. When I did, I dashed out into the alley, searching for him.
I had to find out who he was and why he’d been watching me.
But he was gone.
I searched up and down the road, walking and looking. I couldn’t find him anywhere.
I wasn’t that far behind him when he left, so how could he have just disappeared?
“Elariya!” Emabelle called me from the tavern door.
I whirled around to face her as she walked out onto the cobbled path to meet me.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
I was panting and my head felt light. What should I say to her?
