Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Iwhip around, stumbling as I instinctively reach for–and nearly fumble–the blade from my boot, leaning back into the tree I was hiding behind and pressing the blade, so it rests against his throat.
“You’re an awfully long way from home,” the male practically purrs, meeting my gaze with an expression that screams bored amusement.
“How did you find your way here, little human?” His eyes quickly flick down to where my shaky hand holds the knife, the flash of a smirk appearing before disappearing just as quick.
I take in his appearance from head to toe.
He’s all sharp lines and edges framed by raven black hair—so dark it almost looks like a deep navy blue in the moonlight—that falls across his forehead in untamed waves.
He’s tall, so incredibly tall that I have to crane my neck back to look up at his face.
And my arm is beginning to tire from being held up high enough to even reach his neck.
There’s a small splotch of ink or a birthmark peeking out from the sleeve on the inside of the wrist that I’ve only now noticed is securing my elbow, but I can’t tell what it is from this angle.
But it’s his eyes that cause my entire body to lock up, my breath to stutter.
They capture my full attention and hold it, tight.
His eyes shine bright like ice blue sapphires and carry an intensity that only an immortal being can seem to master.
Scratch what I said before about having never seen anything as handsome as the Fae males by the bonfires. I’ve never seen anything more handsome than this male. And there’s something about his eyes that tickles at something in my mind…
“Do you even know how to use that blade?” he asks with a smirk, arrogance lacing his tone.
I glare back at him and press the dagger a bit more into his skin, refusing to answer him. Because… no. I don’t know how to wield a weapon, but I’d rather fake confidence than not try to defend myself.
“Oh, she’s a feisty little thing. I do like a violent streak in a female,” he says with a wink and leans closer, pressing himself more firmly against the dagger.
“Now, let’s try that again, shall we?” All amusement falls from his face, and he takes on a serious demeanor.
“How did you end up here, little human?”
“I– Um– I–,” I stutter, trying to formulate a response. He raises an eyebrow in question, clearly waiting for an answer and I hate how shaky my voice comes out. “I-I’m not really sure,” I finally manage to get out.
“Oh, so she does speak! How exciting.” He flashes a wicked smile that’s all white teeth and makes me uneasy.
Fae don’t eat humans, do they? I don’t think I’ve read that in any of my books. It seems like something I would remember…
I narrow my eyes at him, feeling a false confidence surge through me. “I accidentally fell through a portal nearby.”
He takes a small step back and cocks his head at me in an animalistic way. Confusion flickering across his face for a split second that I would’ve missed had I not been watching him closely. He quickly readopts his mask of cool indifference.
I hesitate briefly, before I lower the knife to my side, but keep it drawn in case I need to defend myself against him, not that I’d know what to do with it besides keeping the pointy end aimed towards the bad guy.
“A portal nearby, you say?” His face remains casual, but there’s something in his voice that sets me on edge.
I nod slowly, brows furrowed. “I heard voices and felt… almost like I was drawn in this direction,” I admit.
“I’m really just trying to find my way home.
” My voice breaks on the last word. “I’m sorry to have intruded,” I whisper.
I start to sidestep away, but trip over a root in the process and almost lose my balance.
The male’s hand shoots out impossibly fast, catching my elbow and steadying me before I can eat dirt.
He looks down at his hand with a furrow in his brow, almost like he hadn’t expected to catch me.
I clear my throat to draw his attention back to me.
“I’ll… be on my way.” My heart is racing with wild flutters, panicking at being in close proximity to this male.
I need to get away. I try to take another step, but he still has a grip on my elbow.
It tightens enough to let me know that he’s not going to let me get very far, but not tight enough to hurt.
This only makes my heart rate ratchet up further.
“Hmm,” he hums thoughtfully. “Do you even know where the portals to the human realm are?” he questions with that same haughty attitude I got from him earlier. He clearly knows that if I had stumbled across the gathering here, it was incredibly unlikely that I knew where I was going.
I debate lying but decide the truth would work best for me in this situation.
“Well, uh, no. But I’m sure I can find the way.
I made it here, didn’t I?” He raises an eyebrow at me that screams a sarcastic ‘oh, really?’ I clear my throat.
“If you would be so kind as to release my arm.” I give my arm a gentle tug, but he refuses to budge.
“Who told you I was kind, little human?” The viciousness I can feel in his words causes me to pause my attempts at trying to extricate myself.
He tilts his head and studies me with that cool gaze of his.
After a beat of looking at me, he straightens his head and nods to himself, as if coming to a decision.
“Show me which portal you came through,” he demands.
My head rears back at the order. I very much should not be going anywhere with an Unseelie.
And setting aside the fact that he seems more amused with my presence than anything else, I also get the feeling that he’s dangerous and likely just as cruel as those in stories. “I’m sorry, you want me to do what?”
“Are you deaf, little human? Show me the portal.” I can see the frustration flicker in his expression.
I scoff, beginning to feel that same frustration simmering in me, melting away my lingering fear. “No, I’m not deaf,” I grit out through my teeth. This male is absolutely infuriating. “I don’t understand why you think I’d willingly accompany you anywhere.”
“If it makes you feel safer, I’ll allow you to retain your blade,” he says with a smirk, eyes flicking to where I still grip it at my side.
“But yes, I do think you’ll join me. That is, if you truly wish to return to your precious realm.
” The sarcasm is so palpable it practically drips off the words precious realm.
I let out an exasperated sigh. Do I really have a choice at this point?
Pretty sure I don’t. I don’t know the way back and it could take me days before I find another working portal.
He very well might know a way back. On the upside, he hasn’t tried to kill me yet…
even though I just had a knife held to his throat.
Decision made, I push my shoulders back and try to draw on that false confidence I felt earlier. “I suppose—” My voice comes out a bit shaky despite my best attempts to appear anything but.
I swear I see his face soften the smallest fraction at the shakiness in my voice.
“You have nothing to fear from me, little human. I can assure you that not all the stories you’ve heard are true.
” His mouth curves into another of those smirks and his eyes twinkle with amusement.
“But some of them absolutely are.” He offers me a wink, as if that will help to remove some of my trepidation.
I hate that this stranger can read my fear and hesitance so well.
My first instinct is to deny and tell him I’m not afraid of him.
Which isn’t entirely a lie. He actually has unknowingly soothed some of my initial fear of him.
But now I’m left with nervousness. Something in me is screaming that I should be frightened.
Even with the dagger, I won’t be able to fully protect myself against a Fae whose speed and reflexes seem far greater than mine.
“I’m not afraid,” I say, although the smallest quiver in my voice implies the opposite.
He quirks a dark brow. “Are you lying to me, little human? Because that wouldn’t be a wise idea.” He leans closer into my personal space and my fingers tighten around the hilt of the knife.
“I’m not,” I insist. “Really. Well, not entirely. I am a bit frightened, but not… of you. Of my situation, I suppose.” I snap my jaw shut before I ramble on even more about how unafraid of him I am.
Why am I being so forthcoming?
He tilts his head to the side, considering. “Well, in that case, would you show me where you came through? Maybe I can help remedy your situation, as you put it.”
Even though it feels like he really is trying to help me, I still have the feeling that I shouldn’t go with him.
That’s what that feeling is, right? “I really wouldn’t want to be a bother.
You can return to the celebrations. I’m sure the royal family would hate that a lowly human stole away one of their guests.
That is what this place is, right? The palace for the Unseelie Court? ”
His eyebrows raise in intrigue, and I swear I see a flash of approval in his eyes. “You’ve assumed correctly. But what do you know about the royal family?”
The firm tone of his voice has the hairs on the back of my neck rising.
“Oh, well nothing specific. I’ve heard the legends and stories, like all the humans in my realm.
That the realm is divided between the two courts and their, umm…
temperaments?” The word comes out as a question because I’d rather not anger him by saying his court is the ‘evil’ one.
“But really I don’t know anything about them otherwise. ”