Chapter 7
CHAPTER SEVEN
At first, it seems like we were heading back towards the palace, but once we exit the dense portion of the forest, we make a turn taking us in the opposite direction. We follow along the tree line in silence.
Well, mostly silence.
The faint sounds of the festivities carry to us on the wind. But intermingled with that I can hear growls and other animalistic noises that must be coming from those ‘monsters’ in the forest.
I cast quick glances behind me as if I can see through the foliage to where we left the portal behind.
With every step we take away, the further it feels like I’m getting from the opportunity to get home.
I know I complained to Tom about wanting adventure and more, but I didn’t intend for that to mean I’d end up in a magical realm where anything I could pull from my worst nightmares could exist. This isn’t quite the same as visiting the neighboring villages.
Though I suppose I am meeting some new people…
“Do you live in a village nearby?” I ask, attempting to break the silence between us and distract myself from the beasts.
“No,” Bastian answers simply.
Okayyy. “No, as in it’s not nearby…?” I let my question trail off.
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “No, I don’t live in a village.” He flicks his eyes to me and when he catches me watching him, waiting for him to continue, he rolls his eyes. “My cottage is on the outskirts of a village nearby, on the edge of the forest.”
“Why there?” I ask.
“I like my privacy.” His reply is blunt, and he moves his gaze forward again, all but dismissing me from asking any further questions.
The forest we’re following along the edge of looks absolutely terrifying. It’s so dark, you can’t see anything inside past the first few trees, but I can hear the rustling leaves and snapping twigs of something–or several somethings–moving through it. I just hope it’s not moving in our direction.
“They call it the Nocturnal Wilds.” Bastian’s quiet voice startles me enough that I jolt.
Shaking off the tension, I shoot him a questioning glance and, as I hoped, he continues.
“The woods are mostly safe to traverse during the day, but once the sun sets, the creatures come out. Hence the name nocturnal. You’d have to be a complete idiot to traipse through the forest at this hour unprepared,” he says flatly while casting a sharp glance at me, clearly implying that I’m a complete idiot, not for the first time tonight either.
All softness he started his explanation with having fled.
It’s not my fault,” I grumble under my breath.
“Well, maybe you should try thinking before you follow the wisps into mysterious portals,” he retorts with an eye roll.
My irritation spikes. “How was I supposed to know what they were? I didn’t know they were going to lead me here!”
“Even more a reason why you shouldn’t have followed them,” he bites off his words, a muscle twitching in his jaw.
“Do you have any idea as to why they would have led me here in the first place?”
“I have some theories,” he grumbles out.
“Care to share with me?” I ask, tone filled with false sweetness.
“No, I don’t think I will,” he offers with a quick smirk before refocusing on our path ahead.
The flames of my fury sweep through my body. This male does nothing but aggravate me. Every time I think he’s about to show some hint of decency, he flips around and shows me he’s just an asshole.
I roll my eyes, crossing my arms across my body and stomp after him.
We only walk a little further before he stops abruptly in a small clearing.
“We’re here,” he announces.
I look to the left and right seeing… absolutely nothing.
“Are you sure about that?” I ask hesitantly.
For all I know this male could have very likely led me to a quiet, secluded area of the woods so he could murder me without disruption.
But… for some reason I have this strange feeling that I’m not in danger with him.
Which sets off several alarming thoughts about the rationality of trusting my instincts where this Fae is concerned.
He shoots me a bored look before he waves a hand with a flourish.
And then, as quick as a blink and with a slight shimmer, there’s now a quaint cottage sitting in the middle of the clearing where previously it was an open field of grass.
It’s bigger than the one Fleur and I share, but not by much.
The thought of Fleur and home sends a pang of homesickness through my chest. I miss her.
I wonder if she’s noticed that I’m missing.
Although, it’s still the middle of the night so she likely won’t notice until the morning.
I stare open-mouthed at the now visible home. “How…?”
“Magic,” he says simply, amusement lacing the word.
The cottage is single leveled with a small porch space leading up to the front door. It’s all crafted from a wood that seems to match the trunks of the gray-brown trees that surround the back of it. Despite that, it looks well-crafted and cared for.
I take a new look around the clearing and take in the secluded space. It actually is quite cozy here. And you can still hear the laughter and cheers echoing from the direction of the worn dirt path that I assume leads to the nearby village he mentioned.
“Are you coming or what?” Bastian calls, annoyance clear on his face.
I was so lost in my own mind that I didn’t even notice he had already started up the handful of stairs and is currently holding the front door open.
I scurry up the steps as he walks through the door, slipping into the cottage on Bastian’s heels before the door can slam shut in my face.
As soon as I’m inside I take a look around the space.
It’s a modest home. Towards the back, there’s a small kitchen space for cooking connected to an equally small dining space with a slightly rickety looking table only big enough for two.
We’re currently standing in the sitting room, which is only slightly larger than the kitchen area.
There’s a large, stone hearth which occupies most of the wall and serves as the focal point of the room.
A sofa positioned in front of the hearth with a large armchair off to the right side of the sofa.
There’s a door off the sitting room that I assume leads to the bedroom or a bathing room.
I look back at Bastian to see him watching me inspect every inch of his space. “So, this is where you live? It’s cozy. Definitely not what I was expecting.”
He raises an eyebrow, but a smile still tugs at his lips. “Some of the time.” He turns and faces the hearth and with another flourish of his hand and a word whispered under his breath, a fire roars to life.
I stare at it with wide eyes and mouth gaping.
I’ve never seen any display of magic before and though this was an incredibly rudimentary showing, I’m still amazed.
Especially on the heels of the magically appearing cottage.
He makes it all look so effortless. Hells, maybe it is effortless.
Out of the corner of my eye I can see Bastian watching me.
I turn to meet his gaze and see the amusement at my awe sparkling in his eyes.
“What else can you do?” I can’t help the tone of amazement that slips into my voice.
“A great many things. Now, come.” He stalks off towards the door and into the bedroom with me scrambling to follow closely behind.
I can sense by the tone of his voice that this conversation is over. I’m beginning to find he’s frustratingly good at that, abruptly shutting down conversations. I have a feeling by the end of our short-lived acquaintance he’ll have me wanting to rip out my hair.
I stop short in the doorway when I see the room. Or more accurately, when I notice the lone bed in the middle of the room.
Oh no. I really should have known that there’d only be one bed, but my brain is still so scrambled after everything that’s happened tonight that it didn’t even cross my mind. How could it still be the same night? I feel like so much has happened in less than twelve hours.
“I, uh, I can sleep on the sofa,” I stutter out.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll be sleeping in here and I will be sleeping on the sofa,” he says in a voice that brooks no room for argument, but I’m also invading his space. So, I will argue.
“Bastian, this is your home. You’re already doing more than you need to help me.
Than anyone here would do for me. I couldn’t kick you out of your own bed.
Plus, you’re so large!” He smirks at my observation, the only thing that breaks his stony expression.
Oh, good. Great going Olivia, calling the handsome Fae male large.
“I just mean, can you even comfortably fit on the sofa to sleep?” I ask.
“I will make do.” His answer does little to assuage my guilt.
I start to turn back towards the sitting room. “Please, let me take the—”
“Liv, for fuck’s sake. Stop arguing with me and take the bed!” His voice rises in agitation, but he’s not quite yelling. “I’ll be fine on the sofa.”
Startled by his outburst, all I can do is blink at him a few times before I remember to respond.
“Okay, than—” I stop myself from what I was about to say: thank you.
Gods, rule number two, Liv! Especially if we’ve already said fuck it to rule one.
Never thank the Fae. Get it together! “That’s very kind of you. ” I correct with a small smile.
He rolls his eyes and turns towards where the dresser is positioned against the wall, but not before I catch the twitch at the corner of his lips that tells me he’s biting back a smile.
He rummages around before pulling out a long sleeved, white cotton shirt.
“This is the best I can offer in terms of nightclothes.”
I eye the shirt before taking it from his outstretched hand. “Oh, this will do fine.” He gives a curt nod before returning to the dresser and pulling a spare blanket from another drawer.