Chapter 5
“Aurelia, I have a question for you,” Forrest said through my bedroom door. “I’ve read a passage in this novel of yours, and I’m not quite sure what it means. Is it all right if I come in?”
I sat up, slightly confused to find myself in my bed.
Last I remembered, I had fallen asleep on the floor in the living room.
My face turned red at the sudden realization that I had fallen asleep snuggling with Forrest. I peeked under the blankets to take a look at what I was wearing.
I had been changed into one of my sleeping gowns.
My face was now on fire. Not only had Forrest fallen asleep with me, but at some point in the night, he had picked me up and taken me to bed.
He had also apparently changed me as well.
I should have been upset that he had seen me naked without my permission, but for unknown reasons, I didn’t mind.
It actually gave me a bit of a thrill thinking about it.
“Aurelia, are you all right? Can I come in?” Forrest asked.
I brushed back my hair as best I could and adjusted my sleeping gown so everything was in place. “Yeah, sure. Come on in.”
Forrest slowly opened my bedroom door, and once he had made sure I was decent, he opened it fully and walked in, wearing nothing but his too-small pyjama pants, which left absolutely nothing to the imagination.
I supposed I could add a robe to the list of clothing I still had to get for Forrest. I gave him a quick nod and gestured for him to go ahead with his questioning.
“What is the author referring to when they write ‘and he sheathed his sword inside me, all the way to the hilt’?” His eyebrows bunched together as confusion spread across his face.
My face flushed, and my insides started to tingle. “Forrest, where did you find that?”
“I was looking through your bookshelf this morning for a lighter read. A story about adventure, perhaps. I figured this one would be perfect, because it was titled Lord of the High Seas. Anyway, things have started to get interesting between the ship’s captain and a woman who snuck onto the ship.
They were trying to figure out payment for travel, and now he’s sheathing his sword inside her, and I’ve found myself quite lost. I was under the impression that he would make love to her, not stab her with his sword. ”
All I could do at that moment was stare at him. He must have found one of my grandmother’s old romance novels, and apparently, it was deliciously filthy.
“Well, the sword that the author is referring to is most likely the man’s cock,” I said, as matter-of-factly as I could.
Understanding and a tinge of embarrassment filled Forrest’s face.
“I’m familiar with the inner workings of the act of lovemaking, although I can’t remember the last time I experienced it.
I just didn’t know that there were people who referred to their manhood as a sword, so it confused me a little.
Anyway, thank you for your assistance. I’ll let you get on with your morning. ”
I stared at the door as he shut it and went back to his room to continue reading his high-seas adventure.
My mind immediately went to places it had no business going to.
Forrest was attractive—I imagined he had all sorts of fae women throwing themselves at him.
He had mentioned understanding the mechanics of making love but couldn’t remember the last time he had done it.
That made me feel a bit sad for Forrest. I didn’t know if he had ever had any great loves, but assuming he had, to forget them completely was heartbreaking.
I couldn’t do much about that at this moment, but I could do something nice for him and hope that it made him feel like someone cared for him, even just a little bit.
*
My stomach was in knots as I made my way to the cobblestone pathway that led to the village square.
It had been a couple of weeks since Maxx and I had had our very public confrontation that had resulted in my healing being banned.
The humiliation I had felt when I had been hollered at and pushed out of several shops was still fresh in my mind.
As uncomfortable as this outing was likely to be, I would endure it, for Forrest’s sake.
To take my mind off the cold reception I was likely to receive once I arrived at the village square, I thought more about Forrest and his sword-sheathing query.
Maybe sordid romances weren’t very popular in the fae realm, or at the very least, not the tongue-in-cheek terminology.
I wondered what kind of romance books they had.
If I had to take a stab in the dark based on how Forrest conducted himself, I would imagine that they were rather prim and proper and not nearly as scandalous as what he was currently reading.
That thought made me laugh. I hoped he was enjoying himself.
Not in that way. Well, maybe. I was sure, despite everything that had happened to him recently, he was still going to have certain physical needs or desires.
Not that it was any of my business. Yet my mind kept going back to Forrest, standing in my bedroom doorway in those ridiculous pyjama bottoms. A gorgeous, half-naked fae holding a romance novel—what woman wouldn’t want to wake up to that sight in the morning?
The happy thoughts abruptly ended once I arrived at the village square.
The atmosphere had shifted into something foreign to me.
I’d lived here my entire life, and as cold and unforgiving as this place could be, it had never felt this desolate.
The normal hustle and buzzing had quieted to hushed whispers and murmurs.
As I took a quick look around, I noticed that anyone who happened to be in the square at that time had their attention focused on me.
Uncomfortable couldn’t even begin to describe the unsettling tension that floated in the air as I made my way further into the square.
I smiled weakly at a villager I recognized—I had treated her only a few days ago for a fungal infection.
She returned my greeting by hissing and spitting at my feet.
I let out a deep breath of defeat and continued on my way.
Although I understood her need for hostile appearances, it wasn’t a great feeling.
I’d lived here my entire life. I’d grown up with and treated these people.
But in the eyes of the Cult of Children, I was a blasphemous witch who needed to be avoided at all costs.
So the flock did as its shepherd commanded. I really hated this place.
Shortly after my unpleasant arrival at the village square, I made it to Smith’s Tailor Shop.
I walked into the shop with apprehension.
Violet and I were friendly enough with one another, having grown up together.
Given recent events, though, it was hard to know how anyone would react to my presence.
The bell above the door chimed, announcing my entrance.
I paused as the loud clicking sound of the door closing pierced the silence in the quiet shop.
My body stiffened as I waited to find out what kind of welcome I was about to receive.
After several long moments, a tall, slender, blond-haired woman stepped out from the back room.
Her bright green eyes scanned and assessed who had just entered her shop.
“Oh, Mothers Above! Aurelia Brooke, is that you? Thank goodness!” the oldest Smith daughter, Violet, called out.
Her face lit up with relief. Given the cold reception I had received outside, I was somewhat shocked.
“You have no idea how happy I am to see you! Are you all right? How are things since … well, you know?”
I smiled at Violet thoughtfully. She was the oldest of four daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. Smith—much to the chagrin of Mr. Smith, a man who had been very vocal about how disappointed he was that his wife had never borne him a son.
Both parents had passed away a few years ago, and rather than sell the business, Violet had taken it upon herself to keep the shop’s doors open and ran the business almost entirely on her own, with the exception of a few young helpers she employed over the summer.
Her siblings did not share in her passion for tailoring, most likely due to the fact that they hated their father and anything associated with him—which I fully understood and supported.
“Hey, Violet. I’m all right. It hasn’t been the easiest time, but I’m managing well enough despite it all.”
“Well, I thought you held your own really well against that miserable little fool. I loathe the sanctuary’s existence with every fibre of my being. Honestly, I kept praying that someone would knock him out for what he did to that woman, but unfortunately, the people of this village are cowards.”
Violet was many things, the top among them was incredibly passionate and opinionated.
She took bullshit from no one and would tell it like it was, whether you wanted to hear it or not.
I envied the way she was fully able to be herself.
If things had been different and my youth hadn’t been spent hiding my magic and perfecting my healing abilities, we may have been best friends. I really liked her.
Violet motioned for me to come closer. Sensing urgency, I hurried my way over to her.
“I need your help with something,” she said.
“It has to do with my youngest sister, Fiona. She just found out that she’s pregnant with her eighth child, and she cannot have it.
She almost died giving birth to her last child while she and her husband were on a pilgrimage down south, and the healer there told her that if she had any more children, it would cost her life.
She’s terrified and has no idea what to do.
I told her I’d talk to you and help her sort it out. ”
My stomach was in knots as I looked around to make sure no one else was in the shop.
I took a deep breath and tried to process everything she had just told me.
“Violet, you do understand that I’m forbidden from practising any form of healing.
What you’re asking me to do is punishable by death. No questions asked.”
Violet’s eyes watered, her voice wavering.
“Fiona is already sentenced to death if she continues with this pregnancy. That asshole she’s married to doesn’t care.
He believes if she’s meant to survive, she will, and if not, then ‘that’s what the goddesses have planned for her.
’” Mocking condescension laced her words.
“He’s supposed to love and protect her, but he cares so fucking little for her.
” Violet started to sob. It was apparent that this was weighing heavily on her, but I had to be careful about the risk I was exposing myself to.
Fiona’s husband was a high-ranking member of the Children of the Celestial Mothers—Maxx’s assistant, to be exact. I couldn’t get any closer to the problem if I tried. Just as I was about to answer, the front door to the shop opened, and a couple holding hands walked in.
I leaned over closer to Violet and whispered quickly.
“Come over to my place tonight after dark so we can try and figure this out.” Then I stood up and said loud enough for the couple to hear, “Violet, I need to buy a few things for my friend from out of town who’s staying with me.
Can you grab me a few shirts, pairs of pants, some pyjamas, a dressing robe, and a wide-brimmed hat?
He’s fairly tall and muscular, so I’d say extra large for sizing. ”
Violet gave me the most devilish smirk, winked, and went into the back to grab everything I had asked for.
I turned around and smiled at the couple in the shop. Their faces turned white, and they hurried out like I had cursed them on the spot. I didn’t think I was ever going to get used to being an outcast. It hurt my feelings more than I would ever admit.
Violet brought out everything shortly afterward, all wrapped up in parcel paper. She handed the clothing over to me and grabbed my hand. “Thank you so much, Aurelia. This is on me.”
“Thank you, Violet.” Usually I’d argue and force her to accept payment, but given the severity of the problem at hand, I graciously accepted. “Oh, and sorry about chasing your customers away. Guess I’m bad for business.”
Violet smiled back. “Come back anytime, Aurelia. You are more than welcome here.”
As I left the tailor’s shop, a giant pit formed in my stomach.
I’d never felt bad for providing the women of this village with a choice regarding their bodies, no matter the consequences I would face.
This was different, though. It was too close to the Cult of Children, and if I failed, it would have deathly consequences for more than just me.