Chapter 46
Aoife
The forest surrounding Fairwitch Isle was still, silent. I peered through the barrier that protected our city, unable to see anything but trees.
“This is ridiculous,” I said. “I can’t see anything from here. I’m going out there.” I moved to pass through the barrier.
“No.” Lor caught my arm, reeling me into his hard chest. “It’s too dangerous. Too risky.”
I raised my chin, that familiar stubbornness rising in me. “Scouts reported that they sighted the brotherhood near here. They couldn’t tell us if it was the rebels. We don’t know who’s out there, sniffing around. I won’t risk my people being enslaved again.”
Lor’s eyes hardened. “I would die before I ever let that happen.”
I believed him, but unlike my husband, I knew that he couldn’t control everything.
He very well may die, and we very well may end up enslaved if the brotherhood found us and used their magic and army of the dead against us.
Though, luckily, the scouts hadn’t reported seeing any dead people marching.
“I thought now that they’d started kissing, there would be less arguing,” Meera said from where she sat on the ground.
“I have to admit, so did I,” Fargus agreed from next to her.
Both Lor and I looked at our advisors.
I scowled at the cat. “And how do you know we’re kissing?”
She rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows you’re kissing, among other things.”
“It’s not like either of you make an effort to be quiet,” Fargus mumbled.
Lor’s jaw locked, his gaze distant as he stared into the forest, and I grabbed his hand, squeezing tight to remind him that I was here. That he wasn’t alone, and this wasn’t all on his shoulders.
“I won’t go into the forest,” I said. “But the council has yet to create a plan that’s made us both happy.”
“Did she just . . . agree to His Majesty’s request?” Meera asked.
“I believe she did,” Fargus said. “I think the kissing has made a difference after all.”
Lor squeezed my hand back. “Thank you. We’ll figure this out, Aoife. The brotherhood will not come near you. We’re still invisible. Our barrier is stronger than ever. So even if Ronan did end up reaching them and revealing our location, they still don’t have a way in.”
Unless they had new magic to help with that too. There were too many unknowns, and that was part of the problem.
“I’m tired of being trapped. I want my people to have freedom. To have a choice. To travel and see the continent, to be known in this world.”
He kissed my temple, and this time, it was Lor reminding me that I wasn’t alone in this. That he was doing everything he could to free my people.
“I feel like I’m in a fever dream.” Meera stared at us, blinking.
Fargus also gaped at us. “I never thought I’d see the day.”
Meera’s tail twitched behind her as she looked at the owl. “Are you sure we’re not dreaming? Or sick?”
“Will you two stop it already?” I asked. “It’s really not that unbelievable that a husband and wife should kiss.”
“A husband and wife, no,” Meera said. “You and Lor, yes.”
“You don’t understand what we’ve witnessed the last two years,” Fargus said.
“We were there,” Lor said, a bit sardonically.
Fargus waved a wing. “Not the same as seeing you two, the way you argued and fought.” The owl shuddered. “Still gives me nightmares.”
“Are you two here for any particular reason?” I asked.
“To advise you,” Meera said.
“Then advise,” I said back, an edge to my tone.
“I agree with His Majesty.” Fargus flew to Lor’s shoulder.
“Shocking,” I mumbled. The owl had always agreed with everything Lor said.
Lor’s lips twitched.
“I also agree with His Majesty.” Meera yawned, back arching and claws digging into the ground.
“It’s too risky to leave the city right now if the brotherhood are closing in.
If they spot one of the Fair Folk, it could mean the end of us all.
People are talking, you know. Rumors flying that the brotherhood want to enslave us. It’s making everyone jumpy.”
Lor and I shot each other looks of concern. That was exactly what neither of us wanted.
“What did you do in the past?” Lor asked. “When your people were enslaved and feeling hopeless? How did you keep the hope alive?”
The question surprised me, but it shouldn’t have, really.
Lor had shown again and again how much he cared about the Fair Folk, how much he cared about me and what I wanted for the future of my people.
And the more I assured him that he wasn’t alone, that we weren’t all his responsibility, the more I think he was actually starting to believe it, to believe there were other ways to solve our problems then him having to be absolutely perfect.
“Fairtine,” Meera said, and we both looked at the cat.
She just blinked.
“Fairtine,” I echoed softly.
“The festival?” Lor said.
“We held it out in the open under the night sky in the same place every year. Far from here. A place we could portal to. A field full of the most beautiful flowers, the moon shining its silvery light over them.” I could picture it, could smell the sweet floral scent, could hear the music and laughing and dancing.
I wanted to host another Fairtine so badly.
Lor’s face fell. “Aoife, we can’t—”
“I know,” I said before he finished his sentence. “We can’t portal outside Fairwitch Isle. We can’t have Fairtine. It would be too risky.”
He nodded, his face so full of regret and sympathy that it melted some of my anger.
I shrugged. “Maybe we can have another dance or something to bring everyone together, to make them forget that our world might be falling apart around us.” I moved to go back toward the castle when Lor caught my arm.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
I yanked my arm from his grasp. “I’m tired,” I said, voice short. “I want to go back to the castle and rest.”
His jaw set like it did when he was gearing up for a fight. “We have a border to inspect.”
That only made my own defenses rise.
“Oh no.” Fargus hopped backward. “Find something to shield yourself.”
“Here we go,” Meera added.
Lor and I faced each other. “Can we just finish the inspection?” His voice was pleading. “We’re already here.”
“Wolfe just inspected the border a few days ago,” I said. “I think this is a little much, Lor.”
“Yes, he did, and then we were notified there’s brotherhood members crawling all over these woods, a day’s walk from our home. We have to be more cautious.”
“We don’t have to do anything.” I threw out a hand. “You are feeling anxious and so you want to exert more control to make yourself feel better, but all you’re doing is wasting time and effort.”
Meera’s mouth and Fargus’s beak dropped open.
“I have a . . . a worm to go catch,” Fargus said weakly before flying off.
“And I . . . just don’t want to be here,” Meera said before she turned and disappeared between two buildings.
Lor’s low chuckle floated through the air as he pushed me against a nearby tree, his body caging mine, his eyes black with desire while anger still coursed through me.
“What are you doing?” I asked, shoving at him, but there was no real bite to the movement.
“We’re alone.” His voice dropped low. “So I’m going to kiss you, and you’re going to kiss me back.”
I raised my chin, heat pooling in my belly. “Maybe I’ll bite you instead.”
He pressed his body into mine, and despite myself, I melted. “I wouldn’t be opposed to that either.”
“Lor,” I started, ready to protest. My hands went to his chest, up to his shoulders, and then I was grabbing his face and tugging it down toward mine. There would be no resisting the pull between us, fight or not.
Our lips met as he kissed me so thoroughly my toes curled. I broke it off. “If you think you can just kiss me and get me to go on this border patrol with you, you’ve got another thing coming.”
He shook his head, lips twitching. “No. I just realized that you’re right. This is what I do.” He shoved a hand through his hair. “I try to control everything I possibly can because it quiets his voice.”
If I had a single drop of anger left, it was gone now. My gaze softened. “I’m here to help you fight those demons. To be louder than that voice. You’ll kill yourself trying to prevent every worst-case scenario. You have to live—and nap.”
His hand skimmed the inside of my waistband, his fingers so rough, rasping against my skin, and I shuddered. “I’d rather do this.” He leaned in and nipped at my ear, and I looked over his shoulder to double check that we were, in fact, alone.
No one came out near the border unless they had to. We’d be unbothered.
I moaned as his lips trailed down my neck while his fingers dipped lower in between my legs.
“Thank you for being the queen I need,” he said. “For not being afraid to tell me when I’m wrong.”
“You don’t ever have to worry about that—” My words got cut off as he stuck a finger inside of me, and I gasped.
“I know, and that’s why I’m falling in love with you.”
I stiffened, and he immediately pulled his hand back, his eyes wide like he couldn’t believe he’d just admitted that.
“I—” I started, panic seizing me.
“I do,” he said, face so very serious. “Love you.”
The words sat there on my tongue, but I couldn’t get them to come out, so I just smiled, tugged him to me, and kissed him so hard and so thoroughly that I hoped he hadn’t realized I didn’t say the words back.