There’s a good heart beating inside that chest of his.
I’ve spied small glimpses of his soul, and the more time I spend with him, the more I’m starting to believe that my mother may have been wrong about the Fae. Some Fae, at least.
I can’t believe it’s been a whole month since I last saw her. My dreams had to take a backseat for a while.
Life just became a game of survival, and hoping and praying that I would reunite with my parents again.
Since that awful night, I’ve forgotten how to dream, how to have hope. That sweet girl who used to love painting died the night those soldiers came. But just maybe I will get to reunite with her once again.
“My parents were going to take me to see the ocean for my birthday...”
My voice cracks, and I look away.
He doesn’t speak for a while. He just continues to stare at me with an ambiguous expression.
Sometimes, I don’t know what to expect when I gaze inside those glowing orbs, but right now, I’m afraid.
Will he be mocking or dismissive?
Will he laugh?
“Well…if that isn’t the sweetest thing I’ve heard.”
Surprised, I meet his eyes, and I can’t help it now. A laugh escapes me. “Sweet? I’m shocked you know that word.”
He chuckles, “Yeah, me too, but after hearing your sad little tale, I couldn’t help myself. Thanks, by the way. My reputation is surely in tatters.”
A louder laugh loosens from my lips, and the sound rings across the gloomy forest, brightening up the dull day.
Tegwyn watches me with those strange eyes again, and I’m pretty sure his pupils dilate.
Silence befalls us, and that’s when he casts his gaze to the ground.
I sense the downward shift of his emotions, tilting my head. “Tegwyn? What’s wrong?”
He heaves a sigh, unable to meet my eyes. “Unfortunately, I can’t make any promises. The market is heavily patrolled.”
My heart dips like a sinking ship, and the world becomes a colourless place once again. “Oh.”
“The king has his men stationed at every major port. So, we must be as quick as possible. There may be no time to see the ocean. I’m sorry.”
A stray tear slides down my cheek, and I brush it away.
“I just didn’t want you to get your hopes up.”
Another tear escapes, and I know he saw that one. His breath stutters, and he can’t even bring himself to look at me.
“It’s fine, I understand. If we get caught, there’s no telling what will happen.”
Tegwyn stows his map away, then stalks off down the road. I watch him curiously from my stump, wondering what he's up to.
When he stops to investigate a tree, running his hand up and down the bark, I roll my eyes. It seems innocent enough a gesture, but I know he’s up to something nefarious.
And then when he withdraws a heavy axe from his belt, it only confirms my suspicions. “What are you doing?”
He sniggers, running a finger along the axe’s sharp edge. “You’ll see.”
I raise a brow. “See what?”
