Lioran said nothing.
“I’m sorry,” I spoke again. “You’ve been nothing but kind to me. I shouldn’t have demanded anything.”
“Yesterday…was a lot for us all.” He didn’t look up again.
“Thank you for helping me.” I wanted to ask why he did—wanted to know why he risked bringing me here. Fyn had been so opposed to me at the mention of my name.
Lioran nodded. “You look like you’re feeling better.”
“I am,” I replied.
“You should eat something. You’ll need your strength before the rest of our journey.” Lioran set his papers down. He pointed to a plate full of vibrant red fruits, eggs, and the most vivid greens. I sat in the chair beside it, bringing the first morsel to my mouth. The sweet juice squirted intomy mouth as I took my first bite. I hadn’t had anything so fresh, so ripe, in years.
“Where are we headed?” The nerves that settled while I slept stirred again. My life had been so monotonous, but now I did not know what the next hour held. He still had not told me what he planned to do with me.
“The Heart of Lythira.”
“And what will become of me there?” I asked. The sharp pain in my arm nagged at me as he spoke.
“As long as you are in my care, I will provide everything you need. We will devise a plan from there.” He sipped his drink.
An ache gnawed deep inside me, rivaling the pain in my arm.
“You will decide my fate?” Silence rested between us for a moment. “If you intend to turn me over to Bailoc or keep me locked away…then take me back to the woods so the sylkren can finish what it started.”
“I’m not sure that would be safe for the sylkren.” His eyes softened, and for a minute a faint shadow of a smirk formed. “It is not in my nature to use anyone for political gain.”
Lioran’s calm unsettled me.
No matter how much I prodded, he held his ground.
“Where will you go after you take me to the Heart of Lythira?”
“The Heart is my home. It is the capital of our territory.” His words were stark as they left his lips. Tension melted from his shoulders.
Lioran walked toward me, towering over me. His fingers gently brushed my arm as he released the bandage. “This will heal nicely with some rest.” He held my arm as he tightened the dressing again. I exhaled the moment he released me.
“The food tastes incredible.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “Your fae senses have developed nicely then.”
“My fae senses?” I shook my head in confusion.
“Fae smell, hear, and taste better than most humans.”
The fruit juices slid around on my tongue. I savored each bold flavor.
“When I crossed the divide, something about me changed. Could it have altered me?” The book ensured me it hadn’t, but I wasn’t sure if I believed it.
“I don’t believe the divide holds the power to alter.”
“My ears…” They were still foreign to me.
“They didn’t look like this in Bailoc?” he asked.
I shook my head.
“There are many types of magic. If there was a concern for your safety in Bailoc, someone may have used protection magic to conceal your fae side,” he said.
