‘Be safe, little human.’
He cups my face and leans in, his tongue flicking gently at the seam of my mouth until he gains entrance. He grasps me to him, kisses me deeply, and I grip onto his shirt with a groan, need rising quickly.
When he finally pulls away, I'm breathless and blinking hard, dazed. He appears to be as well.
I glance back at the others, who are staring, both of them looking hungry. My cheeks hot, I turn and flee the house, my heart thumping hard in my chest. I try to put it away. It's time to meet Voss, focus on the coming day.
‘Wait, Bryn. You can’t go alone.’
Right. Of course.
Jak catches up to me, looking rueful.
‘You should tell them,’ he says. ‘About the Barrack. The things that they?—’
‘That time is passed,’ I interrupt, walking quickly over the hard, dry mud. ‘Who would it serve? You tell them if you like. It’s no secret.’
He watches me from the corner of his eye and I pause in the street to face him.
‘Truly, Jak. Tell them so they know the dangers, but I don’t need more pitying looks from any of you. Do it when I’m notthere. I don’t want to hear of it, nor be drawn into useless talk regarding all the bad things that were done.’
He gives a small nod. ‘All right.’
‘What time did the note say?’ I ask.
‘Eighth chime,’ he answers. ‘I'm sure I heard the Hall’s bell toll seven while we were eating, so you have time.’
I nod, but I still walk briskly toward the Hall with Jak at my side, not wanting to be late and give Voss reason to single me out.
Then we get there, at first, I see no one.
‘Must be early,’ I mutter to Jak, but then I notice Voss and about ten other fae.
All look bored. A couple of them seem angry with me already.
Lovely.
Voss stalks up to us.
'You're late, Dark Realmer,' he snarls.
'The message said to be here at eighth chime,' Jak argues. ‘It’s not that yet.’
Voss’s lip curls as he stares down at us. He waves Jak away. ‘Be gone, healer.’
‘I’ll be here when you get back tonight,’ he murmurs, squeezing my hand and ignoring Voss.
Voss notices and his eyes narrow as he watches Jak walk off, his sneer deepening.
'If I’m to be lumbered with you, I expect you to at least be on time, slave,' he mutters through clenched teeth.
I look him in the eye, remembering what Gwen told me. I’ll not let him treat me as he wills.
‘I’m a free woman,’ I tell him, ‘not a slave.’
He ignores me and whirls around to walk quickly along the side of the building toward the trees behind the Hall.
'Come,' he calls impatiently over his shoulder, and the fae follow him in silence.
