I say nothing. I already know everything he says is true. Locke and the others might care, but what can they do? They have no real influence here, not even as fae. That much is clear.
But I’ve already put my plan in motion. Voss knows I’m Kismet now that I’ve let himbeatit out of me, believing that he made me tell him. He’ll give the information to Calder, and that finely dressed fae, the real power in the room, will make a deal with me.
Voss makes sure I’m steady on my feet before he takes me back out to the corridor and then returns me to the Hall, being careful not to touch me. I can only assume when I reenter the room and no one gasps, that, to everyone here, I look the sameas I did before I left with the enforcer, but I can feel my cheek is swollen and my chest hurts badly.
I smile widely at him and I can see it takes him aback.
‘One day, I’m going to kill you for what you did in there,’ I promise, barely moving my lips, and so quietly that no one else hears me over the din of the crowd.
‘You can try.’ He laughs a little, but I see it in the way his eyes dart away from mine that I’ve unsettled him no matter what he pretends. He thought I’d be more scared of him after the cupboard beating
I turn away from him and face the room. I remind myself again, when met with the angry stares of the villagers, that, compared to my time in the pits, this is nothing. But, then, I expected it there. As soon as we arrived, in my altered state of mind, surrounded by overseers and other humans who would kill me, I knew that pain and suffering would be my bedfellows.
I didn’t think it would be like that here.
I’d heard stories of this place. Even the name. Light Realm. It held so much promise.
But it’s not what I thought. There are still those with power here and those with none, it’s just the faces that are different.
And I still have none.
I should be used to this, but for the first time in many years, I find myself truly shocked. I ignore the jeering crowd as I return to Locke, feeling as if there’s a wall between me and everything else.
He asks me a question. I don’t really hear it, but I answer it, and whatever I say must mollify him because he doesn’t ask me anything else.
I try to ignore the pain when I breathe in and out. I attempt to stand normally, as if my legs aren’t wobbling. I look forward even though I can only see the right side of the room with my one good eye.
I see Voss approach Calder and both pairs of eyes find me as they talk. The other fae’s eyes widen as he’s told what I am just as I wanted, and then his gaze leaves me and he appears bored again as he waves the enforcer away.
I hope Locke wasn’t wrong. I need the Underhill to want my power. I can only hope that the fae lord is simply pretending indifference.
Calder doesn’t say anything to the others. I watch him out of the corner of my eye. Perhaps he’s waiting for the opportune moment. It’s just another show. That’s all this is.
Fucking fae.
I decide to wait as well. It would be best if the entire village doesn’t know what I am anyway. Perhaps I can request… What was it Locke called it? A closed session.
I feel numb as the Council deliberates amongst themselves. It doesn’t matter what they say. I just have to make sure I can make my bargain with Calder before they cast me out.
I stand in pain that no one else can see, but I’ve never been more sure of anything. My life is in no one’s hands but mine now, no matter what they believe.
I’m not going back to the Dark Realms.
No matter what.
JAK
‘Something’s wrong,’I say, not quite at Morgan who’s standing beside me, but he hears it anyway.
‘There are a lot of things wrong with all of this,’ he snarls.
I nod. Since Bryn arrived, the crowd has been getting more and more unruly. Some of the humans seem ambivalent to theproceedings but there’s definitely a group of them, dispersed throughout the crowd so as to appear to be a bigger number, that are inciting discontent. They stay far from Morgan and me, but I still notice them whispering to those around them.
Someone spits at Bryn. It lands on the floor by her feet.
She ignores it.
‘This stinks of Calder,’ Morgan mutters.
