Page 16 of Why Broken Wings Fray

It was just as I remembered it. Awkwardly empty with very little decoration throughout, other than the tall glass-paned windows that let the sun of Cluaineach bleed across every surface of every room. Then there were the sconces along the walls, in the few areas that stone stretched floor to ceiling instead of windows.

And the throne.

A crafting of brambles, sticks and stones, and various mud-like substances that over time had created a seat of magnificence. Even though there was no metal, no jewels, the chair still seemed to gleam in a way – as if it knew its purpose was of utmost importance.

The last time we had been here, Raegan had eyed that throne twice before sitting in it. This time, he simply strode over and dropped himself down, refusing to look me in the eye as he did. Instead, he kept his focus just slightly over my shoulder, where Killian was holding the most unnatural of straightened spines.

Raegan released a deep sigh, and even though we were half-a-room across from one another, I felt it skitter over my flesh and send a wave of relaxation throughout my trembling body.

“I did not mean for you to remain in the dungeon for a day, but I was called away on other matters,” he began, looking down at his many stone-rings on his fingers. I was listening, but struggling to keep my mouth shut at his revelation of the time I had spent down there.

A day?

Rory would be waiting for me, soon.

Trying my best not to let the urgency show on my face, I merely stared at Raegan.

“I still have my doubts as to your identity.”

“Raegan, that’s ridiculous. It’s obviously her–”

Killian was silenced with a mere lift of Raegan’s hand.

There was something… between them. Nothing tangible, just a shift in the air as their eyes met. That, along with the rigid posture that Killian had suddenly taken to. Add in his constantly clenching jaw, and it was hard to miss that something had transpired between the two of them.

I tried not to look at Killian. I knew I would break if I did. Truthfully, when I offered my services to Rory, I had forgotten that I would need to lie to him too.

“How can you assure me you are who you say you are?” Raegan finally lifted his eyes to me. His eyes, but not his eyes, because they did not seem to fit his face at all. They had gone so far past that fox-like stare he had always been capable of harnessing. This was something else, something dark and stern if only to hide the true emotion behind them.

Straightening my spine until I was nearly as rigid as Killian, I scoffed at Raegan. “Have you truly become so important that one would think to shift their appearance into that of me? Of what, a human?” I let out a bitter laugh as I shook my head. “And here I was thinking your ego had reached its peak at our last meeting.”

Those green eyes of his narrowed slightly, the tiniest of sparks flashing in them as the corner of his lip curled upwards. “Either you are her, or you are a master of disguises and have learned her utter disdain for me with far too much ease.” Humour crinkled the corners of his eyes as he nodded towards Killian. “You truly think it’s her, Killian?”

He didn’t waste so much as a second. “Without a doubt.”

“Very well,” Raegan leant forward, resting his elbow on the armrest of his throne and his chin against his hand. “Then what are you doing here, Olivia?”

I really hoped Killian couldn’t see – or smell – the sweat on the back of my neck.

“I could not hold to my promise. I sought out Saoghal.”

From behind me, I heard Killian let out a short sigh of relief. Not Raegan, though. He frowned at me.

“I do not believe you.”

In order to hide the panic on my face, I rolled my eyes at the King. “What do you believe I am doing here, then?”

He assessed me, his eyes flicking from my feet to the tip of my head and back.

I was starting to realize I had made a mistake.

“Pixies rush in and out of my kingdom every day, some of which are thieves and liars, others simple spies and mercenaries trying to find the hidden entrances of this castle–”

“Raegan, don’t be ridiculous–”

“Keep your tongue to yourself or I will find you an assignment as far from her as I can.”

Both Killian and I swallowed at the same time.