Page 88 of Why Broken Wings Fray

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I managed to get back down to the throne room in time for no one to notice I was missing. It was Shea and Aisling that I saw first, the two of them huddled at the long table that contained a thousand different fruits and meats, all of which were calling to my very empty stomach.

I drew near just as their conversation elevated into shouting.

“No way!” Shea howled, her face twisted into her own form of humour as she glanced at Aisling. “You didn’t, did you?”

“Didn’t what?” I laughed along as if I had any right to.

“Look,” Shea burst out as she pointed at Aisling’s neck. I didn’t see it at first, not until Shea shoved some of Aisling’s vibrantly fuchsia hair from her shoulder. Aisling’s cheeks bloomed with colour as we both assessed the deep, already-scarring, dual fang-marks there.

“What is it?” I gasped. I immediately regretted asking, because it was obviously a bite mark. “I mean… and?”

“A claiming mark – Aisling!” Shea roared again, the skin beside her eyes wrinkling as she let out another laugh. “Who? Why? When!”

It was strange to see Shea like this. Gossiping and happy. It wasn’t such a stretch to imagine she had once been capable of befriending Niamh, who was tenfold in her joy and excitement.

“Shush,” Aisling hissed. “An hour ago, and none of your business!”

Shea curled over as she slapped her knees and barked out another laugh that vibrated my bones.

“Will anyone explain?” I groaned.

“It’s a strange thing,” Aisling began, her face revealing how embarrassed she was. “Not all pixies do it, but some–”

“What is it, Aisling!” I laughed nervously as my mind rushed for an answer, just as my fingers grabbed for some blueberries.

“Thousands of years ago, our fangs used to have venom in them,” Shea cut in, allowing Aisling to sigh out in relief and curtain her face with her hair. “Over the generations, we lost a need for them. The venom remains in them, but it no longer has any power to it.”

“So a pixie bit you? And… poisoned you?”

“No!” Aisling shot way too quickly. “It’s not like that. Well, it is. But no. We can release the venom from our fangs at will and when we do… It enters the bloodstream and sort of.. Stays there?”

Shea was still laughing, having resorted to leaning against the closest wall for support.

“So you have venom in you? Right now? It doesn’t hurt? And… why?” I knew I was shooting out questions far quicker than either of them wanted to answer.

“Because the venom smells,” Shea interjected again, a shit-eating-grin on her face. “And no it doesn’t hurt. But the quickest way to let every pixie in the vicinity know that you belong to another?”

My mouth fell open as I stared at her scar.

“So she… smells?”

Aisling was horrified. Shea looked humoured.

“She does. I just don’t recognize the scent – who is it, Aisling?”

Aisling said nothing. Luckily for her, I wasn’t done with the questions.

“So you’re saying a pixie bit you and now you’ll carry around a reminder to everyone that you slept with him?”

Aisling shifted from looking horrified to looking insulted. “It’s not a sexual thing. I want everyone to know that I am his and he is mine.”

Shea’s nostrils widened as she dragged in several large breaths. “Oh my gods – I do recognize the scent.”

Aisling warned her with her glare.

I still wasn’t done, and Aisling was still thankful for my interruptions. “For… ever?”