Page 8 of Facade

“Back to work!” A guard shouted, startling us all. “Now!”

The crowd grumbled but dispersed as ordered.

Sarah and I returned to the tub of dishes to finish our task and other small chores Astrid had left for us. She talked and speculated about the visitors the entire time. The sun had long since set when we were finally done, and exhaustion weighed heavily after I spent the whole time restraining myself from strangling her to silence.

It was a cooler night than usual with a slight breeze that soothed my heated skin. As I walked back to my quarters, the night was blissfully silent beneath the cloudless sky.

The paths were empty; the shifts had long since changed, leaving me alone. I rubbed my arms, trying to assuage a shiver that crept up my spine—something felt off, yet everything seemed fine. Normal even. Then why does it feel as if I’m being watched again? The full moon was impossibly bright and round, casting an eerie glow over the cobbled path and me, igniting that damn ache.

Something was unsettling about the moonlight. Maybe that’s where the weird feeling came from. When the ache flared, it’s as if the moon beckons to something deeper in me—an inexplicable pull.

My back throbbed along both sides of my spine, matching the thrum of my pulse. I rolled my neck and massaged the tight muscles as strange sensations rippled through my body.

“Hello there. Who might you be?”

The deep voice startled me.

I whipped to face him, and he whistled, his mouth curving up as he unabashedly looked me over.

He wasn’t anyone I recognized, but the Fae King’s crest flashed on his breastplate.

“I’m no one, sir—just a servant,” I responded, casting my gaze forward, quickening my pace.

My heart thundered against my ribcage.

“It’s been a very long journey to get here. I could use some company.”

His heavy footsteps thundered after me until he was in my peripheral. I side-eyed the male—Fae of course. I’ve had both Fae and human males come on to me when I first arrived. I shut that down rather quickly. A swift punch to the throat and a kick to the groin had gotten the message across. Of course, I had lashings from those times too.

Lashings were one thing, but unwanted attention from a male was another demon entirely. I’d done a pretty damn good job keeping my head down after those few instances, but this brute was about to ruin it for me.

“Slow down, darlin’,” he drawled. Fingers dug into my shoulder, yanking me back.

“Let me go.”

“Don’t you want to keep me company? It would be a step up for you, I’d imagine.”

“There’s a brothel ten miles north of here.” I swallowed thickly, silently begging to the moon that another being would walk past. “They—they have beautiful females, I hear, and stout ale,” I said through gritted teeth.

We were utterly alone. I could scream—but then he might just take what he wanted and kill me. Fae wouldn’t care if anything happened to a human slave. Especially if it were by the hand of a King’s guard.

“Did you not hear me?” He jerked me around to face him.

From the acrid stench of his breath, he’d already gotten into something stronger than Ale. He stared down, close enough that his round belly bumped against me. Foul air shoved its way up my nose, choking me. I recoiled, turning my head away from him.

“I said it’s been a very long journey. Do you think I want to ride ten more fucking miles for a brothel when I have something far more exotic right in front of me?”

Disgust made my lip curl as my gaze whipped back to him.

“You won’t get one damn thing from me,” I growled.

“I tend to get what I want. And you, darlin’, are something I want.” He licked his lips. Panic spread as I tried—and failed—to look for a way out of this.

“I’ve never seen eyes like yours…” He trailed off, ignoring me as I struggled to escape his grasp, his vice-like grip yanking me toward him.

Cracked lips crashed against mine.

I reeled, pinning my lips together as his wet tongue speared for them.