Page 33 of My Fae Lady

“How do you know you couldn’t do things my way?” I teased. “Have you tried?”

She pondered my words for a moment, her tongue poking briefly at the inside of her cheek. Then she snapped her small dull teeth at me in a gesture that was much too adorable to be remotely threatening. Like a kitten trying to scare off a lion. The action was made all the more hilarious by the weeds and feathers fluttering on her hat.

“You’re right,” I admitted. “That wouldn’t do the trick at all.”

Slowly her smile slipped and we simply stared at one another, waiting for the other to say darkness knows what. The longer the silence carried on, the heavier my gut felt, like a stone had been dropped inside it.

I knew what came next, and frankly I wasn’t ready for it. I wasn’t ready to chase the color of joy out of her eyes, wasn’t ready to end the unity we’d accidentally built. I simply wasn’t ready to betray the woman who’d treated me with far too much care. Not just yet. The inevitable was still inevitable, but it didn’t need to end right this instant.

“Did you want to ride with me back to Gremyl Woods,” she asked, “or did you want to make your own way to your tree?”

“I’ll ride with you,” I said somberly, as my stomach tied itself into a guilt-ridden knot so tight I had to press my hand against it.

Concern wrinkled her brow. “Are you all right?”

“I must have eaten too much,” I groaned.

“I bet now you wish you’d just devoured my cousin instead of all those sweets.”

“No, Douglas definitely would have soured my stomach. He’s so full of nonsense.”

⊱❀⊰

We decided not to spend another night in Windonbury. We were both done with the human realm and willing to endure another long ride if it got us home faster. The first team carried us halfway to Isthmuston in a coach large enough for four. Giselle pulled a rug over our laps when it began to rain. The wounds on my back were itchy, and I squirmed irritably against the seat, seeking relief. She handed me a cushion from the pile at our feet.

I frowned at it and her kindness. My stomach churned. “What’s that for?”

“For your back obviously.” She nudged me with the pillow. “Take it.”

“I don’t need it,” I snapped.

Giselle shrugged her shoulders, unmoved by my sudden temper. “Suit yourself, then.” She tucked the cushion behind her neck and slumped in her seat. Her eyes slid shut, and her head lolled. She was peacefully asleep moments later, breathing deeply.

We’d had an exhausting day. I wanted to join her in sleep, but restlessness gnawed at me. Instead, I stared out the window, watching the rain bathe the earth. It wasn’t until we changed teams much later that I finally slipped into slumber.

My sleep was fitful all night. We stopped for food twice after the sun rose. I was finally able to fall more deeply into slumber after lunch.

It felt like I’d blinked and then suddenly Giselle was hovering over me, tapping on my shoulder. We’d made it back to the border, surrounded by deep fog. It was time to climb into the old coach she’d charmed, the one we’d left in the care of Caro after she’d found us a new team and driver to take us quickly into the city. We didn’t want to risk the old coach traveling so far. I could smell the difference in the air. The forest was near.

I stumbled after her, bleary-eyed and eager to be home.

Home. Was it really just days ago that the notion of being Lord of Rook Manor once more had brought me fierce pride and deep satisfaction?

Now my stomach ached and my back itched. I wanted to claw my skin off. But there was no more time to avoid the inevitable. I intended to reclaim what was mine, and I could not let the inconvenience of this . . . lady . . . upend all of that.

The coach tugged us forward through the fog. Fae magic glittered on my skin. The air was thick with it. Giselle hung her head out her window, soaking up the feel of it, letting the glinting droplets land on her face and neck like snowflakes. She even opened her mouth and caught one on her tongue. It turned her already lovely skin resplendent.

When it was time to stop at the inn in the countryside, we were both glad to be out of the carriage. I’d spent so much time riding that it felt strange to finally be stationary. I jerked awake twice that night in my bed, thinking I was still bobbing along in the cabin and suddenly about to fall out of it.

We didn’t speak much that morning. Despite the soreness that comes with long travel, Giselle was eager to climb into the carriage after breakfast.

“So good to be back,” she cooed after we set off again, seated beside me.

I mumbled something that mostly sounded like agreement.

Giselle remained unaffected by my sour mood. “Oh, I can’t wait to see my home again!”

My heart dropped in my chest. Before I could change the subject, she launched into a lengthy story about playing hide and seek between the rooms as a girl. Then another about finding her first fae artifact inside. Because she’d liked it so, Rook Manor helped her find others that needed mending. Admittedly, the stories helped the hours fly by.