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We had no choice but to stay close. If, by some stroke of bad luck, they found Ali before we did, then one of us always needed to be at court to help her escape again.
It’s the same reason I never left. If we’d defected, they would’ve immediately known where our loyalty lies. And if they found her after we were gone? I shudder to think what could have happened to her. That woman has no idea the hell we’ve suffered over the years, but it doesn’t negate her suffering. Any mated couple being apart for so long would experience extreme discomfort.
Hex gives me an expectant look.
“Don’t look at me,” I scoff. “I haven’t been in the human realm—”
“I know that,” he snarls.
“Have you lost their trail?” My mouth falls open.
Hex is one of the best trackers in the Seelie Court. The fact he’s half kraken means that, even in human form, he can pick up trails with almost no effort. His skin acts much like his suckers in monster form.
“The orc must be on to us,” Hex snarls.
“Did you recognize him?”
“The orc?”
I nod. “Atlas Angari, the former horde leader of the Northern clan.”
“The one who was rejected because of his heritage?” Hex scratches at his brown beard.
“Indeed,” I agree. “He has extensive battlefield experience.”
“He’s all brute strength,” Hex hisses, spinning in a circle.
“He’s obviously not,” I say, scanning the darkened street. “Allow me to find us some useful information.”
It takes three tries to find someone with knowledge of where Ali and Atlas reside. I’m strangely relieved to learn they live independently of one another.
I’ve never been particularly enamored by my gifts. Once you recognize how often beings lie, it’s impossible not to become jaded. Unlike most of my kind, I rarely get visions of the future. Almost never, in fact. My gifts extend to an unmatched ability to force the truth from anyone. If they’re especially weak minded, I can relive past events through their eyes.
Seelie fae might not be able to outright lie, but we are taught from birth how to stretch and twist something until only a sliver of truth remains. Or, perhaps, that’s only with royals and the higher families. Either way, it made me quite enchanted to see my wife refuse to exploit her ability to outright lie.
I’ve had many years to replay the events of our wedding day, and each time I have, I’ve become more disheartened. Ali had to know my gifts couldn’t force her to be truthful.
She’s far too altruistic for her own good. I’m practically giddy to see if that’s still the case.
“Come along, you pouty fucker.” I clap Hex on the back, leading him toward Atlas’s home. It’s the closer of the two locations and their most likely destination, according to my gut feeling.
* * *
The row of three-story houses are so close together, they touch.
“Is this normal?” I ask, eyeing Hex.
He’s been known to have a bit of a hair trigger.
I’m more calculating.
It’s a necessity of my birthright.
“I suppose it is for a town limited by the sanctuary ward. They’d need to keep the majority of the houses small. I believe these are what you call townhouses. They’re all independent, meaning they don’t share living space, only exterior walls. Well, and I suppose one interior wall, since his unit is on the end.” Hex sighs. “How do we intend to get inside?”
“I’ll use my magic, of course,” I say, chuckling.
He’s so melancholy, it’s difficult to understand where his head is at. It’s not like we weren’t aware she’d moved on. The nature of our bond assured we were aware of that the moment it happened. We’ve had many years to come to terms with it, but it still fucking hurts. Although the pain was likely muted due to our being in different realms.
