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He glanced away for a moment, brows furrowed. Had I said the wrong thing? He brushed past me, careful to avoid hitting me with his heavy wings. Scooping up some of the meat from the barrel, he flung it out for the beasts to converge on.
“I was once, but that was a long time ago.” I immediately wanted to push for more, but that would have been invasive to say the least. He saved me from asking. “The Wild Hunt is home now, and I’m content. Besides, there isn’t much colony to return to. After the last war on Paragon, many of us went our separate ways. It took a toll on us all. Lucky for me, I was in the Void Wood long before the Wild Hunt made a home here. Before Osiris was king, and before the courts were established. It’s by my good graces that I allow them to stay, faerie royalty or not.”
Paragon… The same land that Erix’s sister had died on, fighting a war that faeries probably should have stayed out of. Giants were a formidable warrior race, the same as the drachs, except they were notorious for having absolutely no loyalty to their monarchs. The kings of Paragon were always shifting, new bloodlines arising from the aftermath of battle. It was all quite fascinating, but I never wanted to see it in person.
“That would make you…” I tried to do the mental math, my mind almost refusing to acknowledge what he was telling me. I blinked at Vazden, who looked no more than a male in his late thirties. “That would make you over two thousand years old.”
“Two thousand five hundred and seventy-five, “ he said coolly.
I gaped at him, nearly at a complete loss for words. It was unfathomable that someone could live for that long and keep their sanity intact. It made me feel small in his presence, especially when I considered the amazing, monumental, world-altering events he must have been present for.
Vazden’s eyes flickered downward, and then his face morphed into a look of what I could only describe as rage. I froze in place as his wings shot out to the sides as if he was ready to take off into the trees. Instead, he stalked toward me, stopping only a breath away, reaching out and lightly grasping the back of my neck.
“What in the gods’ name is around your throat?” His thumb ran over the glowing vine. There was a crackling sound, and he pulled back as a bright-white light flared in response to his touch, sliding his palm higher toward my hairline. His enraged eyes met mine as his nostrils flared.
“A collar, the same thing that’s wrapped around every other concubine's throat around here.” I shook my head. “I don’t understand.”
A rumble emanated from his chest, and he bared his teeth, many of them tapered into sharp points. “I’ll rip them limb from fucking limb. This is unacceptable.” His tone was tight with barely restrained power. I could physically feel it coming off of him like waves of magic, the same way I’d felt it when Riven had exposed his mage blood. “Are you in pain?” he asked through his gritted teeth.
“No. At least not because of thisthing.” I gestured at the vine collar. “Vazden, I don’t understand. This can’t be the first time you’re seeing a collared concubine.”
His nostrils flared, and the slits in his eyes narrowed. “This isn’t just a collar. This is a dampener. Its sole purpose is to keep the wearer from using their magic. It keeps you weak and useless. Are you telling me you didn’t know?”
My heart thundered. “I don’t have any magic. I can do a few minor spells, but even humans could do it if they tried. I don’t have magic to stifle.”
“Riven must think you have magic. This is his work.” He touched the collar again and it sizzled against his skin. “I’ll speak to him. This is dangerous and unacceptable.”
“He won’t listen to you,” I said. “If Riven put this thing on me and didn’t tell anyone else, he must have had a reason. Just let me be the one to find out for myself. Besides, I don’t want this to turn into something bigger than it is.” I eyed his claw-tipped fingers that flexed at his sides.
Vazden laughed, but there was no humor in it. “As if the faeries have any power over me. My brothers know better.” He took a moment to lift my hair from one side of my neck, studying the vine collar. I shivered as his claws brushed my skin. “I’ll have this collar removed immediately and replaced with one that won’t interfere with whatever magic you might have. It’s a monstrous thing to strip a faerie of their powers and I won’t see it done in my wood.”
“How?” I asked. How did he plan to remove it with no magic of his own? I couldn't imagine attempting to reason with Riven. He was a statue of cold indifference at the best of times.
His lips tipped into a grin, those slitted, golden eyes filling with dark delight. “I told you, it’s only by my good graces that the Wild Hunt gets to call the Void Wood home. If I decided to end that agreement right this moment, they would have no choice but to leave. This was my home before it ever belonged to them, and my word is law.”
“You would openly challenge your brothers for me?” I asked, swallowing thickly.
“I would challenge anyone who tried to stifle another’s magic. I’ve been on the other end of captivity like that, and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.” His eyes grew haunted, a lifetime ago flashing before them in seconds. He snapped out of it, placing a palm on my cheek. My heart sped up as his long talons scraped against my scalp. “Have you been feeling ill in any way lately? Dizziness, headaches or pain that you can’t explain?”
My spine chose that moment to flare with heat. He must have seen my wince, because he pulled back, giving me space. I tried to breathe through the pain slowly. “It comes and goes, but it usually only lasts a few seconds. Not a big deal.” I was lying. It was a big deal. The pain in my spine had started to radiate throughout my entire body. It was part of the reason I could never sleep a whole night through.
“Turn around,” he snapped. Not a question, but a command.
“I’m fine,” I said firmly. "Thank you, Vazden, but I don't need your help." I didn't. Did I? I’d gotten myself into this mess, and I didn't need some all-powerful male to broker peace for me. I’d confront Riven myself. "I really just want to finish this before…"
"Are you distracting our new little pet while she's supposed to be working?" Riven’s voice called out from behind us. Turning in place, I spied both Riven and Cadoc watching us. Riven sat atop the wooden fencing, while Cadoc leaned against it with his arms folded over his chest.
Scowling, I grabbed the shovel and resumed my work, tossing bits of meat at the steeds. I could sense Vazden tensing beside me, and I knew he was seconds away from saying something to the princes about my collar.
"Please don’t," I said under my breath so that only he could hear me. In my peripheral vision, I saw him glance down at me. "Not right now. I just need to get through this without causing any trouble." It was a sorry excuse, but one I hoped he'd buy for now.
Vazden growled low in frustration. "You have a week until bidding day, so I highly suggest you get this collar removed before then. The gods know who's prepared to bid on a pretty new halfling.” He picked up the barrel of meat like it was nothing before tossing it far off into the distance, causing a stampede of creatures to follow after it, gobbling up the mess it created. I screwed up my nose at the ravenous noises they made, fighting each other for every scrap.
“I can think of a few,” said Riven. “In fact, word has it the Sluagh is on the move as we speak.” He and Cadoc glanced at each other cryptically, doing their damn mind-speak again.
My blood ran ice cold. How could I have forgotten? The Sluagh was coming to the Void Wood to bid on the Hunt’s bounties. There was no telling what they did with their purchases once they secured them, and it made my stomach roll just imagining the possibilities. I cut a glare at Riven. “You’re sick for hosting the Sluagh at all.”
“You say that as if we have a choice in the matter,” Riven said. “The Sluagh and their queen commander do as they please regardless of anyone else’s rules. Their magic is beyond anything we could ever hope to match.”
