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“Thank you, my lady,” Seren said respectfully.
I felt my cheeks heating up. I was no lady. I wanted to tell her that. I tried to tell her that I’d been a servant all my life, back when I was in Terlyth. My father was a servant. And I was too. She did not have to call me a lady or treat me with reverence.
We were the same, she and I.
Then, as though she wanted to challenge my thoughts, Seren curtsied to excuse herself.
“I need to get back to work, my lady,” she said. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“No,” I replied, taking a step away from her. “I’m sorry for bothering you.”
She was wide-eyed as she looked up to meet my gaze. It seemed she had no words as she curtsied again and turned around to leave.
I stayed there, staring after her. I did not want to return to the great hall to finish my food. My appetite was gone entirely, and it hadn’t been that well to begin with either. And yet, I did not want to go to my room either.
The library was my best choice. The sun was down, so I would have to use a lamp if I wanted to read, but I was not sure if I would.
The silence of the library would suffice. I could just sit there and think; hopefully, no one would bother me.
I turned around to head to the library.
Then, I stopped.
“A light fae champion!” Lord Lugh was standing in the middle of the hallway. “A rare sight these days...”
His lips were curled with a mocking smile. He wore a long black tunic with silver and gold runes neatly sown around his arms and broad chest. Unlike the other lords of the Unseelie, he did not use rings or other jewelry to flaunt his wealth, but the spear he always carried proved his status. Besides the high lords and the king’s soldiers, no one was allowed to walk around the castle with weapons. He was powerful, and the way he stood tall in the middle of the hallway and looked down at me told me that he knew it well.
I did not try to respond. Lord Lugh hated my kind. He was not here for polite chatter.
Still, he was on my way. Looking down and offering him a semi-bow of my head, I tried to move past him, but he stepped sideways to stand in front of me. Now, we were close enough for him to grab me.
“You are a nuisance,” he said, his voice deep and low. “I assume they left you behind because of that. But don’t think you’re welcome here. None of you are.”
I looked up to meet his gaze and regretted it immediately. He had a mean look as his green eyes twisted with hate. He was tall and angry.
All my life, I’d done my best to avoid talking to powerful lords like him. They always had a way of making you feel small, and disagreeing with their harsh words was not an option. He had all the power and influence. He could easily get rid of me, and no one would bat an eye.
I was no match.
Taking a step back, I tried moving past him again. I knew it made me look like a coward, but all I wanted to do was to get away from him and his hateful words.
“For now, I shall let you exist,” he continued. “If you become a bigger nuisance, that might change.”
My pulse raced with fear. He was threatening me. I did not know why, but it was as clear as day.
“Do you understand?” He grabbed me by the arm and shook me.
I tried to make myself smaller. I did not want to be here, facing him. He was a high lord, powerful and sure of himself, and I was... Who was I? I did not know.
His fingers tightened around my arm, making it hurt. There would be a bruise there tomorrow.
He looked down at me with hate in him. I realized that I hadn’t said a single word to him. I opened my mouth to tell him that I did understand. It would be a lie, and yet, it seemed like the only option to get out of this situation.
But before I could, someone shouted behind me.
“What are you doing?”
Lord Lugh let go of my arm, and I stepped back instinctually. I did not know who it was that had saved me until I looked over my shoulder to spot Lady Xira.
