AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The announcer, a duende in a green, shiny suit, lifted his chin as I approached him. He came up to my waist. “And you are?”
“Mortal prisoner of Rafael Romero. Here to collect his winnings.”
The duende’s lumpy face broke into a grin. “Ah, so he’s finally used magic to capture one of you.” He gestured to all the fae close enough to see him, beckoning them to come nearer. “With time running out, it’s no surprise of course. But doesn’t he know it will not work if you are ensorcelled?” A few faces around him laughed. “But I digress. You are here for the winnings.” He dug something out of his suit pocket. “For you.”
I took the proffered coin sack, only for it to burst apart in my palm, scattering tiny beetles everywhere. Those watching cackled at my startled yelp.
“I apologize, mortal. Here you go.”
A little hesitant this time, I cringed as the duende set yet another small purse in my hand. This one melted into a silverfish as long as my thumb. I screamed at the top of my lungs and danced away, shaking my hand.
The laughter turned to breathless gasps as several people bent double, unable to contain their mirth.
“Enough!” I shouted. “Give me the winnings, or my captor will tear you all to pieces.”
Instantly, every face fell stern and every laugh died out.
I’d only meant to prove to these fae that I considered Rafael a captor rather than a husband, but there was something to my words that affected them more than I’d intended. As if they truly feared Rafael would charge onto the scene and rip them apart.
My already hot skin flushed with a wave of mingled satisfaction and dread. Who was this man I’d married, if every fae present feared him?
I pointed at the ground, where the duende dropped the real coin purse, then I bent and scooped it up, hurrying back across the track. Everence rushed forward and led me toward the carriage. Hector, standing where I’d left him in the crowd, offered me a small smirk, which I could only interpret as his way of congratulating me on a job well done.
* * *
The sun had set by the time we reached Starfell once more.
Waiting outside the house, arms crossed in apparent disapproval, stood Rafael.
I spilled from the carriage behind Everence, eager to speak to Rafael.
He stormed forward. “What were you thinking, antagonizing that duende?”
I held out the coin purse, which he batted away. It landed on the ground with a clink. Hector snatched it up and trotted up the steps inside the house. Everence hurried after him.
Stunned, I glared up at Rafael. “I was doing what you asked me.”
“I did not ask you to put yourself in harm’s way.”
The response on my tongue faltered. “I…I told them you were my captor. They seemed to believe that I consider you dangerous.”
His jaw flexed and he stepped closer, anger flashing in his dark eyes. “And do you?”
Holding his stare, I hardened my expression to match his. “No.”
He turned aside and let out a long breath. “Stars. You really are going to make this difficult.”
“Make what difficult?”
When his eyes met mine again, they were alive with the same spark I’d seen as he’d raced me on Espera. “Avoiding you.”
Before I could recover enough to respond to those words, he stormed off into the darkness as Sinsorias’s opulent carriage rolled up the drive.
26
Rafael
The following day, Talia marched with quick steps across the pasture, her eyes constantly darting about. My eyes tracked her movement, and my heart beat along with her hurried pace. I had to find a way to push her away, one that would actually work. My heart was becoming more treacherous each time I spoke to her. This was my last and greatest chance. She had to fear me.
