by Valia Lind
When I do finally sit up, I scan my studio apartment, zeroing in on the fae.
Derek.
I remember him saying that right before I drifted off. He's standing behind the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee. That's what woke me, the smell. I can't believe I slept so hard with him here.
"I thought you'd sleep the day away." he says, taking a sip.
"If you wanted me awake earlier, you could've woken me up," I reply, walking straight past him and into the bathroom. He already doesn't bring out the best qualities in me, but I'm especially snarky in the mornings. Because mornings are the worst. I wash my face and brush my teeth before I feel well enough to face him.
"You need to pack a few essentials, and we need to go," he says the moment I step out, which causes me to roll my eyes.
"Okay, Derek, I'm going to need you to chill with the orders and let me have some coffee first." I push past him, grabbing a mug. Only after I've poured the coffee do I look up. He's watching me with that unwavering gaze of his as I narrow my eyes in response. "What?"
"Nothing."
He turns, walking across the room to the window once more. I'm thankful for the distance. I still have no idea what part of me is reacting to him, but it needs to stop. I need my head clear.
"So, since you didn't murder me in my sleep, I suppose you have a different plan for me?" I ask, taking another sip. He doesn't reply right away, as is his custom. It's a very annoying tactic that the Council uses as well. Especially when they don't want to divulge all their information at once. Most people want to fill the silence with something, so they'll keep talking instead of waiting for an answer. Often, they'll reveal something about themselves or a situation that they were trying to keep hidden. But I know the trick, so I don't speak. I wait him out. His brow twitches just slightly. I can't tell if it's in approval or annoyance.
"I want to help you."
That sends my eyebrows sky high.
"You're kidding."
"Fae don't kid."
"They're not supposed to lie either, but that's your only other option."
"No, the only other option is that I'm telling the truth."
"Why?" I place the mug down, leaning forward on my hands. He has to see me as capable, or he won't ever take me seriously. I can't change how I acted last night, but I can move forward from there. This is me trying.
"Let's just say my life isn't all it's cracked out to be."
"What a human thing to say."
His eyes flash, but I'm not backing down. I should be scared of him and a part of me is. But I'm more curious than anything. Which is how I get into all my troubles: curiosity.
"If we go back to Faery now, you’ll become a pawn. Like me. Faery is in trouble and your power can help. If used properly. Not everything is so black and white for me. There has to be another way. At least, I’m willing to try and find it.”
"You know, you're the second fae I've met who doesn't like how things work in that realm of yours." I pick up the mug again, taking a sip. But I'm still watching him, and this time his lips twitched for sure. I'm getting to him. At least slightly.
"I have my reasons. Right now, it's in your best interest to follow my lead."
"Do people usually just follow whatever you say?"
That stops him from whatever else he was going to say. I can't deny there's a ruthlessness about him. He’s chiseled jaw and sharp edges all over. But there's also something else below the surface, and he's letting me see those glimpses. It's making me more intrigued.
"Right now, our interests align," Derek finally says. I suppress a smile at his dodging the question. "If we work together, we might be able to reach our individual goals."
“Oh, you mean where I don't become an eternal slave?"
"Precisely."
I was kidding, kind of, but his tone takes the wind out of my sails. Because he's right of course. This is what I've been running from. I'm just not sure trusting the one man who was sent to capture me has my best interests at heart either.
However, I don't know if I have a choice.
Chapter 6
Even though I don't particularly want to, I know leaving with Derek is my best bet right now. He's definitely not telling me the whole story, but for some reason, he wants to help. Or something like that.
And yes, my curiosity is piqued.
There are so many layers to him, I want to unravel them all. My analytical mind is creating graphs and tables, trying to organize everything that has happened. Putting the events into their designated slots allows me to process, without becoming overwhelmed. Which is honestly a constant battle.
There is a possibility that this is a trap. I'm not naïve enough to rule that out just because a pretty fae is telling me he's on my side.
Only... I have no idea what he would gain from saving me, watching over me while I sleep, and then kidnapping me. He could've taken me to Faery in my sleep, and I wouldn't have known.
I realize I've been silent for a long time. When I look up at Derek, he hasn't moved. He also hasn't ordered me to get going. He looks like someone who would order people around and they would listen to him, no questions asked.
All of this is turning out different than I expected.
"What should I bring?" I ask, only as a courtesy. I already have a to-go bag ready. It's what you do when you're on the run. I learned that in the first apartment I stayed in. There, I thought I could settle, so I actually bought a few things for the place. A mistake I won't be making again.
"Whatever is in your bag is fine." Derek's words take me by surprise, and I narrow my eyes at him.
"You went through my stuff?"
"I didn't have to. It's right there." He points to the backpack near the door, and I feel slightly less annoyed. Walking back around the counter and into the kitchen once more, I grab my two left over bagels and head for the bathroom, stopping only long enough to pull out an outfit from my closet.
"If we're about to be fugitives to who knows where, you better have a plan to feed me at least three times a day."
With that, I shut the door. I keep doing that. But I have to admit that I'm enjoying having the last word.
Munching on the bagels, I dress quickly, pulling my hair into a loose ponytail. It'd be better to braid it, but I don't have time. I can feel him growing restless on the other side of the door.
When I step out, he's by the front, the backpack in one hand.
"Really?"
"We have to go."
There's just enough urgency in his tone that I don't question it. Since I've been low on magic, I can't sense any impending doom. Plus, that was Julian’s superpower. Then, my mind is back in that alley—
No, lock it away, Avery. Not right now.
Derek looks powerful enough to sense what's happening two states over, so I guess I don’t have to do any sensing of my own. For now, I’ll let his magic lead the way.
I grab my backup knife from under my pillow, the usual place for it, and slide it into the sheath at the base of my back. Derek watches my movements with interest, probably wondering why I even need such a puny weapon. But he should know magic is tracked. This is the best I can do. Walking around with a huge sword will draw some attention, after all. I’ve heard fae can conjure certain weapons, and since Derek had a sword yesterday and doesn’t have one now, I’m assuming that’s true. Something to ponder at a later time.
He opens the door, swinging my backpack onto his shoulder as I give my apartment one last look. There's not much of mine here, but I've been here long enough that it makes me a bit sad to be leaving. But that's the definition of survival: I have to do what I have to do.
Right now, that involves trusting the very fae that's been hunting me for weeks. Let's see how this turns out.
"I can take that," I say, reaching for the backpack, but Derek doesn't relinquish it.
"There's nothing else in the apartment that you want to take with you?" he asks instead, and I know exactly what he mea
ns.
The book.
The cursed book I found at Thunderbird Academy that got me into this mess in the first place.
"If you mean the book, it's not there." I raise my hand before he can speak. "And if you're going to ask me where it is, don't bother."
It's the only bargaining chip I have left, and I know it. The Faery realm needs that book, and they need someone who can read it. Right now, that's precisely one person: me. Since Derek has found me, I can't exactly bargain with my whereabouts. I have to bargain with the book's.
"If that's how you're going to play it."
"Duh," I reply, pushing past him and down the stairs. I'm more than okay with him carrying my stuff. But I really don't want to be having this conversation so early in the morning. Well, early for me.
"You got a magical carriage for us, or what?" I ask when we leave my apartment building behind.
"Yes, this way," Derek says and then leads me to a bus stop. I'm not sure what kind of things I keep expecting from him, but it's not this. Public transportation seems so far below him, but here we are.
We don't talk as the bus pulls up and we get on. We don't talk as he takes a seat beside me. We don't talk for the first fifteen minutes of the ride as it makes stops and more people get on.
Every part of me wants to break the silence and ask questions. But I know better than that. If I break now, it'll be easier to break later. Instead, I swallow my questions and look out the window.
My thoughts return to the book and everything it has brought my way. I thought going to study at Thunderbird Academy my senior year would be the highlight of my academic career. Well, at least until I went to college and began working for the Council.
In the few days that I was at the school, I met some amazing people, including a witch with a very rare power. I thought everything was going great when the headmaster accepted me into the internship program that gave me a chance to work under one of the Council leaders.
And then I found the book. Or maybe the book found me.
"Did you read any of it?" Derek's question filters in through my thoughts. I turn to glance over at him. At first, I think he's reading my mind somehow but no. He's thinking about the book, just like I am.
"Only what brought me here."
That gets his attention. He turns his body, so he's facing me a little more, narrowing his eyes at me.
"You didn't see what else you can learn? Not even a few pages?"
"Why is that so hard to believe?"
"Because you love school!" That comes out a little louder than he intended, and a few people turn to glance our way. He lowers his voice again before continuing. "You're all about research and data. You didn't have any interest in learning more?"
"First of all, how do you even know that? And second of all, of course I'm curious. But the one thing I've been told about that book is that it can make a lot of very bad things happen. I don't know what I'm allowed to read and what's off limits. I don't even know if it still counts as reading if I don't do it out loud. I have more questions than answers, and that book wouldn't bring forth any."
"I suppose you are correct."
I open my mouth with more protests, but I realize he agreed with me.
“Than—" I begin, before I catch myself. There's a sparkle in his eye as he meets mine. He knows I was about to thank him. Even though I have no idea if the rules apply the same here, I'm not about to make myself succumb to his fae wiles. I have to be very careful in what I say around him. I haven't been thinking this before now, but I should be conscious of this. Continuously.
He's different than I would imagine fae to be. Granted, my experience with them is very limited, but he doesn't seem as stuck up as everyone always makes them out to be. There's something almost human about him, which is a dangerous thought to have. It makes me forget to put the extra walls up. I decide to change tactics and keep both of us distracted.
"What is it you do, on a normal basis? When you're not chasing down unwilling participants?"
That earns me another look from a sitting neighbor, and I make a mental note to phrase things better.
"I'm an ambassador of sort," Derek replies, keeping his voice barely above a whisper. "I travel. A lot."
That makes sense actually. It's probably why he's so much more relaxed in the human world than I would've imagined. Even his t-shirt and jeans combo fits right in. He probably has better ways to blend in than even I. Most of my life has been spent in my small town. I only ever traveled when I went on trips with Dad.
The thought of my parents brings a sadness so strong I almost gasp out loud. I have always had a really strong relationship with them. Not being able to talk to them for a month now has made things difficult. There are so many things they could explain to me. But I know if I talk to them, it's putting them in danger. And I can't do that.
Even now with Derek beside me, I can't contact them. Not until I know for sure what his endgame is. I glance over at him from the corner of my eye as he keeps his eyes to the front. It would be foolish to deny how attractive he is. People getting on the bus immediately look at him because they can't help it.
But I know how the fae are. They're cunning and manipulative, and they will do whatever it takes to put themselves first. I have to remember that. No matter what.
Chapter 7
"Why are we at the airport?" I ask when I see where he led us. We disembark with the rest of the passengers, most of whom have luggage. Derek is still carrying my backpack. He walks a few steps away from the crowd before he answers.
"Because we need to get lost. A plane is the perfect way to do so."
I understand this, of course. Magic leaves traces for others to follow. If we're in the sky, it's much harder for those to manifest. But I guess a part of me still expects him to open up a portal to Faery and push me through it.
"What's our destination?" I ask, instead of voicing my concerns.
"Flagstaff."
That stops me in my tracks. It's another two steps before Derek turns around and gives me a look.
"Problem?"
"Flagstaff is about two and a half hours north of here. Driving. What's the point of getting on a plane?” I’m not a huge fan of them, if I’m being honest. I definitely would rather drive.
"The point," Derek replies, coming to stand right in front of me, "is that it gets us into an airport and makes those after you think you left the area. Northern part of this state is a good place to hide."
He's standing much too close for this conversation, and I can't stop thinking about the proximity. He towers over me, which means I have to lean back to look into his eyes. I can feel the magic on him, the way my own seems to wake up at his nearness. But there is also a magnetism about him that has nothing to do with his magic. It’s only him, and the way his eyes shine against his perfect skin and the way his hair falls over his forehead. The stories about fae don’t lie. They are beautiful creatures.
The feelings are unexpected. It takes me a second to get my bearings before I find my voice again.
"How are we getting through security? I don’t think the spell I used last time will work this time."
It was a onetime deal. Without tapping into more of my magic, I wouldn't be able to pull it off. That would negate the whole point of us flying. We're trying to keep magic to a minimum.
"Follow my lead."
He doesn't say more, stepping back and heading for the doors. I have no choice but to follow. The airport isn't as full as the last time I was in one, which I guess works in our favor. Instead of heading for the ticketing area, Derek leads the way straight to security. Taking the pre-check line, he weaves in and out of warded off lanes, his steps sure. There's no one in front of us when we reach the guard. Before I can say or do anything, Derek's hand finds my own.
The feel of his skin against mine sends a million sparks up my nervous system. The sensation is unlike anything I've experienced before. I have no idea what to think about it. Instead of react
ing, I stay still, waiting for Derek to do whatever it is he's going to do. I also pushing the thoughts of his hand on mine into the far reaches of my brain. For later. I'm sure I'll be thinking about it later.
And not only because it's the first somewhat human contact I've experienced in weeks. Well, when he was dragging me away from the werewolves doesn’t count. This feels…different.
"Good morning," the guard says, with no inflection in his voice. He looks as thrilled to be here as I am. Derek doesn't reply. Instead, he stares at the man, in complete silence. Something shifts in the air around us, some kind of an undercurrent. But I don't move or say anything, somehow aware that I might break whatever spell Derek is putting on the guard. And the rest of the people in the area. Derek looks around, seemingly meeting the eyes of every person present, and then, he just walks through.
Past the security.
Past the scanners.
Right into the terminal, tugging me beside him.
Once we're past all the people, I turn to look behind me. But it's as if no one noticed. I expect someone to turn and realize we're past security when we shouldn't be, but no one bats an eye. I look up at Derek, at his hard profile. My mouth asks the question before I'm done processing it.
"Did you glamour the whole airport?"
Derek looks down at me, giving me a ghost of a smile.
"Only a small part of it."
It takes me a second to process, and that's when I remember he's still holding my hand. Extracting it carefully, I flex it out by my side. He doesn't miss the gesture, but he doesn't comment.
"I thought the whole point of being here is to not use magic."
"My glamour won't read the same way your powers would. Plus, that's why we're getting on an airplane, remember?"
"I remember."
We continue to make our way toward whatever gate is assigned to our plane. I'm no longer asking questions. Clearly, he'll have no problem getting us on the plane, even without tickets. I'm even more intrigued about his powers now, but making conversation seems too much like making friends.
