by Lumtrexa
This strange crippling feeling starts to infest inside of me as I watch them. I tilt my head intrigued, while I watch their lively conversation. I don't think Lorcan has ever showed such interest in what I have to say. I probably am boring coming from the human realm. Compared to Silvia, my features seem so plain. I feel my dirty hair and scrunch my nose in disapproval of myself. I could really use a good shower.
A chilling breeze passes through me.
My dry throat grows tighter. They resume talking again, but someone walks in front of the window and I'm tempted to knock on the window to make them move away. That would give me away though.
Bang
Thunder crashes and I immediately turn around startled. I look up at the now dark clouded sky. Great. Not only has it gotten colder, its going to rain. Answering my thoughts, a heavy rain starts pelting the ground steadily, the last thing I need right now is to be soaking wet out here. I know I can't go into the bar, Lorcan would be angry. There must be a small shop or something I can wait out the storm in though.
In rushed thinking, I lift my cloak off the ground and try to avoid puddles as I skip around them. A rather large puddle gets in my way though and I clumsily fall in the muddy water. The freezing water sloshes against my shoes, causing them to be soaked. The bottom of my cloak now blends in with the murky water as I become completely wet. I quickly make myself get up, the longer I stay out here, the more wet and cold I'm going to be.
Soon, I find myself in front of a shop door and quickly push the stained glass door open without a second thought.
Upon entering the small shop, the smell of incense burns my nose and I pull my damp hair off my face and attempt to dry my shoes on an old wool rug by the front door. The room is tiny with a white wooden desk and a few old rotting chairs. The walls are covered in iron weapons. Ranging from swords to hammers. On a few small tables are pieces of iron symbols, perhaps they are decorations.
"Hello?" I say into the pleasantly warm room.
"How do you do?" A deep voice says from behind me, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin. I slowly turn around.
"H-h-hi, sorry. I was just looking to avoid the rain, I'm not really a c-customer I g-guess." I say through chattered teeth. I'm soaking wet and cold to the bone. I must look like a drowned rat to him.
When I finally look at him, I take note of his large muscles. There is no doubt in my mind that he is the maker of all the weapons on the wall. He must be some kind of ironsmith type fae. His hair is buzzed cut, but I can still make out the dark blue hue of his hair. His eyes are shockingly pale and he seems to be looking past me, maybe he is blind. His skin is very light and he wears a white shirt that is stained in what I believe to be sweat. His pants seem to be jeans, but they are black and ripped. He wears brown boots, but something tells me he isn't a mer. He is also a head taller than me, at least.
Over all, he is very intimidating.
Suddenly, his large hand lands on my shoulder and a wide smile grows on his face. His pale eyes are distant, but then something glints in them, but quickly disappears when he slowly pulls his hand back.
"Interesting." He says in a low voice, his face serious.
He then walks over to the door and shuts it, then he walks back over to me.
"I'll be on my way, I can tell you're busy." I conclude, then I head for the door.
"I may be blind, but I am not so blind to know you are in no condition to go back outside, especially alone. I take it someone was with you?" He says while blocking my path to the door. He really is blind, that must explain why he doesn't really make eye contact with me. His tone of concern makes me reconsider leaving. Something about him makes me uneasy though and its not because of his appearance or that he's blind. His presence feels almost...dark. However, I brush the feeling aside.
"Yes, someone was with me." I reply quietly. Speaking of which, I wonder if Lorcan is done talking to Silvia yet. Wouldn't Lorcan have realized it was raining and come outside to get me? Could he really have forgotten about me being outside?
My thoughts of Lorcan disintegrate as the fairy man steps very close to me.
The fairy man leans down to my eye level, his face an inch away from mine. The smell of iron and spice wafts around me. I bite my lip while holding my breath.
"Then why are you alone?" He deadpans.
Chapter 29-Fire
"Oh...w-well I was waiting for them actually." I say nervously. I sit down on one of the wooden chairs and watch him sit down in the chair next to me.
He looks at me, actually looks me in the eyes, my heart skips. Can he actually see me?
"Where are they now?" He asks angrily.
"In t-the bar." I say while coughing. I really don't want to end up getting sick.
A grim expression lingers on his face, he stands up and grabs my hand yanking me towards the door behind the desk.
"Come." He says quietly. Well I don't really have a choice if he's pulling me along with him. Then again, his grip on my hand isn't a death grip either. I could run away, out the door and into the freezing rain. For now though, I think its best if I stay in here.
When he opens the black door behind his desk, he leads me down a narrow hallway that his huge frame barely fits through.
At the end of the hall is a big room. To the right of the room is a work area, filled with heavy looking tools and iron bars sitting on top of a large black stone table.
To the left of the room is a huge leather seat, that seat being the only seat in the room. The walls of the large room are a rusty red color. In the center of the room is a large fire place, which is burning steadily. This fireplace must be why the shop is extremely warm. Why would he have a fireplace in the same room where he makes the iron? Oh I bet that's how he bends the iron...no wonder why he's so sweaty.
"You can sit there." He says in his deep voice, pointing at the gigantic chair. I quickly sit in the chair, not wanting to test him.
Already, I can feel the prickly coldness vanish from my skin. The smoldering fire is quite comforting after all.
"Thank you." I say thankfully. I'm lucky he let me stay.
He opens up an old looking box on the other side of the room and quickly takes something out of it, then he kicks the box back against the wall. The fairy man is probably only a couple years older than me. He must live here by himself.
"This will show you...where they are." He says while dangling the rusty locket in front of me. I gently open up the locket, hearing the click of the lock I open it up. I give the fairy man a quick glance, his face is impassive.
Inside the locket is nothing. It is empty, confused, I look back at the fairy man.
"Just wait." He urges quietly.
Slowly, the silver of the inside of the locket wavers. I feel the cold surface of the locket gently, my fingers are starting to become less numb as they start to warm up.
Then I'm able to make out a tiny scene, mesmerized by the ability of the locket, I lean in closer while the fairy man hovers over me.
Lorcan and Silvia are still in the bar.
They are sitting at a long table with Silvia on one end and Lorcan on the other. My ears practically perk up when I hear what they're saying.
"...yes I'll get rid of it, I told you that already." She scoffs while running a hand through her hair.
They are both quiet for a moment, then an evil smile forms on Silvia's face.
"Its raining pretty awfully out there. Looks like you'll be trapped in here with us mers for awhile. " She says while picking her nails.
"It would seem so." Lorcan says without so much as a glance out the window.
"A few more drinks." Silvia says to a passing mer with a tray.
How could he have forgotten I was out there?
Maybe he didn't forget. Maybe he just doesn't care.
Lorcan takes a long swig of his glass. Silvia turns her head back toward one of the windows at the front of the bar and smiles. She quickly looks away. A minute passes and a few mers walk up to thei
r table. Lorcan starts talking to two mers in deep conversation and Silvia starts talking with another girl mer.
Apparently, I've been forgotten after all. Well, I found my own way out of the rain.
I make sure to shut the locket carefully while shaking my head in frustration.
"Thanks. I'm afraid I've been...forgotten." I say quietly under his stare. I drop the locket in his hand.
He's quiet as he takes the locket and practically throws it back in the box.
"Well I've probably over stayed my visit, besides no one is coming for me." I waver. Lightning and thunder practically rattle the house. Goosebumps spread over my arms like spiders and it’s not because of the cold.
"What is your name?" He asks.
"Elaine." I reply tiredly. I pull my legs up to me and sink back in the chair.
An awkward silence pursues as the fairy man leans down into my personal space. His mysterious milky silver eyes strangely intrigue me.
"It suits you." He whispers in my ear. His breath tickles my ear, my face flames. Then he leans back, standing tall again.
"Thank you." I say. I walk over to the fireplace to try and get my hair dry.
"Well, what is your name?" I say curious.
He's silent for a moment.
"Colt." He whispers.
"I thought fae are allergic to iron or something." I tell him.
"Most are." He says. I decide to not pry anymore, so I remain silent listening to the sharp crackling of the fire.
Then I debate whether to ask him or not, I haven't really gotten a straight answer out of Lorcan, so why not ask Colt?
"Colt, you're a fairy...could you tell me what kind of fairy I am exactly. I know I was turned into one, but am I really just half fae? I have a...friend, but I haven't really asked him a lot about it. He's kind of busy...right now anyway." I quickly rant. Who knows how much longer Lorcan will be in the bar for.
"Why don't you just ask him when he comes to get you?" Colt grunts while walking over to the table, picking up an iron hammer.
He hits a piece of iron with the hammer causing me to flinch and crane my neck to see if he broke the table. He continues hitting it, a continuous clinking noise rings through the air.
The table to my surprise is unharmed, however, the piece of metal he is hitting is bent in an odd angle.
"I just thought you might be more willing to answer my question or know more about it." I say.
"From what you've told me...it seems he is more than your friend. Mates? Then again, mates don't usually leave their mates alone like he did to you." He says darkly before striking the iron again.
He has a good point. Lorcan, however, isn't completely a normal fae to begin with.
"Well the thing is," I hesitate, contemplating whether I should tell him all this or not, I decide to continue, "he kind of rejects me as his mate...or whatever fae call it. He has this other side though...its complicated." I whisper.
"You're suffering." He says with a scowl. Colt might be right, lately, whenever Lorcan isn't near me I sometimes get this weird sick feeling. Plus, Lorcan's other side seems a lot more...friendlier to me. If Lorcan really thought I was his mate, would he leave me on my own? Maybe he thought he was giving me more freedom by letting me stay outside the bar on my own or he just wanted me out of the way...
"He's told me some of the...mate stuff, but not much. Lately, I guess he's been kind of distant." I say shyly. I don't know if its normal for fae to talk to each other about this or not. Who else is going to talk to me about it though?
Colt grunts and sets the hammer down.
"I'm sorry. Its rude of me to expect you to help me with my problems, I'm grateful for you letting me stay here." I say nervously, while rolling the sleeves of my cloak up, I sit down in front of the fireplace.
"I mean look at me, I'm covered in dried mud and invaded your house. I know I must seem crazy to you." I mumble, resting my head on my hands while staring into the fireplace.
The dreaded silence of the room irks me, maybe he left the room.
"I'll help you." He says quietly from behind me. Startled at his closeness, I nearly shriek in surprise. I didn't even hear him walk up behind me.
"Thank you!" I breathe gleefully. He raises an eyebrow at me, then he sits down. I turn around to face him.
"You aren't really blind are you?" I ask quietly, meeting his gaze. I quickly consider taking it back, but he keeps looking me straight in the eyes I can't help, but wonder...
"I am not blind. I only say that to ward off unwanted customers like the guards. They haven't been around lately. If you haven't guessed already, my business is not particularly liked around here. Crafting weapons of iron is outlawed by Aeringdal." He says with a smirk. Then who buys from him? I suppose it is none of my business, besides, I don't like Aeringdal to begin with.
"I really thought you were blind. I understand though. Your eyes are very nice by the way." I reply.
Colt doesn't respond, instead he gets up and throws a log in the fire.
"When do you think the storm will pass?" I ask him.
"At least in a day or two." He says shortly.
The fire snaps sharply, a chunk of burning ash lands on my arm. The tiny burning sensation makes me cringe. However, I'm lucky my shirt sleeve is thick enough that the flame won't burn through it.
Colt leans over me and grabs the ash off my arm. He then rubs it in between his fingers, putting out the small flame.
"Thanks." I say wide eyed. Wouldn't that have burned him? He's probably got burned before when melting iron, I bet that little piece of burning ash was nothing.
"You and I both know he isn't going to come for you today." He states abruptly. Deep down, I know Lorcan won't be coming for me today. I just didn't want to believe it. It's already been awhile since it started raining. Not to mention a long time since he's been in the bar.
I begin to nod my head in agreement, I don't want to be upset by Lorcan not looking for me, but I can't help it. I know I must be strong, but tears start falling down my face uncontrollably.
I stare blankly into the fire, letting the scalding heat dry my tears. Colt is silent, but I know he's watching me.
When I finally glance over his way, I notice how it almost looks like he's in a trance staring into the fire, he must be in deep thought.
I look at Colt's back wondering if he has wings like Lorcan and I or is he a different type of fae?
Suddenly, something from behind him, on the floor, moves. A dark crooked shadow, stretches out from behind Colt. It might be my imagination, but the shadow seems to be crawling. I look quickly back at the fire and Colt, the shadow crawling on the floor doesn't match the shape of the dancing flames of the fire or Colt. It almost seems like the spiky looking shadow is feeling the ground as it slowly stretches itself along the floor.
And its crawling towards me.
Chapter 30-Attic
My mind is screaming at me to move my body away, but strangely I don't move.
"You should get some rest." Colt whispers while staring into the flames. I watch him silently as he stands up.
I look back at the floor, behind Colt, where the inky shadow was crawling.
My eyes widen in fear as the menacing shadow is no longer there. It disappeared. I take a deep breath, the shadow had to of been just a...shadow.
"Okay." I reply. With that, I attempt to calm my nerves by taking a deep breath while I stand up. Colt leads me back toward the front of the shop.
When we reach the front of the shop, I walk back around his desk.
Colt walks to the middle of the room and then reaches up to the ceiling. At first I'm confused, but then I notice a tiny string, Colt pulls it down.
"Woah." I say surprised. A small wooden stair case is lowered down, it must be attached to the door. Colt adjusts the squeaky stair case so it is completely on the ground. I walk up next to him and give him a curious glance.
"Up we go." He says bluntly.
The steps are cover
ed in a good amount of dust.
"Right." I reply while taking a careful step onto the ancient staircase.
When I reach the top, I carefully scoot onto the cold smooth stone floor.
Colt reaches the top of the staircase and switches on a light.
When I can make out the structure of the room, I immediately wipe the dust off my hands and onto the bottom of my cloak.
"You can sleep here. I will leave the ladder down, I'll be sleeping on my chair." He says in a deep voice. Something tells me he probably normally sleeps on that chair.
The room's floor is like ice. I'm grateful for the twin bed, that seems to have a rather comfy looking quilt on top of it. There is a simple rug beside the small bed. A square window sits above the bed, like a sky light. A simple black table sits on the other side of the attic room.
A couple scattered iron hammers and...weapons lay scattered over the floor.
I think this may be his bunker in case of an emergency. This beats the forest floor by a million though.
"Thank you." I say gratefully. I turn around and give him a quick hug to thank him. Feeling his tight muscles below his shirt, I quickly back away in embarrassment. What am I doing?! If I make him angry, he could just snap my neck like a twig or toss me down the stairs easily. He does not look like the type of person that likes hugs. His face has been very serious ever since he showed me the locket.
Even though he's been kind to me, I have to be careful, I remind myself.
I dare a glance at him, his face is seemingly void of emotion. He watches me silently with his pale eyes, crossing his arms. Maybe he is waiting to make sure I'm okay with the bed.
"See you in the morning." I say with a yawn. I hop in the bed and quickly slide the quilt over me. I nestle down snugly in the bed and glance over at him giving him a smile.
"This bed is just right. 'Night." I say.
He nods his head slowly, still watching me. Finally, he turns around and walks back down the ladder.
"Goodnight." He mumbles, just barely over a whisper. I have to hold in a laugh, wondering if he is always this grumbly.
