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Chapter Six

Pity a Fool

I watched my creature leave the garden, her dress wet and clinging to her form like a second skin. There was a rage within me that the flowers and trees and the fairies and the selkie had seen her in such a state. My fingers curled into fists at my side.

“What are you sulking about?” Naeve demanded, hopping onto the bench beneath the window to peer out. When she saw my creature, she grinned wickedly, showing her crooked teeth. “Fancy her, eh?”

“I do notfancyher,” I snapped, and yet I thought of how she must have gotten wet and knew the selkie had seen her. Had he seduced her with his horrible song?

“Is that why you begged her to speak your name?” Naeve asked.

The mirror choked, suppressing a laugh. I glared at the two.

“Ineedher to love me,” I said again, just as I had last night, though I could not shake this feeling. It was sort of like dread, sort of like fear. What if she fell in love with someone else?

“And how will you make her love you?” asked Naeve. “She hates you.”

I glowered. I knew that well enough, but perhaps with enough coaxing…

“Lust is not the same as love,” said the mirror.

“I know the difference,” I seethed.

The brownie raised a brow at me, and though the mirror had no expression, I knew it did the same.

“Who says she cannot lust for me and love me?”

Naeve exchanged a look with the mirror.

“Love is learned,” said the mirror.

“You keep saying that, and yet no one has learned to love me,” I said.

“And you have learned to love no one,” said Naeve.

“She can learn to love me while she lusts,” I said and turned back to the window, hating the disappointment that dropped into the pit of my stomach when I no longer saw my creature below.

“You will have to do more than fuck her if you want her to love you,” said Naeve.

I spun to face her, no longer interested in the view.

“What do you know about love?”

The brownie glared back, a scowl on her face. “You expect true and devoted love from this woman, and yet you do not plan to give in return? What part about ‘she hates you’ do you not understand? You will have to woo her, and you have done a pitiful job of that thus far.”

“She has been here for less than a day,” I snapped.

“Precious time when you only have six days,” said the brownie.

“Have you ever wooed anyone, Naeve?” I asked. She crossed her arms over her chest and lifted her brow at me. “And you, Mirror?”

His silence was telling.

“Then why would I listen to either ofyou?”

“The Mountains are trying to teach you a lesson,” Naeve said.

I know!I wanted to scream so loud the Mountains would hear my rage, but I did not wish to give them the satisfaction of my frustration.