Page 61 of City of Promise and Light (Mates of Gods and Fae #1)

T he rebels.

I’m now part of the rebellion that Ambrose fought to squash daily.

My lips tugged into a smile, something like pride swelling inside me so big that my heart felt light and heavy at the same time. If Ambrose caught me, no amount of torture would be enough to stop his horrible punishment.

I held Kieran’s crimson stare, studying how his eyes darkened, like he was taunting me—begging for some darker part of me to come out and play. A shiver went down my spine, and I looked away; the heat behind in his gaze was too intense.

Samian caught his look and let out a low growl of warning, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest. One that Kieran readily returned.

Samian stepped in front of me, blocking me from view.

I could only see the braid of his silver hair, shining bright under the soft moonlight, but the muscles along his back were tense.

The pale woman beside Kieran sighed and clapped her hands.

“Okay, boys, that’s enough posturing for now.

It seems like there is much we need to discuss and I, for one, would like to go somewhere more comfortable to talk.

” She slid her dark gray eyes to Ezra, giving him a cold stare. “Are you truly asking for sanctuary?”

“Yes,” Ezra said with a small nod. “I was given the death penalty for helping you, actually.” He jerked his chin at the man standing behind her.

The man gave him a small bow, though his face remained blank.

“Then we welcome you,” she said, inclining her head to Ezra. “Let’s leave these woods. There are creatures roaming tonight.”

Each of them turned to head further into the forest. “Wait,” I said, grabbing hold of Samian’s shirt. “Before I blindly follow wherever they are taking us, I want to know how you know this man.”

“Male,” Kieran said, his voice deepened, his lips curving into a wicked smile.

My gaze cut to his, my brows knitting together in confusion. “What?”

“I am not a man. That is a word for humans, not faeries. I am a male.” His gaze bore into me, and I took a steadying breath. I could feel the pressure in my blood rising in annoyance.

“Fine,” I quipped, scowling at him as I turned back to Samian. “How do you?—”

“Say it,” Kieran smirked.

I looked back at him, my eyes narrowing. “Say what?”

“Say what I am.”

“For fuck’s sake,” I whispered, earning deep laugh from the vexing brute. “Fine,” I turned back to Samian, “How do you know this male ?”

Samian’s lip twitched, amusement dancing in his eyes as he fought the grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. “We met long ago, when I was a boy. His father was a farmer, and I ate some apples from one of his trees. As punishment, I had to help Kieran pick the rest of the apples.”

Kieran chuckled at the memory.

“He is safe,” Samian murmured softly. “I promise you, he will not hurt you. I would not let him, even if he tried. But I know where they are leading us to. We won’t be harmed.”

I looked into his blue and green eyes, studying them, finding nothing but hopeful promise, like me being here with him was something he had wanted for so long. Finally, looking over to the woman—female—I gave her a tight nod.

Bowing her head to me, they all turned, leading us further into the forest.

With the moon full and high overhead, it wasn’t hard for my eyes to adjust to the low light, enough to see the rocks and branches scattered across the mossy floor.

We traveled along a small path that was barely noticeable unless you knew what to look out for, though after twenty minutes of walking, I still couldn’t tell what they used for markers.

Samian stayed in the front of our group, keeping me close while we followed Kieran and the other male and female. Aster stayed a step behind me, followed by Ezra. Everyone was quiet, save for the crunching of the leaves beneath our feet.

The path led us to a rusted gate covered in vines that groaned as the doors swung open. Huts and tents scattered in the field beyond. Aster and I slowed our walk, our wide eyes taking in the different faeries walking around bonfires, laughing with each other.

Ezra murmured a curse, his head whipping to Samian, who only gave him a small apologetic smile. Guilt shadowed Samian’ s face, and his throat bobbed. Apparently, he had kept secrets from everyone.

Hearing the gate open, a wave of silence washed through the camp.

The faeries tensed from Ezra’s presence.

To Ezra’s benefit, he only followed Kieran, ignoring their cold, hardened stares.

I watched him walk past us, his body rigid but standing tall.

Aster and I glanced at each other, cringing.

Staying in this camp wasn’t going to be easy for Ezra—not when he had been working for the palace as Ambrose’s war general for so long.

Placing her hand behind my back, Aster gently nudged me to follow the group toward a rundown estate that was smaller than the Marble Palace but still large enough to be fit for a king.

Made from stacked gray stones, the manor was covered in purple wisteria vines that crawled along the arches and across the walls.

My mouth gaped open, taking in its antiquated beauty.

We walked through large doors with flowers carved along the edges of the wood and entered into a grand foyer.

The vines had crept in along the ceiling, aged with time.

Dust clung to the broken furniture and the framed art along the walls, though the rest of the manor seemed partially clean—clean enough that it made me wonder how many lived within its walls now.

Samian’s soft chuckle caught my attention, and I turned my head toward him.

He reached out his hand and, though I hesitated, I took it, letting his smooth fingers wrap around mine.

Something in my soul serged at his soft touch, and my eyes burned when he interlaced our fingers, pulling me in close and tucking me to his side.

“This used to be the royal manor before the forest moved, blocking access to it.”

The forest… “What do you mean the forest moved?” I asked, hesitantly.

Samian let out a breathy laugh that sent heat curling through me.

“There’s a reason I told you to be careful of the forest. It’s alive and moves wherever it desires.

It can easily ensnare anyone close enough to hear its call, though we aren’t sure why.

Just that most of those trapped by its song are never seen again. ”

I shuddered and leaned into Samian’s warmth, letting his presence keep me steady.

I hadn’t realized that when I went to the forest after Ambrose tricked me into the bargain with him.

I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if the beithir hadn’t snapped me out of my trance that day. My stomach churned at the thought.

Aster walked past us, her eyes going straight to where Samian and my hands were linked.

I sucked in a breath and quickly stepped away from Samian, finding a painting along the wall to focus on.

I silently cursed myself for letting him that close, for feeling the way I did, especially when they were involved.

Though ‘involved’ didn’t seem like the right word.

They were close, but Samian never hinted at how close.

Aster’s soft footsteps moved on, following Kieran to wherever he was leading us. Samian stood still, releasing a slow breath before he moved behind me, close enough for me to feel his warmth again.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured, keeping my focus on the blue and gold swirls of the painting.

“For what?” Samian said softly.

“I know you two—I didn’t mean to give her the wrong impression.” Guilt licked up my spine and I closed my eyes, pushing away the image of Samian wrapping his arms around my waist. Of him pulling me in, my back flush against him.

He lied. He kept secrets from me, from everyone, I reminded myself over and over. And Aster—think of Aster .

“Ah, right,” Samian exhaled, his voice strained. “Come, we don’t want to fall behind.”

The disappointment coloring his words kept me from moving.

Was he upset that I’d pulled away from him?

Or that Aster had seen us? I listened to his footsteps retreating as he followed the others.

Tilting my head back, my shoulders sagged as I eyed the vines snaking along the ceiling.

Once Samian was far enough away, I finally turned and followed, walking into a long stone hallway with several closed doors.

The others filed into a room a few doors down, while Kieran stood by the entrance, waiting.

Keeping his face blank, his eyes raked down my body and back up again, taking his time until our gazes clashed.

Fighting the way my blood pulsed under his perusal, I sneered at him, earning a smirk and a low laugh.

“Come now, princess,” he said, his tone playful. “You don’t want to be late to your first meeting, do you?”

“Don’t call me that,” I grumbled, rolling my eyes and entering the room.

A dark, sensuous laugh was his only response.

The room was small, with a large circular table in the middle, covered with papers and maps. Several seats were arranged around it, with more chairs lined along the walls. Cabinets and an armoire sat in the far-left corner, while linen curtains blocked the two windows on the opposite side.

“Well, princess?” Kieran murmured, his breath tickling my ear.

I sharply inhaled, stepping away from him with a hiss. Chuckling, he gestured to the table—a request to take my seat.

Looking at the table, Samian pulled out a chair beside him, but I turned away, pretending not to notice, and sat in the empty chair next to the pale female.

She arched an eyebrow as I slid into the seat, but I kept my eyes glued to the table, picking at a scratch in the wood.

Heat crept up my neck, and I could have sworn the table rippled like water under my touch.

Kieran took his place on the opposite side of the table. Two empty chairs sat on either side of him, a clear sign that he was indeed the leader of this rebellion.

“I believe introductions are in order, Samian,” Kieran said pointedly, jerking his chin toward the rest of the group.

“Right,” Samian said, straightening in his chair.

He began introducing Ezra first, giving Kieran and the others a brief account of what happened, though I didn’t hear a word.

Instead, I studied Kieran, letting my gaze trail down his tanned arms to his hands, which were covered in small white scars.

I dragged my eyes to his face. His squared jaw was sharp, like it had been chiseled from marble.

His midnight-black hair was shorter, the tips barely covering the delicate point of his ears.

But his eyes, those dark red eyes shined bright in the light of the room, stealing the breath from my lungs.

“ Do you like what you see? ” Kieran’s raspy voice echoed in my head. I jerked my gaze away, my face blanching. I could hear his laughter, feel the rumble of it along my skin, though no one noticed. No one could hear.

My heart raced inside my chest, and I dared another glance.

“ If you keep doing that, Samian is going to jump out of his seat. ”

I swallowed and looked over at Samian. His lips were pressed thin, his eyes locked on Kieran and shining with anger. I turned to Ezra, finally noticing he was speaking to the group.

“ Good, keep your eyes on the general, though try not to look so disappointed. ” Kieran purred.

A delicate hand covered my own and I flinched.

The female’s soft ivory fingers covered mine while she watched Aster speak.

Once Aster finished, the female threw a pointed glare at Kieran, like she knew what he was doing and reprimanding him.

She turned me then, her round gray eyes reminding me of the glass marbles I used to keep as a child.

Warm and striking, they crinkled slightly as she introduced herself.

“My name is Vivian, though you can call me Vivi,” she said, her voice soft and sweet.

“I’m Kieran’s second-in-command.” She tucked a lock of honey-blonde hair behind her ear.

I watched the movement, surprise rippling through me when I saw her long pointed ear—longer than the other faeries I’ve seen.

“Ah, yes.” She said, noticing my stare. “I’m not a faerie. I belong to the elven clan in the Seelie Courts.”

“The Seelie Courts?”

Samian cleared his throat. “We can explain that in a moment. It will make more sense when you learn more about our history.”

I looked back to Vivi to see if she agreed. Giving me a soft smile, she waved a hand to the male beside her, his golden eyes so…otherworldly.

“This is Orin. I believe you met him the other day in Lowbrook.”

Orin inclined his head and grinned. His hair was twisted in smaller locs and pulled back behind his rounded ear. “I’m Kieran’s third-in-command.”

“Are you…human?” I asked warily, pointing to his ear.

Orin flashed a bright, wide smile and huffed a laugh. “No, I’m not human. I’m a gryphon—a shapeshifter. I’m not faerie, nor am I part of the Seelie Court. My kind came from the deserts of Mide, but we followed the Fae and Seelie Courts to Nemos once the realms were separated.”

“Ah, so gryphon…like the bird-lion animal? ”

Kieran barked a laugh, and my face heated, but Orin only smiled “Yes, something like that.”

I breathed in a shaky breath, glancing at everyone around the room.

I was given a book on the creatures of Nemos, though I never had enough time to study it like I should have.

I wasn’t sure why I thought there were only different types of faeries here, but I felt ridiculous sitting there, so clueless about this world.

My eyes finally landed on Samian, who looked somber as he watched me closely. “Tell me what I’m missing.”

Samian shook his head. “You have to ask me specific questions,” he said, his voice tight.

“And why do we have to do that?” Ezra growled, his anger finally surfacing.

Samian held Ezra’s heated glare while his thumb rubbed against the ring on his middle finger. Steeling himself, Samian took off his ring. Beautiful and intricate black lines laced around his finger—the mark of a bargain.