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Chapter twenty-one

Brandon

“ S ay what now?” I blabbered.

How was this old man my father? He wouldn’t be this old. He couldn’t be this old. This man was older than my grandfather, I was sure of that.

The doorknob pressed into my hand. The need to escape was even more overwhelming. Were the demons trying to trick me? I wouldn’t put it past them.

“My father left me when I was a baby. You’re too old to be him.”

The old man touched his wrinkled face. “This realm isn’t kind to humans. It ages us faster than Earth.”

“No way. I don’t believe you. The demons put you up to this, didn’t they?”

“I made a deal with the Demon King.”

“What deal?”

Curiosity kept me inside the cottage even though I still wanted to leave .

The old man heaved a sigh as though the very thought of the deal caused him great agony. “I can’t reveal the details of the deal to anyone otherwise it becomes void.”

“Handy,” I scoffed.

“Brandon, listen to me,” he implored.

“No. If you are my father, then why would I listen to you when you abandoned me?”

“I didn’t want to. Trust me, I didn’t want to leave you or your mother.” His eyes glistened. “How is she?”

“None of your business.”

“She’s still alive though, isn’t she?” He gripped my shoulders. “Tell me she’s still alive.”

The desperation in his voice cracked the resolve in me. Even if I didn’t believe we were talking about the same person, I still said, “Yes, she’s still alive.”

His grip slackened. “Good. Good.”

Kal groaned dramatically and slumped onto the floor.

“Shit,” the old man said. “I have to tend to him. You cut him with that sword you’re carrying?”

“Yes.”

The old man hurried to the shelves along the side of the wall drew a jar down, popped the lid, and pulled out a dried leaf. He placed it in a mortar and pestle, added a drop of liquid from a silver jug, and ground them together. I watched, fascinated by his movements. They reminded me so much of Grandfather and if I was honest, my own. He crouched next to the fallen demon who was still holding his injured side. The old man wrenched his hand away and then slapped the paste on the wound. It sizzled as though it was a piece of meat cooking and mustard yellow smoke rose into the air.

“Open the door. Quickly. And stand out of the way.”

I stared at the old man still trying to believe what he’d said and not believe it at the same time.

“You have three seconds. Hurry.”

I flung the door open just as the demon sat up straight, Kal lurched to his feet and ran for the door. As soon as he was outside, he launched into the closest pile of snow and rolled around until the sizzling and smoking of his flesh stopped. I stepped onto the porch and watched in fascinated horror as the demon stood, dusting off the snow as though dusting lint off an expensive suit.

“Thanks, old man.” Kal saluted, then walked off into the snowy fields beyond the cottage.

“What just happened?” I turned around to the old man still standing in the cottage’s warmth.

“Come in and close the door and I’ll tell you.”

My gaze flickered to the castle where they’d locked me in a room, to the open white fields that promised me only freezing to death, to the interior of the warm cottage where neither imprisonment nor death awaited me. I stepped inside and shut the door, but looking at the old man, if this was my father, then my fate was worse than death. If I was stuck in the Winter Court, I’d age like him.

He gave a wracking cough then threw another log on the fire sending red sparks into the air.

“Demon iron hurts demons. I never understood why they train with it.” He shook his head .

I lifted the sword and studied the blade under the glowing firelight and the few lit candles inside the cottage. I’d assumed the sword was different but knowing they’d left me with a sword that injured them made little sense.

“Why would the Demon King leave me with a sword that can injure them?” I asked aloud because I needed answers.

“My guess is so you’re not an easy target. Demons don’t take kindly to humans.”

“I noticed.”

“Keep it close to you.”

“A scabbard would be good.”

The old man held up his finger and then shuffled over to a cupboard. He opened the door and muttered under his breath.

“Aha!” He shuffled back holding a long leather strip in his hand. “I thought I had one in here.”

“Thanks.” I took the leather and strapped it to my body then placed the sword in the holster.

“You won’t be able to kill a demon with that though, so don’t be getting any fancy ideas in your head.”

I snorted. “I won’t.”

But maybe, just maybe I’d persuade a demon to portal me out of the Winter Court and back home, or better yet, to wherever Roisin was.

“So, son, how did you get here? Did you make a deal with a demon?”

“I’m not your son. ”

The old man opened his mouth, and I held up my finger.

“I came through a magical bookshelf. I’d never make a deal with a demon.”

The old man grew whiter still, the wrinkles on his face even more pronounced.

“I… no… you couldn’t have.”

“I assure you I did.”

“But humans can’t pass through the bookshelf. The King didn’t design it that way.” He lowered his eyes and sat heavily in a chair. “You can’t be my son then.”

“I’m human.”

“Not possible.” He lifted his gaze.

I shrugged. “I came through with a Fae Princess.”

His shoulders straightened. “A Fae Princess is in the Winter Court?”

“Not anymore.”

He sagged again.

“Okay, old man, are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

He pointed at the seat opposite him. I walked over to it, removed the cloak because I was getting hot in the cottage, and sat on the chair.

“The magical bookshelf in the Fellowship connects to the Winter Court. The Demon King created it to remove the knowledge of certain things from ever coming to light.”

“What things? ”

“I’m not one hundred percent sure. There are rumors and speculation, but only the Demon King knows the truth. He was the one who made it.”

Was it to do with Roisin’s family being connected to the demons? Was that the knowledge the Demon King was gatekeeping?

The old man reached a shaky hand for a mug on the nearby table, the contents spilled onto his clothes as he brought it to his mouth.

After taking a sip, he said, “The Demon King created the Fellowship.”

“He told me that already.”

His hand shook even more. “He’ll never let you leave now. Just like me.”

“There’s no chance in hell I’m staying here.”

He slammed the mug onto the table spilling even more liquid. “There’s no escaping the Winter Court. Not for you. Not for me.”

I leaned forward. “How long have you been here?”

“You should know more than me.” He leaned forward too. “You were just a baby. How old are you now?”

I shook my head. “I can’t be your son.”

“Can’t you?”

The door burst open sending in a gust of icy air. Tay stood in the doorway and placed her hands on her hips.

“Now what is my brother up to?” She snapped her fingers. “Come, human, time to return to the castle.”

“I’m not a dog you can call to heel,” I said .

Her eyes landed on the sword at my side. “So, what, you plan to fight me? Then what will happen to your precious princess when she returns for you?”

“You wouldn’t hurt Roisin.”

Her dark eyes narrowed. “Don’t test me. Come now or I’ll leave you outside.”

“Go, son,” the old man pleaded. “You’ll never survive the cold of this place.” He shuddered as though cold and scared.

I stood and donned the cape. I didn’t care if I died outside, but if they’d hurt Roisin, then I needed to be alive to protect her. Everything in me said the only way to die was to protect the Fae Princess I’d fallen in love with.