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twenty-five

Miriam had two light brown horses, just as big as most I’d seen in this place. The carriage they were strapped to wasn’t all that comfortable, but it had two wide seats that fit us well. It also had two small windows on either side, and she told us not to pull back the brown curtains in front of them, which wouldn’t be a problem. At this point I really didn’t want to see anyone—or have anyone see me.

Rune put his long black cloak over my shoulders and tightened the leather ties almost all the way so that the fabric fell over my boobs and hid my cleavage. He was looking, though. The whole time he worked those ties—extra slowly, I might add—his eyes kept going lower, and I couldn’t believe I didn’t want to break his teeth for it.

No, I wanted him to look at me instead. I wanted him to want me as much as I wanted him.

Just until I got it out of my system, of course. Because when I did, it wouldn’t be like this anymore. I’d have my control back and I wouldn’t be horny all the time and I could put my entire focus on something else for a change.

“What now?” I asked when Miriam took the carriage forward.

She said we’d need over an hour to get to town, but she assured us that the road down was safe. She used the pathway on the edge of the mountain regularly, and she’d never had an accident before.

As long as I couldn’t see where we were, I was fine, I figured. But I was curious to know what else awaited me before we reached the Seelie Court.

“Now we travel as fast as we can to the other side of Cloakwood, and once we reach Blackwater, we can stop to rest,” Rune said. “Remember—don’t talk to anyone and don’t cause trouble. If someone tries to talk to you, don’t answer .”

“Wait—are they going to make me talk like Miriam did with that smoke?” Because there was nothing I could do against that.

“No. Miriam will take us deeper into town, away from noxin territory. We shouldn’t cross paths with another before we leave this place behind,” Rune said, but he didn’t sound too certain.

“What about the dark diamond she asked from you? What is that, really?”

“It’s a precious gemstone from the deepest caves in the Midnight Court where the Eternal Water falls off the edge of Verenthia.”

My brain pulled up a blank. “I’m sorry—I was busy not understanding a single word you just said.”

Rune hid his smile with his hand while he pretended to rub his nose. “The Midnight Court is at the very edge of the continent, and the kingdom ends with a sea called the Eternal Water. Its water falls off into the darkness below our realm, and underneath the waterfalls along the edge, there are caves full of dark diamonds that can be mined and cut and used as a source of energy. A very high source for any kind of magic.”

“Wow,” I whispered, trying to imagine such a place, but my imagination was far too poor right now. “So, you’re just going to go get it for her?”

“No,” Rune said. “I was banished from the Midnight Court. I can’t go back.”

My stomach twisted uncomfortably. “Why?” Whom had he betrayed?

The question burned me just as the memory of his kiss did.

“Do you want the truth?” I nodded so fast I almost broke my neck. “I don’t remember.”

Well, fuck. “That was not what I expected.” I don’t remember? What kind of an answer was that?

“And you are not what I expected, either, Wildcat,” Rune said, and he was almost… sad about it.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know why yet, so I said, “So, how will you get Miriam her diamond?”

“The prince.” He said the name and I could have sworn that his voice was lower. Harder. “The prince has plenty in his possession. Once we tell him about Miriam, he’ll send it to her.”

Something about the way he said that.

“And if he doesn’t?” I asked, though it was probably a silly question. Of course, the prince would do it—I was here to save his life, and Miriam had helped us a great deal. She deserved a diamond just for being cast away by her own kind, and for making this gorgeous dress.

“Then I’ll find one myself and bring it to her,” Rune said.

Not of course he will, and not the prince will be thankful.

Rune simply had a Plan B.

“If that happens, I’ll come with you,” I said, to try to lighten up the mood.

But he said, “If that happens, it means you’re already on your way home.”

I had absolutely nothing to say to that.

* * *

Three hours later, Miriam left us at the edge of the town, behind this wide one-story building that apparently served as a sheriff’s department in this area. She again reminded Rune of what he’d promised her, and in her eyes I saw the desperation clearly.

I knew deep down, for whatever reason, she didn’t really believe that he was going to deliver her diamond, even if she tasted the truth in his words. She didn’t really believe it, and she still fed us and clothed us and brought us here. She even held my hand while we walked to the other side of the building, to the main road, the beautiful dress she gave me completely covered by Rune’s cloak.

“I’m going to make you a promise, too, Miriam,” I said before we said goodbye. “If for any reason Rune can’t bring you that diamond, I’m going to bring it to you myself, okay? A dark diamond—and a new pair of jeans. How’s that sound?”

I meant every word. I made that promise with my whole heart, but again—even though Miriam smiled and nodded and thanked me, she still didn’t look like she fully believed me.

When we parted ways, she stayed there and waved at us for a moment longer, her pink dress standing out in the sea of grays and blacks and browns—and I noticed how the people looked at her. I noticed how they flinched and made faces when they saw her standing there, waving.

Just like they used to make faces at me back home my whole life.

How was it that bullying and belittling people was a trait that transcended fucking realms? They had bullies in a piece of land that wasn’t even a planet, that somehow hung on two stars that were actually the same star. They had magic and these strange animals and dangerous beasts and people who could taste lies—and they had bullies, too.

My heart broke for Miriam and I couldn’t help but feel like shit imagining her spending all her time up there on the side of the mountain. We could only see the tip of it from here because we’d come so far, but I could imagine it just fine.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Rune whispered. “You shouldn’t have promised her.”

I closed my eyes and fought back the sting of tears. “I fucking hate bullies.” With all my being.

Did they even realize what they could do to a person? I didn’t care where—here or on Earth or in any other realm—they were all the same.

Rune was silent for a little while as we walked.

“She’ll be all right, Wildcat. I will bring her that diamond before winter begins, one way or the other,” he eventually said.

I looked up at him, and if he knew how big of a relief I felt right now, he’d probably start running from me.

“Thank you,” I said and hid my face underneath the hood of the giant cloak again. It was so big I felt like a Dementor with it on, but at least it kept me hidden from everyone.

This town was a lot like the Neutral Lands we’d passed, but also a lot different. No sorcerers and no incubi and succubi that I could see. No golems, and thank God there were no werewolves here, either. Just the thought of a person actually shifting into an animal— no thanks . I’d rather not know. Having witnessed a vampire drinking blood from a two-headed guy was more than enough. I was ready to spend the rest of this journey without another traumatizing event.

Miriam remained on my mind for a long time as I walked side by side with Rune. The fomorians here didn’t much care about me because they couldn’t even see my face, and at one point, when Rune grabbed my hand to get me to move faster, he said they’d think I was his slave or something. I didn’t even complain. As long as they left me alone, I’d take it.

He told me about a few of the creatures we saw, about how they lived, about the rivers that went through Cloakwood, about how fomorians were basically charged with keeping the peace between the western and eastern territories of Verenthia, and nobody ever gave them a choice about it. They were also the most endangered species on the continent because of the sorcerers, who lived just up Cloakwood, between them and the fae courts.

I saw two more fae as we went down a wider street possibly over two hours later. I was already sweating and I was tired, and I kept asking for a break but Rune wouldn’t hear it. They passed by on the other side of the street, and it was so easy to tell them apart from everyone else. Miriam had stood out in the crowd because of her dress, but they stood out because of their everything.

They both had reddish brown hair, glossy and soft looking, and they both wore rust-colored velvet with golden threads on their slender bodies, and they looked rich. Not just the clothes, but the glow of their skin, too. The way they held their shoulders. The way they moved, so slowly, like they had all the time in the world, while everyone else around them was in a rush to get somewhere.

They turned when we passed, and their eyes stopped on Rune. They were both surprised—and unearthly beautiful, too, which made me wonder about all the other fae who lived in the Courts. Did they all look like that? Like they were drawings? Like they were made with the sole purpose of mocking the rest of creation? Like they invented perfection themselves?

Because it wasn’t fucking fair.

But they looked at Rune, analyzed him from head-to-toe, and Rune looked at them as well, without batting a lash. The difference was astounding, now that I was thinking about it. Rune wore clothes that matched everyone else’s around here—black pants and a black shirt, leather boots that seemed pretty well worn. I had no idea where he hid those knives he kept around, but that was about all the eye could see on him. No velvet or silver or gold. Just those clothes.

And now I was dying to know why.

Then the fae looked at me.

Half my face was covered, and I barely saw them through the hood, but I felt the heat of their attention all the same. They were curious about me, it was easy to see, but Rune wasn’t rushing. He just held my hand tightly in his and continued to walk at the same pace, until we no longer saw them anymore.

So many thoughts crossed my mind as we turned corners and went behind buildings, until we ended up in the main street again. Possibly Rune’s way of trying to lose those fae if they were following us.

“Why sire? ” I asked. “Why did Miriam call you sire?”

“Because I’m fae.”

“Yes, but you’re also just a guy. You’re not dressed in velvet and gold, which, by the way, why?”

He turned his head, looked down at me. “Because I’ve been banished by my Court, Wildcat. Enough with the questions.”

I ignored him, of course.

“So what? Just because you were banished doesn’t mean you can’t have nice clothes. You’re friends with a prince, aren’t you?”

When he looked at me again, he was almost smiling “No. That I was banished means that I do not have to wear velvet. I can wear anything I want.”

Ooh. That made more sense—and that gleaming in his eyes, the little mischievous hint? I fucking adored it. That’s why I found myself grinning like an idiot.

We didn’t talk again for a long time, Rune and I.

However, the next time I did speak to someone, I may or may not have fucked everything up pretty badly.

Oops.