Page 106 of My Monster’s Keeper

“It was cold and miserable. We didn’t eat like this. We ate in big, elaborate banquets that were political dances and mires that could create and destroy alliances between one plate and the next. Here is where I belong. Here is home,” Frost murmurs thoughtfully. He turns to me and smirks. “But you really need to see the castles. One Fae lady actually built a castle out of ice. It was magnificent. Sadly, the stupidity of building a castle out of ice meant no one could live in it.”

“Why?”

“Well, let’s just say a few people learned to specialise in skin grafts and amputations. Also, there was a sudden spike of beings suddenly called to healing, in particular, bones and internal injuries.”

I snicker just imagining it.

I lean closer as he talks. He puts an arm around me and tells me all about his world.

Chapter 32

Becky

“What’s your favourite place to lead a hunt?”

Wilder expertly stabs the air with his sword. “The Plains of Viridian. Huge purple grass plains with an insect type species named Taran. They are excellent eating.”

I wrinkle my nose and lean back against the tree I’m perched on. “Favourite weapon.”

“Uh-uh, it’s my turn. I’ll let you have a freebie, but only once.” Wilder holds up his sword. “This was my fathers, well, the Fae who was there when I opened my eyes.”

I open my mouth, but he shakes his head and grins.

“My turn.”

I huff. “Fine.”

“Why are you so okay with us, with this world and ours?”

I consider his question for a long moment. “To be fair, I think it’s because some of the places I’ve lived have held people with hearts darker than you can imagine.” My voice lowers to a whisper. “The things they do because they can…it’s worse than eating someone.”

Wilder looks sharply in my direction. “These monsters, do they not fear the hunters of your race?”

“Not really. I mean, some do, most just do whatever they want. We don’t execute people here,” I explain. “We put them in a stone prison for a number of years, and then they get out. Some do it again. Some don’t.”

Wilder frowns. “It’s not much incentive to stop the offenders offending.”

I bark out a laugh. “No, but I would not be the person who makes the laws. I just wanted to bring them to justice. Drag them before the courts and give victims some peace of mind.”

“And now?”

I slip off the branch, landing in a crouch. I look up. That was a ten-foot drop.

“Now, I think that I don’t know what to think. Monsters aren’t monsters, and all the stories we read in our books are true. We aren’t the strongest here, we aren’t faster, wiser. We are people, and I wonder that we live a little like toddlers, going from whatever makes us feel good to the next. Sadly, I don’t think we have yet seen the bigger picture. But these omegas might be the bridge. They might change it all and allow us to learn from each other.”

“Are you seeing the bigger picture now? With omegas and monsters working together?”

“I think so. The world is bigger than we ever dreamed. We could all be so happy together.”

“Yes,” Wilder breathes out. “We can be.”

“And good and bad aren’t what I always thought they were. I want to think about it before I decide, anyway. At least we have time before we find this invisible omega queen.”

Wilder’s expression gets carefully blank.

“But you’re happy doing what we’re doing?”

“You are cheating and owe me like a hundred questions,” I point out. “But, for the record, I love that we are keeping others safe. It’s what I feel like I was born to do.”