Page 29 of Redemption (Deliverance Duet #2)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Iris

W e step outside, and I see that the hut is built into a tree like I first thought. What is unexpected, though, is how beautiful it looks. Flowering vines grow up the tree trunk, and along the building, pink and purple blooms bring a brightness to the scene that I hadn’t expected to see in the Unseelie Court. I was always told the Unseelie Court was a place of terror and death, yet seeing something so exquisite and full of life suggests the opposite. How can a place that can grow and nurture be so evil?

While I’m thinking, I stare up at the building we just left, catching a glimpse of one of the healers through the open doorway. They have healers here, beings who dedicate their lives to saving others. Why would a court that kills for pleasure have a place such as this? I remember Ciaran saying that the best healers in the land are here in the Unseelie Court, which doesn’t match with the image painted of them. On the other hand, I’ve experienced the wrath of the court and barely escaped with my life. What am I supposed to believe?

“This was you.” Ciaran’s voice is soft, whispered against the delicate skin of my ear, and a shudder travels through me, my body automatically arching back against him. His hands rest low on my hips as he pulls me back against his chest.

“What do you mean?” I ask, my mind completely on the male at my back. It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve had any sort of intimacy with my mate, and holding Alaric while being topless doesn’t count. Sex is great, but what I’m truly craving is the feeling of closeness, when nothing else in the world matters.

He places a soft kiss on my neck, my skin tingling in every spot he touches. “When you healed Alaric, the plants started to grow,” he explains, his kisses travelling down the length of my neck. “They surrounded the two of you and covered the healers’ tree. You brought life into the world.”

His last words strike something in my mind, like a bell ringing a warning, and it shatters my moment of calm.

I did what?

Plants have grown around me before, but this hits differently. Encouraging plants to grow is one thing, but to create life from nothing… No one but the gods should have power over life and death, and hearing what I did described as creating life makes it feel… wrong. Who am I to have that power and level of responsibility? It’s not right.

Uncomfortable with this new realisation, I untangle myself from Ciaran’s hold and turn in his arms to take in his expression. I’m probably overreacting, but the reverence in his voice makes me pause.

Resting my hands against his chest, I scan his face for a hint as to what he’s thinking. He’s looking at me like I am the most miraculous being he’s ever seen, his eyes glimmering with love and pride. More than that, though, he looks like he would give up everything for me and follow me into the bowels of the underworld itself if I asked him to. It’s terrifying, and my heart pounds in my chest.

My hands ball up in his shirt. I need him to stop admiring me. “Don’t look at me like that.”

One of his brows quirks upward, a hint of humour gleaming at me. “Like what?”

This conversation is putting me on edge, but I can’t figure out why. How am I supposed to explain this to him when I don’t even know myself? Huffing out a breath, I shake my head to clear my thoughts.

“Like I am the most magnificent thing you’ve ever seen,” I choke out.

He chuckles and grins down at me, brushing back some of my hair, looking for a reason to touch me. “That would be difficult, as I happen to think you are extraordinary.”

I want to melt into him, the romantic atmosphere not lost on me as he holds me close, but I can’t let go of this feeling. In fact, his words only add to the sense that I am an imposter in this situation. He’s expecting extraordinary, and really, I’m a human girl with access to power she has no business touching. I have no idea what I’m doing, and seeing how much he adores me makes me feel worse.

I can’t look at him any longer in case he’s able to see my true thoughts, so I tilt my head back and lift my gaze to the stars above. My mind is so twisted, and I have no idea how to explain any of this to him, but I can offer him the truth, a glimpse into my messed-up thoughts.

“This magic… It’s not who I am.” The words are thick and full of emotion as I attempt to choke out my feelings. “I am beyond grateful that I was able to save Alaric, but all of this is too much. I don’t know how to be what’s expected of me, and most of all, I don’t want you to love me for what I can do.”

I’m fully aware of him watching me as I ramble, but I don’t drop my gaze, too afraid to see his expression. My eyes sting with unshed tears. I’m so overwhelmed that I don’t think I could cope if he were to reject me now.

“Iris…” His tone has changed, softening yet holding a note of reproach. He cups my chin in his hand and guides it down so I have no choice but to look at him. Gone is the adoring expression, and in its place is one of understanding.

“You constantly astound me, and that has nothing to do with your magic, the curse, or the prophesies,” he promises, his hand still on my chin so I can see the truth in his eyes. “Every moment I get to spend with you is a blessing. I have wandered this land my entire life, slipping through the barriers of the curse and putting myself through that pain, never really knowing why I was doing it.” He laughs lightly, shaking his head in disbelief. “Now I know the reason was you. I was searching for the other part of my soul.”

What did I do to deserve such a male? He might not be perfect, but he is perfect for me.

“I love you,” I whisper, lifting up on my toes so I can press my lips to his.

Our kiss is slow and deep. We don’t rush, allowing our bodies to communicate in a way that words cannot. The kiss ends naturally, our foreheads pressing together as we bask in this small moment between the two of us.

Ciaran takes a breath and steps back, threading his fingers with mine as he gestures forward with his free arm. “Come, let me show you the rest of the city.”

I don’t know what I was expecting from the Unseelie city, but the beautiful starlit scene before me was certainly not it.

The sun has long since set, and the denizens of the court are out enjoying the night without the threat of the sunlight. Creatures of all shapes and sizes mill around, and it takes all of my control not to openly stare at them. Some of them look terrifying, but when they carry a bunch of flowers to give to a partner or sit at the coffee hut, reading a book, it’s difficult to remember why I’m supposed to hate them.

All of the buildings here are built into the trees, and not at the base of the trunks like the Seelie city. Wooden bridges and platforms connect the trees, allowing the creatures to pass each other. Magical glowing orbs line the raised pathways, lighting the way and giving the scene a whimsical effect. The healers’ building was pretty basic in terms of decoration, and I was expecting to see maybe a few official buildings and some domestic huts, but this is a city. It bustles with life, shops selling local wares, and cafes offering food and drinks.

I can’t believe it.

Pausing at a platform that contains a bench, Ciaran and I sit back and watch the hustle and bustle of life around us. Well, I watch, while Ciaran just stares at me with a small smirk. What can I say? I’m mesmerised by this place. We get lots of looks from passing fae, but none of them seem put out that there’s a human in their midst. In fact, most of the glances are curious and hopeful. They probably suspect I’m the one who will break the curse. I just hope I don’t let them down. Putting that thought aside, I continue taking in everything around me.

The idea of being so high from the ground sent a chill through me, but Ciaran promised that once I was on the main platforms, I wouldn’t even notice. As usual, he’s right. The pathways are wide enough to comfortably pass by other fae, and most of the platforms don’t so much as groan under the weight. The interconnecting rope bridges move a little, but they are so well anchored that before long, I lost all my fear.

Leaning back on the bench, I glance over the edge of the platform and take note of the ruins below us. Swamp-like bogs, decaying land, and fallen stone pillars litter the ground. Everything about it feels… off. Mist rises from the ground, hovering over the barren land, only making it feel more hostile. Honestly, from everything I was taught and told, the land below is what I would have expected from the Unseelie Court. It’s difficult to see much thanks to the lack of light down there, but it’s the polar opposite of the bustling, bright community I’m currently surrounded by.

It’s easy to imagine that evil creatures are lurking below in the mist, the slowly shifting clouds eddying and drawing the eye. Another movement catches my eye, and I glance over instinctively, only this time it’s not the mist that’s moving.

A pair of eyes glare up at me, glowing dimly in the darkness. Pure malice emanates from the creature. What could I have ever done to earn such hatred? All I can see is its eyes, the body hidden, yet my imagination runs wild with a monstrous scaled torso and claws as long as my body. It is an utterly terrifying encounter, and I’m nowhere near it. My nightmares are going to be plagued with those glowing eyes.

Ciaran’s warmth shifts against me as he leans closer so he can see what I’m staring at. He makes a low growling noise in the back of his throat, and the creature’s eyes suddenly disappear. “That was one of the sluagh,” he explains, rubbing at the goosebumps on my arm. “You’re protected up here, Iris,” he assures me, pulling me against him. “Even if we weren’t warded up here, you would be fine, as there was only one of them. They only attack in groups.”

Any comfort I started to feel at his explanation disappears. There are more of those things? My shoulders tighten. I really don’t want to know more, but my curiosity gets the better of me, and I blurt out my question. “What?”

“In human folklore, they are unforgiven souls of the dead that roam the land for other souls. On their own, they can barely hold their form and are usually transparent. In a group…” He trails off and shudders. “They are not so fun in a group.”

That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one. Ciaran is an Unseelie lord, so if he’s uncomfortable with these creatures, then they must be horrific. Unable to help myself, I glance back over the edge of the platform, looking for the glowing eyes. They are not there, and I think not knowing where the creature is happens to be worse than being aware of its presence. I know too much about it now. I was perfectly happy walking around oblivious to the existence of the sluagh and their soul stealing ways. Now, I’m going to be looking over my shoulder, worried that every movement is one of the sluagh coming to take me away.

Thanks to our connection, he knows full well how unsettled I am, but even a fae with no knowledge of me would be able to pick up on my apprehension. I’m on the edge of my seat, ready to jump up. If it wasn’t for Ciaran’s arm wrapped around me, then I would already be on my feet. He rubs soothing circles on my arms, helping to settle the fear trying to consume me. I am at the bottom of the food chain here, but I need to remind myself of just how safe I felt a few minutes ago. Nothing has actually changed. Those creatures would still have been there whether Ciaran told me about them or not.

I pull my gaze away from the ruins below and look at the fae around us instead. I find it strange that I feel at ease with the fae up here on the platforms, even though most of them have slightly terrifying appearances. What is the difference between them and the creatures below? They might not fit the usual standards of beauty, but that doesn’t automatically make them evil. Actions are all that should be used to judge someone’s character, and I think that’s what separated the two. So far, I have been more warmly welcomed in the Unseelie Court than I ever was in Seelie territory. Now, my only interaction with the fae below us left me with a sense of danger and foreboding. From what I can tell, the fae who pass us wish me no harm. Instinctively, I knew I was safe here.

I lean back against Ciaran, soaking in his warmth and silent comfort. His hand strokes through my hair, and my eyes flutter closed. Is there a better feeling than having your hair played with?

“Centuries ago, we all lived together in a grand city.” Ciaran’s voice cuts through my moment of bliss, and I open my eyes to glance up at him, not moving from my comfortable position against him.

“Those are the ruins you see now. We were attacked by our own kind,” he explains, his voice even and without anger, simply reciting facts. “When we rebuilt, those who sought to destroy us and refused to conform to a sense of society were banned and cursed to live within the ruins of the city. All the while, we lived a full life above, acting as a constant reminder of what they could have had but threw away.”

Wow. It’s a brutal way of dealing with traitors, but effective.

A memory tickles at the edges of my mind, and I remember the first interaction I had with the Unseelie queen and the crumbling ruin of a hall where she still holds her meetings. When I saw the decaying building, I never would have imagined a city like this would be created from the ashes. With such a glorious city like this, it is difficult to see why she would still use the ruin. I remember her telling me that it serves as a reminder of what once was and the consequences of bad choices, but they are just holding onto their anger from what happened previously. Moving forward is impossible if you have something chaining you to the past.

The city itself is another example of this, yet the fae above seemed to have made a good life for themselves. For the dwellers below though… If they ever find a way to be free, then the city will be in danger. They have missed out on so much, hated by their own court. It will only stoke the anger of those banned from the city, forced to watch. Anger, frustration, and envy are a toxic mix of emotions, especially in creatures who are already predisposed to killing and destroying. They are the creatures that give the Unseelie a bad name. The ones who attack and kill.

I want to know why the Seelie don’t know about this amazing city and the society they have managed to build here. Surely that would be the first step in changing their perceptions and creating peace. The only fae who should be bound by a curse are the evillest of the Unseelie who live below. I have to remind myself that these fae are still fully capable of causing great harm, though, no matter how beautiful their city might be and what they’ve created here.

Ciaran’s hand stills in my hair, and he presses a kiss to the top of my head. “You’re very quiet,” he murmurs against my scalp, inhaling deeply.

Humming with agreement, I lift my eyes to take in his expression. “I’m just thinking,” I reply. “I’m just surprised that there is a hierarchy of good and bad within the Unseelie Court given its reputation.”

With everything I’ve seen, both good and bad, I’m confused about this concept. I understand that the traitors are trapped in the ruins, but what of the other fae trapped there? Who decided that they didn’t belong amongst their own?

“You’re not the only one to think that. We are all capable of terrible things, we just don’t hide it here. The difference between us” —he gestures to the city— “and them” —he gestures below us— “is that we choose not to give in to our violent natures, whereas they revel in it.” He takes my chin in his fingers and turns my head to meet his gaze. “Is it any better in the Seelie land where the king tortures his son because he refuses to let him be with a human? At least here we don’t pretend to be something we aren’t.”

There’s no judgement or accusation in his voice, he genuinely wants to know my answer. Honestly, he’s right. I’ve been thinking about this a lot. It’s very easy to be the hero when you are writing the narrative. The Seelie were able to communicate with humans, feeding the human king propaganda and stories to make him fear the Unseelie. Trapped by the curse, there was no way for them to prove otherwise.

Good and evil… Which court is which? If you asked me when all of this first started, I would have been able to tell you straight away, but now that I’ve seen both sides, that’s no longer an easy question to answer. The courts don’t fit neatly into either label. Neither are purely good or evil. There are fae who protect others and those who only want to cause pain, and they are not restricted to one court or the other.

“It’s easy to forget that I’m surrounded by Unseelie when there is such beauty around me.” I gesture to the city and the glowing lights, avoiding answering his question.

He stares at me for a moment, and I wonder if he’s going to push the matter. Instead, he drops his hand with a small smile.

“You still need to keep your guard up,” he warns. “We are not like the Seelie who just want to live amongst nature. Different creatures belong to the courts, and here, our diets and natures are very different. That doesn’t make us mindless monsters though.”

I worry that I hit a nerve, but he seems resigned, as though expecting me to still think the worst. I get it, as I am acutely aware of how much stronger the fae are than me and that they are dangerous. To a human, however, both Seelie and Unseelie are dangerous, and their court affiliation doesn’t necessarily define how good or bad they are.

With our fingers entwined, Ciaran takes me deeper into the city, the buildings becoming grander until we reach a giant tree in the centre space, all of the platforms leading to this. I could never describe the sheer colossal size of this tree to Alaric or anyone else, and it seems impossible. Larger than ten huge oak trees, the trunk alone is impossibly enormous. Magic must have played a part in this. The palace is made of both added platforms and grown into the tree itself.

The Seelie palace is grander, the pillars and intricate decorations carved into rock, but there is a coldness to it. This is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before—a living, thriving palace.

Large platforms extend out from the trunk, with what looks like green fabric canopies extending out, creating domelike effects before a large entrance made into the tree palace itself. As the structure goes up, more platforms and canopies extend out in balcony type structures, wrapping around the trunk.

I’m completely blown away by everything around me. The Unseelie city is stunning. They have created life in a court shrouded in rumours about their brutality, built on top of an old life they threw away. They rebuilt themselves while never forgetting their past. That is what I’m doing now, shedding the lost, outcast human and becoming someone stronger, surrounded by those who love her.

I don’t know what the future has in store for us or what my place in the world is, but I am happier in this uncertainty with my mates than I ever was before.