“Well, Edward,” she whispers. She reaches her hand through the little hole and I take it. She shakes my hand and a spark shoots through me. I grip her hand, holding onto it like it’s my last chance to survive because right not, it kind of feels like it is. Why do I feel this connection, this spark?
She feels it too. I can tell because she quivers and pulls her hand back.
“It’s nice to meet you,” she whispers. “I’m Rose.”
“Rose.”
The name sounds sweet on my lips and I wonder what it might feel like to kiss the fairy. What would it feel like to press my lips against hers? It’s been a long time since I’ve had a thought like that. It’s been years. I should feel upset that the thought invades my head now, but I’m not because it’s her and Rose seems so...innocent. It’s strange, for a dark fae. Usually, dark fairies are known for being sultry and seductive, but not her. She’s got an air of determination about her.
In fact, she’s already moved back to the wall, and she’s touching it, trying to find a way out. She runs her fingers over every inch of the stone. I try not to stare, try not to let my eyes wander over her gentle curves, but it’s impossible not to. She’s lovely: a light in the darkness. I want to enjoy her while she’s here. It’s a pity that we met here and not somewhere else. It’s a pity I can’t grab her and bring her to my chambers. There I could really savor her. I could take my time devouring every inch of the little fairy. I could make her mine. I could fucking mark her. I could delight in her.
I could enjoy her.
The man from behind me clears his throat.
“Hey,” he says. “The wizard wants you.”
Torn from my fantasy, I swallow hard and try to get myself under cont
rol. I don’t know what kind of creature the man in the next cell is, but if he’s a shifter or anything other than human, he’s definitely going to scent my arousal, and that’s not only ridiculous, but also embarrassing.
Moving back over to that side of the cell, I lean through the little hole and peer at the man. The cells are so small that it’s easy to see the wizard’s space even though there’s a man between us.
“What’s your name?” I ask the man beside me. It seems silly to keep thinking of him as my cell neighbor. He has a name and there’s a reason he’s here. I might not know it, but I’m guessing it has something to do with pissing off Wyatt.
“Peter.”
“Edward.”
“So I heard.” He raises an eyebrow, but says nothing else, which pleases me. Peter obviously knows exactly who I am, but luckily for me, he’s not about to rat me out to Rose. I’m not ready to tell the little fairy who I am. Perhaps it’s wrong, but I kind of like knowing she just views me as any other man. I don’t want her thinking of me as a means to an end. I don’t want her thinking of me as the overlord of the city. That hasn’t done me any good, in any case.
“What can I do for you, Wizard?” I ask. I try to keep my voice down. We’re talking a lot, but the guards seem to be gone. From what I can tell, they don’t spend any time down here at all unless it’s to drop off meals. During those times, they expect absolute silence. The rest of the time, the dungeon inhabitants can go crazy for all anyone cares. After all, we’re tucked far below the castle. No one can hear us down here. No one can miss us.
“I can get us out of here,” he says with a grin.
“Really? How?”
“Thanks to the book!” He says. “I’ve got the spell to break the lock. It won’t be pretty, but once I’m free, I can get the rest of you lot out, as well.”
“How many of us are there?”
“Just us four now,” Peter says. “Well, and Billy.”
I had almost forgotten about Billy. I open my mouth to call out and check on him, but Peter stops me.
“Don’t worry about him,” he says. “Billy sleeps a lot.”
“Uh, okay. Well, Wizard? What are you waiting for?”
“I can do the spell,” he says. “But I need a button, a knife, and an amulet.”
“Um.”
Where the hell am I supposed to get those things? We’re locked in a dungeon. Not only are we locked in a dungeon, but we’re locked in cells that aren’t even supposed to exist anymore. I thought that these holes were destroyed long ago. I hate that I never followed up to check on their destruction. I hate that I simply trusted Wyatt. That was by far, the worst decision of my life. I hate that I let him have his way.
I hate that it’s my fault we’re here.
All of us.