“You are a fucking coward, Rafferty. And I wish I’d never found my way to this nightmare of a fucking world.”
Turning, I rush out of the tent as quickly as my body will allow. Not wanting to draw attention, I turn immediately to the left and slip between the tents. Once I’m clear of them, I continue walking, hoping like hell no one is watching my pathetic self barely managing to hobble into the trees. The only thing on my mind is putting distance between Rafferty and me.
Space. I wanted space, right?
But did I really want to be enemies? Did I want him to regard me with nothing but obligation? My throat constricts as hot tears stream down my cheeks. My feet sting, the bareness not suitable for moving through a forest, but I ignore the ache.
The last thing I want is for Rafferty to take pity on me.
Chest heavy, I keep moving until I reach the edge of a stream. The water is moving here, so, at least, I know I don’t need to worry about demonic horses attacking me.
Sniffling, I take a seat at the edge of the stream. Then, covering my face with shaking hands, I let it all out.
The pain. Fear. Anguish. Longing. All of the things I’ve refused to let myself feel since the moment I stumbled into this place what feels like lifetimes ago.
It burns me from the inside, but I release it anyway. Because here, in the solace of this forest, there is no brooding fae to see me cry.
No frustratingly attractive warrior looming over me.
“My, my, you look so sad.”
I turn, tears still blurring my vision. Blinking rapidly, I manage to clear them enough to make out the woman standing mere feet from me. Dressed in a silver gown that falls to her ankles, she looks out of place here in the forest.
Her dark hair is pinned in a halo around her head, her eyes the same golden shade as all of the fae here.
“Who are you?”
A beautiful smile spreads across her face. “I am Ailis. Mind if I sit with you?”
“Sure.” Gesturing to the ground beside me, I say, “Though you’ll get your dress dirty.”
“No trouble there.” She plops down beside me and pulls her dress up to dip her feet into the stream.
“What are you doing out here?” I question. The air around her shimmers, and while I don’t exactly know why, I brush it off. Could be her magic or the water reflecting off her silver dress. It’s not as though I know exactly everything about this place.
“Walking,” she replies. “I do love a good walk.”
“Are you part of—” I trail off, kicking myself. The last thing I need to do is out the Rebellion to someone in Taranus’s court.
“If you are referring to either Taranus’s kingdom or Rafferty’s Rebellion, no. I belong to neither. I am a—powerful player of my own making.” She grins. “Though I’ve no interest in the same crown they fight over.”
The matter-of-fact way she speaks it is clear enough that I don’t doubt it. Though, I do make a mental note to be more cautious when I speak. “Oh.”
“I choose to stay out of things.”
“Why?”
“Rafferty and I have a complicated history.” Her haunted smile has a bit of jealousy rising within me even as it makes no sense. “And Taranus, well, I’ve always thought him worthless.”
“You and I can agree on that one,” I retort.
“Are you human?” she questions.
Seeing no need to hide it, I nod.
“And yet you are protected by him.” The way she studies me, it makes me uncomfortable. “Curious indeed.”
“Protected by Rafferty?”