“Only when going on the attack.” Which never happened. A fae would have to be suicidal to approach these grounds with negative intent. My father was the Midnight Fae King. He took his security very seriously.
We continued down another winding path after being permitted through the gates, Ella’s undivided attention on the changing surroundings.
Black water lakes reflecting the light.
Acres of stones and trees intertwined.
Walking paths.
“Is that a phoenix?” she breathed, eyeing a firebird in the distance.
“Similar,” I replied. “Not as big as the ones from your legends. The firebirds only grow as large as your standard eagle.”
“Right.” She visibly shuddered. “This…”
“Is real,” I finished for her.
“Uh-huh,” she replied, eyeing a horde of water sparks dancing over the lake. “Fairies?”
I grunted. “More like gnats, only larger and they sting. I definitely don’t recommend touching one.” Unfortunately, they were an infestation that couldn’t be eradicated even with magic.
“And you’re a fae,” she sa
id slowly.
“As are you,” I returned.
She glanced at my head, frowning. “Your ears are round.”
I gave her a look. “As are yours, Ella.”
“I thought fae had pointed ears.”
“Some do,” I agreed. “Midnight Fae do not.”
“So there are other types of fae?”
I nodded. “Many, yes. This is just one realm of several.”
“Oh.” She went back to staring out the window, her shoulders stiff. “Do they all drink blood?”
“Only Midnight Fae because of our access to the dark arts.”
“Why?” she pressed. “Why only Midnight Fae?”
“Because it fuels our access to the dark arts,” I explained patiently. This was a lot for her to take in, so there would be some necessary repetition in responses. “Some see it as a moral punishment to satiate the harsher side of our existence. Others embrace it as a sustenance to fuel our energy reserves.”
“And how do you view it?” she glanced at me. “And how often do you… you know?”
“It’s a natural part of our existence that I accepted long ago, and I feed once a month or so. It’s not often and it doesn’t require much. And before you ask, no, we don’t kill humans. We just borrow some of their life energy every now and then. Most of them live to enjoy it.” Blood exchange tended to result in heightened sexual sensations. Something I would eventually need to explain. Or maybe I’d show her, if she let me.
“I see.” She bit her lip, her brow drawing down. “I don’t drink blood.”
“Because you’re a Halfling without access to your powers.” But that did bring up a potential explanation for why she hadn’t shown signs of her gifts yet. Perhaps it was a result of her not drinking blood. I’d have to ask my father or maybe my brother, Kols, later for an opinion.
Ella stiffened as the official Nacht Estate appeared, the lights shining starkly against the night and illuminating the vast columns and granite exterior.
Her jaw dropped a little. “It’s like a gothic palace.”