Page 89 of A Bargain with the Fae King

My cheeks flush. The necklace he gave me last night, the bracelet from Solona, even the ring from Sigurd… I guess I hadn’t realized they were mine to keep.

“If we have more visitors, we’ll certainly give them gifts as well. You’re the first to come to my territory in quite a while.” He’d said that before, not long after I came here. Relations with humans must have broken down very badly indeed.

“Why do so few humans come here now, if there were once many more?”

“The particular stone I mentioned was a door key. A show of good faith to the humans to allow them to open and close doors into Faery. Rather a foolish gift, really, and it came back to hurt us. The witch closed several doors within this territory and then hid the stone here. Right under our noses but inaccessible due to her curse.” Riven shakes his head with a sigh.

A thought strikes me like lightning, and I practically jump from the table. “If we find the stone, could we trade it for May?”

Hope explodes within me like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

The humor dims from Riven’s eyes. “We could.”

But?A coil of fear twists in me as I wait for him to continue.

“But the stone could help my people for generations to come. If we could open more doors, allow more humans to come here…”

I slam my hand onto the desk as all my pent up hurt and worry breaks free. The force of it rings up my arm. “So more humans can get stolen away by the Unseelie? More little girls you promised to save?”

He flinches as if struck.

Good. Feel my pain.Anger burns hotter than a volcano in my heart, and it exploded from nowhere just as violently.

“We have to save May. You promised.” My voice cracks on the last word. It rings in the air, filling the silence. “I thought magic bound our bargain? Besides, I’m upholding my end.”

He flinches again.

A low blow, but for my sister, it’s worth it.

“I will save your sister, Lia. But giving them the key… If you want more humans to get stolen away, that’s the best way for it to happen.”

My fists clench at my side. His logic does nothing to soothe the fire in me.

Riven runs his hand down his face. “I should have saved her that night. We were so close.” He shakes his head. “The key will be a last resort, a last offer. Let’s see if we can find something else to offer before then.”

“Two days, Riven. We only have two days left.”

He takes my clenched hands in his, staring into my eyes. “Trust me. I know.”

“And if we don’t find anything?”

“There are other ways to get what we want.” He glances away.

Violent ones, no doubt. Too risky. A trade would be so much easier. Safer. For May and all of them.

I suck in a deep breath. Arguing isn’t going us any closer to a solution. “So this stone, key, whatever. Where is it?”

Riven releases my hands. “Nearby. A hedge maze outside the ruins of an old retreat.”

“A maze? You can’t just…magic it out?”

“Unfortunately not. The magic the witch used only allows humans to enter and not all of them.” His lips thin. “My magic can’t touch it.”

“Let me guess. You’d like me to find this stone for you?”

Riven nods slowly, his eyes boring into mine. “But it may not be easy. Not all humans can enter it. Even then, there are records of others trying and failing, and once they leave the maze, they cannot enter it again.”

So, I’d only have one shot at best. Lovely. Still, better one than none. “If I find it, I want to be able to trade it for May. If it comes to that.”

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