Page 17 of Claimed By the Fae Lord

I snorted. "Clearly."

"Give it time," she winked.

Granting mercy on me, she stole the wooden spoon from my hand and saved what she could of the soup. There wouldn't be any leftovers, but there was enough for dinner.

Having Sofiya around was a reminder of how alone I'd been. I'd missed feeling seen, feeling known. It touched a place inme I'd thought had withered and died, a place my family never tended.

Sometime well before the trials, I'd accepted the fact Liam and I would never be together. Pitiably, I hadn't accepted I would never be more than a pawn to my parents.

I'd been an idiot my entire life. It was tough to swallow.

When Sofiya left, she told me she'd be back in the morning to walk me into town so I could explore and meet a few shop owners and make some purchases. I didn't feel right about buying on Aeryn's account, but I didn't see that I had a choice.

Having told Nox to burn Snowfall to the ground and to take whatever money they had as restitution, I had nothing other than what I'd taken with me to Thornewood when the trials began. Thinking of it gave me a headache so I headed to bed.

Later, in the quiet of the night, I tossed and turned in the comfortable but still unfamiliar bed. The only benefit to my riotous brain's inability to shut off was that it eventually landed on the thought that I would not only survive here, but I could be content.

The comforting idea didn't last long.

A rustle at the edge of hearing halted my thoughts. Adrenaline surged, instincts honed from years of training snapped to attention.

Swiftly, I was on my feet and reaching for my spear. My hands were steady despite the hammering of my heart as I quickly slid my feet into the boots beside my bed.

The fear of this very thing, of someone coming for me, seeking retribution either on or for my family, was why I slept fully clothed.

Putting my back to the wall beside the open door of my bedroom, I waited. A zap across my skin signaled someone had crossed through the ward at the front door. I wasn’t a master at warding, but it shouldn’t have been that easy to get through.

Light flickered across the floor. My eyes trailed the bright moonlight at my feet up to the small window to my left. I could be outside and running in under four seconds. Suddenly, a silhouette filled the window.

Movement came through the doorway and I stabbed the intruder in the neck. The male clutched at the wound, falling to his knees, then to the ground.

"Raina, darling, did you forget how to welcome guests?" A mocking tone dripped from the shadows.

"Guests don't normally skulk in the dead of night unannounced," I returned acerbically, spear poised as I called my magic to my hands.

"Then by all means, let me announce that you haveguests. Be a good little nymph and come greet us. All ten of us."

Ten?Ten total or ten in that room?

I glanced at the window, the large outline of someone still there. I didn't have the ability to portal to safety. Surprise was my only advantage.

I sent a lance of ice through the window, not watching to see where it struck. By the clarity of the scream, I'd missed it going through his mouth.

I winced, upset I'd damaged Aeryn's home more than the injury I'd inflicted.

Damn it.

Blindly, I did the same through the doorway, following behind my frozen spikes, jabbing and stabbing at every movement with the spear in my hands.

It took a second for the group to get their act together, first only defending, like they hadn't expected violence. Some I bloodied, some backed off. One was on the ground clutching his mangled crotch.

That one had been an accident, but notably effective. I'd try it on another soon, I was sure.

The males, a variety of sects of fae from what I could see in the moonlight, shifted and surrounded me.

"Feisty bitch," one sneered, stepping forward. His eyes glinted with malice, the kind that spoke of dark intentions.

"Come to make friends?" I asked, delaying, looking for an out.

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