Page 29 of What did you do?

I had finally calmed myself—atleast enough to appear unaffected—as Eli’s sister reluctantly showed me a few rooms, side-eyeing me the entire time. Her glare felt like knife points piercing the back of my head when I walked in front of her.

I had never met the princess before today. Queen Saracen and Eli were the only two who had ever visited me. But I didn’t need to know her to realize she was upset with me being here.

The moment we were out of earshot of the others, she confirmed as much. “You don’t deserve him,” she bit out coldly.

She was right. I didn’t.

We both continued to stare straight ahead. Her outburst hadn’t surprised me. She was used to getting everything she wanted, including all of her brother’s attention. I would bet what little money I had that she had never been told no. She was as spoiled and pampered as they came. They both were.

I bit down on my lip hard, nearly running into a door in shock as the sensation forced my eyes shut and sent tingles of pleasure deep down into my belly.

Mhhmmm.…

Was that me?

My chest filled with three deep, belly-expanding breaths before I dared continue.

Okay then…

Anyway, Eli had been Tarani’s best friend, and she’d had him entirely to herself forever. I didn’t blame her one bit for hating me. In fact, I respected it.

“I know I don’t,” I returned.

She glanced at me, hate filling her yellow irises, and for the first time since I was in the Unseelie realm, I was genuinely uneasy.

Maybe she hated me because I was a fae killer. I couldn’t help but wonder if she knew the work I had done for her mother in the human realm as well. Did they tell her I lured fae in with smiles and charm, and killed them simply because her mother had told me to? Did she know that most of the time I didn’t even know what crimes they had committed to deserve death? That I didn’t care? I was given an order and I carried it out. Every time. And I enjoyed it.

It was all so I could get here and finally be with my family again.

Anyone who ever tells you they wouldn’t kill for that is a liar.

The princess barked at me to follow her, guiding me to yet anotherlarge, opulent room. Her flowing, white dress trailed behind her, reminding me of sheets on a clothesline, flapping in the wind. She was so young and vibrant. Not tarnished and broken like me.

I choked the memories down as I continued to follow her. Things were going to be amazing from now on.

This room was different. I could feel the shift in the air immediately when we stepped inside. It felt…permanent. Powerful. The ceilings seemed to grow before my eyes with painted Rubenesque figures. They looked to be in a battle of sorts, but it was unclear who sided with whom. When my eyes touched them, the characters snapped their heads to watch me with hauntingly intense and empty, black eyes. Some wore all gold, holding what looked like handfuls of light, while others were cloaked in dark grays and browns. I took note of several slightly pointed ears in the battle scene…but then, I also noticed some with rounded, human-looking ears.

They looked horrifying.

A poor attempt at humans from a fae painter, I supposed. Their faces were empty and gaunt, soulless but for the eyes that seemed to stare straight through me. They reminded me more of zombies than humans. Especially in contrast to the godlike figures in gold. They seemed to be on the same side of the battle as the fae in gold, several even kneeling at their feet.

Tarani pushed me, and my perusal of the mural ended. I could still see them look at me in my peripheral vision, creepy grins on their faces and all.

I really had a lot of adjusting to do in the fae realm. Human science didn’t apply here.

In the back of the room, two large thrones loomed on a short platform. One seemed slightly more feminine than the other, encrusted with citrine set deep into the glistening gold. The other bore no gems or glittery accoutrements; instead, it was adorned with a regal fox head carved intricately on both of its tall back posts. The room was almost entirely bare, with the large, white-cushioned thrones the obvious focal point. It felt wrong and oddly dangerous to be standing in this room. The heavy, suffocating air even advised me to leave.

“This is obviously the royal throne room,” Tarani said, gazing at the throne to the left with a hard-set jaw. Did the queen and princess get along? They were close from the small amount Eli had said.

“It’s beautiful,” I mumbled, uncertain of what else to say. She seemed a little more excited in this room, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling we shouldn’t be here. Maybe she was hoping to get me into trouble. It seemed like something she would do.

“The fox heads are very impressive.” I smiled, nodding at the second throne. I’d never met King Felix, but from the small amount Eli had told me, he had been a truly kind and loving father.

“Yes.” Tarani’s face dropped.

“I’m sorry,” I said, trying to backtrack.

“No, you’re right. It is a beautiful throne. The fox heads were designed to look like my father in his shifted form.” She stepped closer to the throne, transfixed by the wooden heads. “I wish he were here. He could have fixed this,” she said with a wave.

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