Page 98 of Whispers of the Elderoak

She sat quietly, sipping her drink as she watched the group laugh with each other. As when they were traveling in thewilderness, there was an easiness in their interactions. A closeness. They teased each other, smiled warmly and truly seemed to care. Exactly like a family, though only two of them were blood related. Though she knew they still watched her closely, not completely trusting her, she was shocked at their hospitality and quick acceptance of her into their close-knit group. Something she had always longed for.

“So…” She leaned to Raine. “How do you all know each other? Like did you grow up together, or…?”

He clapped his hands together. “Well, let’s see if I can explain this long story quickly.”

Hearing Raine’s loud voice, the rest of the table quieted and looked at him, waiting for the story. “Jorrar and Kai have been around for… a thousand years or whatever.” He waved his hand.

“We arenotthat old, Raine,” countered Jorrar, playing with Kai’s curls next to him.

“Yes, yes,” Raine continued. “A lot of us lost at least one parent in the war. Fanya and I lost our mother when we were very young.”

“I’m sorry,” Ava said.

“Thank you,” he replied. “Casimir lost his too and had nowhere to go. So, our father took him in and raised the three of us together.”

She glanced at Casimir who was watching Raine with intensity.

“Then Quinn showed up when we were adolescents, so we all became close then. Thorne was a young king, having lost both his parents, and Jorrar was advising him as he came of age.” He took a sip of ale. “It just kind of happened that way. And that’s that. Our band of misfits was created.”

Ava smiled at his story. Admired their devotion to each other. “My parents are dead too,” she said. “I’m sorry you all had to experience that.”

Everyone was watching her now and she fidgeted under their scrutinizing eyes. “What happened to your parents?” Thorne asked her.

She sighed. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the mood of the evening, but she decided to open up. “I never knew my father. The only thing my mother told me was he died before I was born. Then a few years ago, my mother died from a disease that couldn’t be cured.”

Raine tensed beside her and she looked at him. He was looking down at her and a realization passed over his face as if he had figured out her secret.

“Ava,” he said quietly as the others watched. “Where are your parents from?”

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then turned toward the group. “Here.”

The fae around the table were completely silent as they all regarded her with surprise.

“I knew you weren’t completely human,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “I could sense it. What were their names?”

“I don’t know my father’s name. My mother’s name was Sarah,” she answered, hands shaking as she waited for their reaction.

Raine exhaled, seemingly disappointed.

“We don’t know anyone by that name,” said Jorrar. “It’s not a fae name.”

After a few moments of silence, Thorne spoke. “This is significant, Ava. We must?—”

He was cut off by a scream outside the fence of the tavern.

35

The group was up and out of their chairs before Ava could discern what was going on.

Raine yanked her up by her arm. “Stay close.”

More screams sounded, panic ringing in the night air. Other patrons jumped from their seats and ran inside, seeking safety as they left the warriors to face whatever threat had infiltrated their quiet capital city.

A hissing sound floated toward them as the group took their positions. Jorrar stepped in front of Kai, fierceness on his face as he prepared to protect his husband. Fanya had joined her brother behind the table, standing near Ava. The four warriors and their king had drawn their swords, scanning the darkness for the source of the sounds.

Something slithered over the stone wall, glistening in the moonlight and Ava’s heart picked up its pace. She’d seen this creature before.

“Raine,” she whispered. “I saw those at Deidamia’s camp.”

---