Page 135 of The Fae Girl 1

“There were three. One for each decade of the High King’s reign.”

I turned my head away. Grateful at least that there hadn’t been one for each year. “Will my legs heal? Will I be able to walk?”

“Once the healer is done you’ll need to rest and then you’ll wake fully recovered.”

I nodded. Rest sounded good. My body felt exhausted.

Jelric smiled gently. “That’s the magic. It takes energy from you too.” He said softly.

It felt like I was falling asleep already. Drifting away.

“Wait.” I said forcing myself to wake.

Jelric had always been honest with me. Blunt too. He didn’t massage the truth. He’d always told me exactly what the situation was and in this moment I think that’s what I wanted.

Honesty.

Someone I knew I could trust.

“Fain said I was a prize.” I said quietly.

“What?” He half snapped.

“He said I was a prize everyone is trying to claim.”

His face turned dark.

“Will the High King…” I felt the heat hit my face. “He won’t…” I didn’t know how to finish the sentence. How to even articulate what my fear was.

“Alice, there are some things in this world even the High King has no command over.”

I blinked waiting for him to continue. To say anything that might help.

“He may have control over your magic but he does not own your body, do you understand?”

I nodded.

“He cannot order...” He paused as if he too was embarrassed, ashamed to be having this conversation. “Even as High King there are some lines he cannot cross.”

I looked away feeling the tears welling in my eyes. Somehow I feared that wasn’t true.

That Uther would do what he wanted and there was nothing I could do to stop him.

* * *

I wokewith my face snug against the pillow and the covers wrapped so snugly up around my head.

The bed was so warm I didn’t want to move. The room was dark but the light peeking through the curtains told me it was day.

He’d kissed me. I’d kissed him back.

What the hell even was that?

I didn’t want to think about it, nor the words we’d spoken. What he’d admitted.

But my mind kept going to it. The way his lips had felt, the way his tongue had felt. How he’d calmed me, calmed my panic. Even the way my body had responded to his.

God I was an idiot.

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